Cinematography-Shot Types: Framing (size and angle); Movement/Technique

Shot Glossary

BOOM SHOT

A shot filmed from a moving boom, incorporating different camera angles and levels.

CAMEO SHOT

A shot in which the subject is filmed against a black or neutral background.

CHOKER

A tight close-up, usually only showing a subject's face.

CLOSE SHOT (CS)

A shot in which the subject is shown from the top of the head to mid-waist.

CLOSE-UP (CU)

A shot of an isolated part of a subject or object, such as the head or hand.

CUTAWAY

A shot that is related to the main action of the scene but briefly leaves it.

DOLLY SHOT

A moving shot, accomplished by moving the camera as if on a set of tracks.

ESTABLISHING SHOT

A long shot that shows location and mood.

EXTREME CLOSE-UP (ECU, XCU)

A magnified shot of a small detail, such as a subject's eyes.

EXTREME LONG SHOT (ELS, XLS)

A wide angle shot from a great distance, such as an aerial or high angle shot of a location.

EYE LEVEL SHOT

A shot of the subject at eye level.

FLASH

A very brief shot, often for shock effect.

FOLLOW SHOT

A shot in which the camera follows the subject.

FREEZE FRAME

A shot that results from repeating the same frame so the subject appears frozen.

FULL SHOT (FS)

A long shot that captures the subject's entire body head to toe.

HEAD-ON SHOT

A shot where the action comes directly at the camera.

HIGH ANGLE SHOT

A shot filmed from high above the subject(s).

LONG SHOT (LS)

A shot in which the subject(s) is at a distance, often showing surroundings.

LOW-ANGLE SHOT

A shot filmed down low, often looking up at the subject(s).

MEDIUM-LONG SHOT (MLS)

A shot wider than a medium shot but longer than a wide shot.

MEDIUM SHOT (MS)

A shot where the subject(s) is shown from the knees up.

POINT-OF-VIEW SHOT (P.O.V.)

A shot from the character's point of view.

REACTION SHOT

A close shot of a character reacting to something off camera.

REVERSE-ANGLE SHOT

A shot that is the opposite of the preceding shot such as two characters in conversation.

TIGHT SHOT

A shot where the subject fills the whole frame.

TWO-SHOT

A medium or close shot wide enough for two people, often used to film a conversation.

OVER-THE-SHOULDER (OTS)

A shot that shows us a character's point of view, but includes part of that character's shoulder or side of their head in the shot.

PAN SHOT

A shot in which the camera moves horizontally around a fixed axis from one part of a scene to another.

TILT SHOT

A shot where the camera moves up or down along a vertical axis, as when it looks at a building from bottom to top.