Camera Shots & Moves

In a TV Studio, there are many different camera moves avaliable to you for you to use, examples of these include:

A diagram showing a few examples of camera movements.

Pan

- This is when you move the camera horizontally left or right, it allows you to follow a subject, or show the distance between two objects, and as well as this they can be good for panning across an audience (e.g sometimes in The Jeremy Kyle show they will pan across the audience before going onto him)

Tilt
- A tilt is when you move the camera up or down without actually raising it's position, this like a pan can allow you to follow an object, it can also help to show how high something is or even make something look higher than it is.

Crane or Boom
- This move works and looks similar to the action done by a construction crane, it is usually used for high sweeping shots or to follow the action of your subject.

Crab

- This is when the camera moves(crabs) left or right.

Dollying/Tracking

- This involves the camera itself being moved towards or away from a subject smoothly (contrast with zooming). Tracking in (this is like zooming) draws the viewer into a closer, more intense relationship with the subject; whereas moving away from the subject tends to create emotional distance between the viewer and the subject. Tracking back usually divert attention to the edges of the screen. The speed of tracking can also effect a viewers mood, for example; Rapid tracking (especially tracking in) is exciting; where as tracking back relaxes the viewers interest.

Zoom

- In zooming, the camera does not move, the lens is focussed down from a long-shot to a close-up whilst the picture is still being shown. When using zooming, it makes the subject , and attention is concentrated on details previously invisible as the shot tightens (contrast tracking), it may sometimes be used to in a sense 'surprise' the viewer. Zooming out reveals more of the scene (where a character is etc) as the shot widens.

In a TV Show production there are also many shots available for you to use, these include;

Extreme Long Shot (ELS)

- In an ELS, the camera is at its furthest distance from the subject, in turn putting emphasis on the background.

Long shot (LS)

-A long shot is when it shows all or most of a some-what large subject (e.g a person), as well as this long shots usually also include alot of the surroundings around that subject.

Medium Long Shot (MLS)

- A medium long shot is usually when the lower frame line cuts off the subject, which in most cases would be an actress or actors feet and ankles.

Establishing Shot

- This is the shot that is usually used for the opening shot or sequence of a production, it is also the shot that helps to set the scene.

POV(Point of view shot)

- This is a shot where it shows what the character is looking at (represented through the camera). It is usually established by being positioned between a shot of the character looking at something and a shot showing the character reaction. (see shot reverse shot.)

Shot Reverse Shot

- This show is where one character is shown looking at another character (who is often off-screen), and then the other character is shown looking "back" at the first character. Since the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the viewer assumes that they are looking at each other.

Establishing shot

- This is the usually the shot used for the opening shot or sequence, it is used to help set the scene of a production

CU (Close Up)

- A close-up tightly frames a person or an object, they are one of the standard shots used regularly with medium shots and long shots. Close-ups have the ability display the most detail, but they do not include the broader scene. Moving in to a close-up or away from a close-up is a common type of zooming

MCU (Medium Close Up)

- This shot is half-way between a mid shot and a close-up, and it usually covers the subject's head and shoulders.

ECU (Extreme Close Up)

- The shot is so tight that only a fraction of the focus of attention, such as someone's eyes, can be seen.