6+-+Camera+Angles

= Using Camera Angles =

When we watched "The Great Train Robbery" we saw what film used to look like: one camera, one shot, one long scene. Video today is much more dynamic. The camera moves, the angles change, the perspectives are varied. By the end of this unit you will be able to... >
 * identify camera angles by subject size, vertical position, horizontal position.
 * explain how camera angles make a story more visually interesting without using special effects.
 * use camera angles to avoid "jump cuts" and learn to "sequence" well.
 * use some basic video language terminology to effectively talk about your videos.

= Camera Angles: = Camera angles fit into 3 basic categories: subject distance, horizontal position, and vertical angle:

Subject Distance
Watch the video below. It shows samples of most of the following shot types. You'll notice that, sometimes, the video uses shot names that are different from what we use. That's OK. It's important to be able to use the shots and talk about them - if some of the exact wording changes, that's not such a big deal. Shots highlighted in the video are marked in blue.
 * Long Shots
 * ** Extreme long shot **- the figure is tiny and indistinct in a very large area.
 * **Long shot**- the figure is small in the frame (half the frame height or less) and slightly indistinct.
 * **Medium long shot**- the standing human is distinct and somewhat closer, but with considerable head room and foot room.
 * Medium Shots:
 * **full shot** (video calls this a "long shot") - the standing figure fills the screen from top to bottom, often with just a small amount of head room and foot room.
 * **Three-quarter shot** (video calls this a "medium long shot") - the shot shows the subject from about the knees to the top of the head.
 * ** medium shot **- the shot shows the subject from the belt line to the top of the head.
 * Close Ups:
 * ** medium closeup **- the shot shows that subject from about the chest level to the top of the head.
 * ** closeup **- the shot shows the subject from the shoulders to the top of the head.
 * **big closeup**- the shot shows the subject from below the chin to the forehead or hairline
 * ** extreme closeup **- the shot shows the subject from the base of the nose to the eyebrows.

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Horizontal Position
Shots don't always have to be directly on a person's face. Experiment with new camera positions that change the viewers perspective. Watch the video below and identify the different horizontal positions the camera uses. How many different horizontal positions can you identify in this clip?
 * * **front angle**- the camera faces the front of the subject.
 * **three-quarter angle**- the camera is placed between 15 and 45 degrees around toward one side of the subject.
 * **profile angle**- the camera is at a right angle to the original front shot. The view is the side of the subject.
 * **three-quarter rear**- the camera is another 44 degrees around, so the subject is now facing away.
 * **rear angle**- the camera is directly opposite its front position adf fully behind the subject. || [[image:http://accad.osu.edu/%7Emidori/03_763/cinema/camera_angles.jpg width="432" height="236"]] ||

Vertical Position
Changing the camera's height also helps your viewer see new perspectives. Look for different vertical angles in the video below as well. What effect does it have when a shot is filmed from a Bird's Eye angle? What effect does it have when a shot is filmed from a Worm's Eye angle?
 * * **Bird's eye angle**- An extremely high camera position (around 1 o'clock) that simulates the view from a plane or high building.
 * **High angle**- A shot in which the camera is evidently higher than the eye level of a human subject (around 2 o'clock).
 * **Neutral Angle**- (or Eye Level) A shot in which the camera is more or less at the subject's eye level (around 3 o'clock).
 * **Low angle**- A shot in which the camera is evidently below eye level (around 4:00).
 * **Worm's- eye angle** - An extremely low camera position, looking dramatically upward (around 5:00). || [[image:http://accad.osu.edu/%7Emidori/03_763/cinema/camera_angles2.jpg]] ||

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= Continuity: = Use multiple camera angles to help your video be visually interesting. Be sure you can use them *well* to make sure your video flows naturally and looks continuous.

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 * Jump Cuts: What is a jump cut? How do you avoid having them in your video?

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 * Sequencing: Sequencing involves filming the same scene from a variety of different angles, then putting it together into one continuous scene. When it's done correctly it looks natural, but it takes practice to do it well.