Video Composition

And Camera Movements

Composition

• Long shot (LS)• Medium shot (MS)• Close up (CU)

Universal units of composition

Long Shot (LS)

• Essentially the same as a wide shot• When referring to a person, a long

shot means they take up almost the full frame height

• In other situations it means a wide shot of the whole scene, placing the subjects in their environment

Long Shot (LS)

Long Shot (LS)

In this instance, the long shot would be used as an establishing shot

Medium Shot (MS)• Shows some part of the subject in

more detail, usually from the waist up• Still shows enough for the audience to

feel as if they were looking at the whole subject

• Appropriate for delivering facts and general information

• Frequently used by television news presenters

Medium Shot (MS)

Medium Shot (MS)

• An approximation of how you would see a person "in the flesh" if you were having a casual conversation. You wouldn't be paying any attention to their lower body, so that part of the picture is unnecessary.

Medium Shot (MS)

Close Up (CU)

• A certain feature or part of the subject takes up most of the frame.

• A close up of a person usually means a close up of their face (unless specified otherwise),

• Useful for emphasizing the emotional state of the person.

Close Up (CU)

Close Up (CU)

Types of Shots• Extreme Wide Shot

(EWS)• Very Wide Shot (VWS)• Wide Shot (WS)• Mid Shot (MS)• Medium Close Up (MCU)• Close Up (CU)• Extreme Close Up (ECU)

Ranging from very far away to very close

up

Types of Shots• Cutaway (CA)• Cut-In• Two-Shot• Over-the-Shoulder Shot (OSS)• Point of View Close-up

Cutaway

A shot of something other than the current action

Cut-In

Shows some part of the subject in detail

Two-Shot

A comfortable shot of two people, framed similarly to a medium shot.

Over the Shoulder Shot

Looking from behind a person at the subject

Point of View Shot

Shows a view from the subject’s perspective.

Point of View Shot

A cornfield from an ant’s perspective.