SHOT SIZES
Nine Sizes of Shots to Capture the Characters & Setting in Relation to Each Other.
Establishing Shot
An Establishing Shot is a Wide Shot of the environment around the subject in a scene. They are extremely important in the introduction of any scene, and don’t typically feature the subject.
They are used to open a scene or a film: wide enough to establish the geography, time of day, the subjects’ scale in relation to their environment, and inform the audience of a transition between scenes. It is common in science fiction or fantasy films, where the film has to introduce unfamiliar worlds and environments to the audience.
Extreme Wide Shot (EWS)
An Extreme Wide Shot (EWS), otherwise known as Extreme Long Shot, establishes the camera extremely far from the subject: it is an even greater distance than a Wide Shot.
The subject appears on frame, but it isn’t important to see them in their entirety. It is important as an Establishing Shot to both the location and / or the subject in relation to their surroundings. They are used to make your subject seem distant and unfamiliar. They are typically used in disaster films where the catastrophe is highlighted by the characters seeming small and powerless.
Wide Shot (WS)
A Wide Shot (WS) positions the subjects far from the camera to establish their distance from each other and in their location.
It is used to see the subject and their actions, but still appear small in the frame. It can be used to make subjects appear lost, lonely, or overwhelmed. It can be used to make statements on a relationship between subjects.
Full Shot (FS)
A Full Shot (FS) is when a subject’s entire body is captured on the edges of the frames.
The top of a subject’s head to toe must be captured in the frame of this one shot. The subject does not need to be in the centre of the frame, but it is a very common staging for this shot. The Full Shot is used to express a narrative of the subject in regards to their body, posture, and wardrobe while simultaneously clearly showing their face.
Medium Full Shot (MFS)
A Medium Full Shot (MFS), alternatively known as a Cowboy Shot (because of the height of cowboys’ holsters), is when a subject’s top of their head to below waist is captured.
Although widely used in Western cowboy films, it is typically used when a character must appear dangerous, confident or confrontational. Significantly when weapons (especially those typically used in cowboy films, like guns or pistols) are used.
Note: A subject should not be cut off at the knees, since it feels atypical and “unnatural” for a subject to be viewed in that manner.
Medium Shot (MS)
A Medium Shot (MS) is when a subject is viewed from above their head to any point which is above the waist and below their chest.
It is the most popular shot in all of media, since it expresses neutrality and provides no additional commentary other shots may have. It captures a subject in a size humans typically view other people, and allows for viewing the subject's facial expressions (and eyes) while maintaining vision of their environment.
Medium Close Up (MCU)
A Medium Close Up (MCU) Shot is when a subject is framed from midchest to above their head.
This Shot Size is used to centralise focus on the subject’s expression and facial details. In a shot, the viewer becomes intimate with the subject without losing the character’s physicality or any additional details in the scene necessary for their reaction.
Close Up Shot (CU)
A Close Up (CU) Shot is when a subject is framed from below their chin to above their head.
It is used to highlight a visual change of emotion or dramatic beat on screen, to visualise the character’s thoughts and feelings. They are most commonly angled at Eye Level, to capture the subject’s eyes and their emotion within. It is effective within moments of drama, anxiety, or decision making.
Extreme Close Up Shot (ECU)
An Extreme Close Up (ECU) Shot frames an isolated part of the subject for emphasis: their ears, nose, mouth, knuckles, etc.
It is considered to be the most intimate, dramatic, and potentially startling of all. The most common part of a subject seen in Extreme Close Ups are the eyes. This differs from a camera framing on a small object, which is known as an Insert Shot, an ECU Shot is specifically for characters and their framing.
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