TV Drama: Camera Terminology

Key Terms:

- Areal shot (or Crane Shot): a view from directly overhead to afford a clear view- sometimes used to emphasize a spectacle. A crane shot is usually necessary to achieve this (this shot is also known as the bird's eye shot)

- Canted Angle: A shot which is tilted to one side. This is often used to create a feeling of disorientation.

- Close up (plus the variations): close ups, including extreme, big and medium close ups, are used to draw the viewer closer and to involve them in what is happening. They are also used to observe reactions and emotions, such as happiness, elation or tension. This shots are often used to privilege over other characters and position and audience.

- Crab shot: a type of shot which involves the camera being placed in a confined space, e.g. A shot taken from inside a cupboard and the subject opens the cupboard door.

- Crane shot (Or Aerial): a type of shot which a camera is positioned on a specially designed crane, which can be raised and lowered and will. A crane shot is a high-angle shot but the versatility of the equipment allows a director to start a shot from a high angle, and them swoop down towards a subject at ground level.

- Deep focus: a camera technique that allows objects both near and far from the camera to be in focus at the same time.

- Establishing shot: the shot (usually wide or long), often used at the start of a program or film, a new section of a program or at the start of a new scene to establish the relationship between the set/location and the characters. It can also be used to show the whole new view.

- Hand-Held shot: a shot filmed with the camera not on a tripod, but instead held by the cameraman, often whilst walking. This makes the shots seem quite shaky. This can make the audience feel the scene to be more realistic, or can make us feel like we are part of the action.

- Head-on shot: for a type of shot which the action comes directly toward the camera. Head-on shots are often used in war or action movies to enhance the sense of involvement and excitement of the audience. For instance, charging cavalry may be directed at the camera.

- High angle: to provide a view from above the subject(s), often making the subject look vulnerable, isolated or powerless. This is sometimes combined with a crane shot, in order to get a closer look of the subjects.

- Long Shot: a distance where the camera is a long way from the subject being filmed. A long shot can be effective as an establishing shot that sets the scene for the action and he roles in the viewer.

- Loose Frame: describes a shot where there is a lot of room around an object or person. Usually used to show them as being alone, or isolated or unimportant.

- Low angle shot: a shot where the camera approaches a subject from below eye level. A Low Angle shot can emphasize the size of an object being filmed and add to a point of view perspective. It can make the character shown seem big and powerful, and it can make us, or the character we are seeing through, seem small and weak.

- Master Shot: a camera shot used at the beginning of a sequence to establish the component elements and relationships in such a way as it allows the audience to make sense of the action follows.

-  Pan: camera action involving gently moving the camera 180 degrees across the subject matter in a horizontal plane.

- Point-of-view shot (POV or Subjective Filming): a camera shot taken from the position of the subjects, used to enhance a sense of realism and the audience involvement in the action.

- Pull Focus: describes a shot where one this was on focus, and then the lens is charged so that something else stops being blurry and becomes in focus. Often used to show how something had become more important.

- Rule of thirds: describes a technique used to make a shot look interesting. Rather than placing a person or object in the middle of the frame, they are places at the sides, or where the times cross in this imaginary fgrid.

- Shallow Focus: describes a shot where an object near the front is in focus, and everything else is out of focus (blurry). Often used to make one thing seem more important.

- soft focus: in images, the use of a special lens or filter to create a hazy light around the subject. Soft focus are associated with the romantic or sentimental treatment of the subject matter.

- Subjective filming (or POV): a type of shot in which the camera is positioned as if looking at the world through the character's eyes.

- Tight Frame: Describes a shot that is compaosed with the person or object given very little space around them. Often used to make them seem important, or trapped.

- Tilt: a camera movement that involves moving the camera vertically up and down from a fixed position.

- Tracking shot: a camera shot in which the camera moves along rails to follow the subject. When the rails are replaces by a moving platform on wheels, the shot is called a dolly shot. (This can also be called a dolly shot)

- Whip pan: a very fast pan between two or more characters all points of interest. He gives the impression camera had been 'surprised' by activity and is used in the place of a more conventional shot/reserved shot.

- Wide shot: this can be used as an establishing shot of a set or location or to show a large group of people. They can also emphasize the isolation of a single figure.

-  Zoom.reverse zoom: the adjustment of the camera lens t allow to operator progressively to move in close off or to pull away from the subject.

- 180 degree rule: where, during a scene featuring two or more people, we can imagine an imaginary line joining those two people together. Adhering to the 180 degree rule would mean you you always ensure your camera was on one side of the line and that the camera would never cross to the other side of the line. Sticking to the 180 degree rule allows the viewer to feel comfortable, and helps us understand the positioning of the characters, and makes it feel like real life.

- Breaking The 180 Degree Rule (Crossing The Line): Where, during a conversation or a scene between the two people, the camera does NOT stick to just one side of the line and crosses over at some point. This disorientates the viewer as we are unable to work out the positioning of the characters within the room. It makes the scene seem off or strange and may reflect the feelings of the characters.