Many camera techniques create varying moods and meanings to a film's story.
Camera techniques refer to the way the shots are recorded through certain approaches in camera use. As an audiovisual medium, the camera works in various ways to acquire footage based on the script's requirements. These camera techniques convey meanings to both the individual shots and the final movie's edit. Although these meanings tend to be subjective and vary from one movie to another, they are primarily based on how the film language works.
Shot Sizes
The initial considerations when framing a shot include identifying the lens the camera uses and checking the distance of the camera to the subject. In doing so, the camera operator can determine the shot size needed in the story. Although not used by all film projects, a storyboard and/or shotlist typically would readily identify the size of a shot being set up. This can be a close-up shot, medium shot or long shot. When shooting a person from head to foot, it is called a full shot, and when shooting only the lips of a person, it is called an extreme close-up. Meanwhile, when shooting a wide and extensive landscape, it is referred to as an extreme long shot. This is typically used as an establishing shot of one of the story's locations.
Camera Angles
A camera angle refers to the exact position, specifically the angle and height of the camera to the subject. The camera angle for a point-of-view shot, which follows how the human eye sees things, is called an eye-level shot. To set up a low-angle shot, the camera must be in a position lower than its subject; it then points upwards to take the shot, similar to the way a person would look up at something. To make a high-angle shot, the camera must be in a position higher than its subject; it then points downwards to take the shot, similar to the way a person would look down on something.
Camera Movements
Camera movement works hand-in-hand with the camera shots and angles to exude the right emotions and convey more specific meanings to shots. Panning refers to the left and right (horizontal) movements of the camera, while tilting refers to the up and down (vertical) movements of the camera. Tracking refers to the use of grip equipment like a crane, jib or dolly, or even when doing a handheld shot. The movement of the camera allows a person to set the mood and feel of a scene. For instance, a fast-moving shot fits well in action movies, as it creates thrilling pacing and dynamism for the movie. Often a dramatic shot either keeps the camera still or moves slowly for a long take of an actor in tears.
Special Camera Techniques
Special camera techniques combine many basic camera techniques to create certain visual effects. For instance, the old technique of making someone or something disappear on a scene can be done by locking the camera in place, shooting the subject on frame, then shooting the same frame without the subject. This results to a playback effect that makes the subject disappearing on the scene. Another popular camera technique involves shooting a scene while simultaneously zooming in and tracking out, or zooming out and tracking in. The tracking shots are created with a dolly, a platform with wheels on which the camera is mounted and is pushed nearer to or farther from the scene. These effects make the foreground look bigger, while making the background look smaller, or vice versa.
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