Camera Angles

 

Camera Movements

Panning – When a camera movement is from side to side. The camera scans the scene to provide the viewer with elements of a scene that cannot be included in a wide-angle shot. It can also reveal information as needed and can follow a moving object. It should be a smooth motion.

Tilt – The movement of a camera head up or down. Tilting the camera up can show height and tilting it down can show depth. It can also show relationships. Tilts can also generate emotional responses, tilting upwards causes the feeling of hope, interest and expectation whereas tilting downwards can lower interest and create feelings or disappointment or sadness.

Tracking Shot – A shot which the camera pushed horizontally along the ground on a dolly.

Dolly – Refers to a type of shot achieved when a camera is mounted on a cart pushed along a track.

Crane – A shot in which the camera rises above the ground on a mobile support.

Steadicam – Mechanism for steadying a hand-held camera, consisting of a shock-absorber arm to which the camera is attached and a harness worn by the camera operator.

Hand-held – When a person holds the camera in hand while shooting.

Zoom – A single shot which moves towards a particular subject.

Reverse zoom - A single shot which moves away from a particular subject.

Camera Angles

In this lesson we learnt about most of the different types of camera angles, movement shot types. Below is the list of them.

Aerial Shot (bird's eye view) - This is a shot from directly above the head. The shot puts the audience in a godlike position, looking down on the action. it is also very good at setting the scene on a vast scale.

Extreme Long Shot - This can be taken from as much as a quarter of a mile away, and is generally used as a scene-setting, establishing shot.There will be very little detail visible in the shot, it's meant to give a general impression rather than specific information.

Long Shot - This is the most difficult to categorise precisely, but is generally one which shows the image as approximately "life" size. For example the whole of someone's body id clear shown in the image and is not cut off in any way.

Medium Shot - Contains a figure from the knees/waist up and is normally used for dialogue scenes, or to show some detail of action. Variations on this include the TWO SHOT (containing two figures from the waist up) and the THREE SHOT (contains 3 figures...). Another variation in this category is the OVER-THE-SHOULDER-SHOT, which positions the camera behind one figure, revealing the other figure, and part of the first figure's back, head and shoulder.

Close Up - This shows very little background, and concentrates on either a face, or a specific detail of mise en scène. Everything else is just a blur in the background. This shot shows the importance of things, be it words written on paper, or the expression on someone's face.

Extreme Close-Up -  As its name suggests, an extreme version of the close up, generally magnifying beyond what the human eye would experience in reality. An extreme close-up of a face, for instance, would show only the mouth or eyes, with no background detail whatsoever.

High Angle - Not so extreme as a bird's eye view. High angles make the object photographed seem smaller, and less significant/intimidating.

Eye Level - A fairly neutral shot; the camera is positioned as though it is a human actually observing a scene, so that eg actors' heads are on a level with the focus.

POV (Point Of View) - This show it what it says in the name really, it is taken from the point of view of one character. You can see what they would be seeing. The camera becomes the eyes of one particular character.

Low Angle - Low angles help give a sense of confusion to a viewer, of powerlessness within the action of a scene. The background of a low angle shot will tend to be just sky or ceiling, the lack of detail about the setting adding to the disorientation of the viewer. The added height of the object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer, who is psychologically dominated by the figure on the screen.

Oblique/Canted Angle - Sometimes the camera is tilted (ie is not placed horizontal to floor level), to suggest imbalance, transition and instability (very popular in horror movies).

In this lesson we learnt about most of the different types of camera angles, movement shot types. Below is the list of them.

Camera Shot Analysis

This image of the taken from the film 'Batman - The Dark Knight' is a close up shot of The Joker with the slightly blurred figure of batman in the background.

This image portrays a very sinister atmosphere due to the fact the shot is concentrated onto The Jokers face. This is emphasised by the fact that the head of Batman has deliberately been cut off to make you really focus in on The Jokers features although his facial expressions are totally obscured by the make-up he is wearing. 

The shot is very straight on and creates only a slight shadow if any at all. As there is no shadow on his face this could symbolise that he only has one side to his personality. During this part of the film he is about to be interrogated so the shot helps to focus on any facial expression he shows, which again is obscured by the make-up and not shadow.

The fact that the shot is at eye level with The Joker so you are at his level puts you in his position and makes you feel slightly intimidated by him.

Television Advert Analysis

The advert I chose to analyse was the 'Coors Light Beer - Tear' advert.
Below is a link to the advert.
http://www.tellyads.com/show_movie.php?filename=TA13448

Analysis:
Location/Settings - The snowy mountainous scenary could represents how cold and refreshing the beer actually is. Not only this but the mountains could symbolise that this particular beer could be one of the best and be superior to all other beers.

Costumes/Make-Up - The man in the advert is wearing a sleaveless denim jacket, most people would say that this costume is an unusual thing to wear because of the tough and freezing cold conditions that there would be up in the mountains. By putting the actor in this particular costume it shows that he can withstand the harsh conditions up in the mountains but he still finds the beer refreshing and cold.

Props - The only props used in this advert are the beer bottle and the beer bottle and glass at the end. There is condensation on the bottle and it is running down the actors face. This effect makes you think that even in the minus temperatures in the mountains that beer is still colder.

Lighting/Colour - When he is talking about the tear, the lighting is dark, and because there is what you think is a tear running down his face the dark colours represent sadness, but when he says 'wrong again friend, it's my beer' the light is aimed at the beer bottle, subliminally showing that the beer can make you happy. This use of lighting also makes you focus your thoughts on the beer which of course is the main product they are trying to sell/advertise.
The end shot is of the beer glass and bottle, we see the light (in this case sunlight) appear from behind the bottle/glass and again this makes us focus on the point they are trying to sell. The rays of light could also represent an almost heavenly type feeling, making you think it is the 'god of all beers'.
The main colour used throughout the advert is white, and this could symbolise pureness and that the beer doesn't contain any bad additives.