Cinematography Development

Pan:

Panning is a camera movement technique that involves moving the camera horizontally to the right or left. This technique is usually used to track an object or follow a type of movement.

Dolly Shot:

The Dolly shot is a tracking shot that is done when the camera is mounted onto a dolly. A dolly is a wheeled platform that is pushed on rails while the picture is being taken.

Tracking Shot:

A tracking shot is when a camera follows a person or object by physically moving with the subject. This can be done using tracks, handheld, ropes, steady-cam etc.

Tilt:

This is a technique in which the camera stays stationary and rotates in a vertical plane.

Hand held:

Hand-held camera is a technique in which the camera is held in the camera operators hands as opposed to being mounted on a tripod.

High Angle Shot:

This is where the camera looks down on the subject from a high angle and the point of focus often gets 'swallowed up'. They can be used to make the subject look vulnerable or powerless.

Low Angle Shot:

This is a shot where the camera is positioned low on a vertical axis. The effect of this angle is to make the subject look strong and powerful

Establishing Shot:

An establishing shot is usually the first shot of a new scene. It is designed to show the audience where the action is about to take place. It is usually a very wide shot or an extreme wide shot.

Close-up:

This tightly frames a person or an object. Close-ups are used to display the most detail but they don't include the broader scene.

Extreme close up:

An extreme close-up shows the audience an object or person differently to how they usually see them. It brings attention to the subject and makes them more memorable visually. They can be used to show someones emotions if they need bringing to the audiences attention.

Pull Focus:

The pull focus is a technique in which the focus can be changed during a shot. This means that it adjusts from one subject to another.

Shot/Reverse Shot:

This is used to show one character looking at another character, and then the other character is shown looking at the first character.

Match on Action:

This is a technique that is used to edit from one shot to another by matching their actions.

Graphic Match:

This is a cut between two different objects, two different spaces, or two different composition in which the two shots graphically match. This is often used to establish continuity of action and linking two shots metaphorically.

Eye-line Match:

This is used to show a character and what they are looking at. It begins with a character looking at something off-screen, followed by a cut to the object or person they are looking at.

POV:

A point of view shot shows what a character is looking at through their eyes rather than the camera facing the character

Cut Away:

A cut away is the interruption of a continuously filmed action by inserting a view of something else.

Montage Sequence:

A montage sequence is a series of short shots that are edited into a sequence to condense space, time and information.