Camera Work Notes

A long shot- shows scale and allows an audience to see the whole character and their surroundings. 

Medium shot- shows the characters interacting 

Close up- allows the audience to see emotion and detail. 

Two shot- Very common for conversation 

Over the shoulder- To show connection and the emotion

Low angle shot- looking up sometimes makes audience feel vulnerable

High angle- Looking down sometimes makes audience powerful

POV- looking directly through the eyes of a character 

An establishing shot is usually the first shot of a new scene, designed to show the audience where the action is taking place. it is usually a very wide shot or extreme wide shot.

A master shot is a film recording of an entire dramatised scene, from start to finish, from an angle that keeps all the players in view. It is often a long shot and can sometimes perform a double function as an establishing shot.
Movement
Pan- camera stays in one position and rotates around a point right to left or left to right
Tilt- Camera stays in one position and rotates around a point up or down
Tracking- Camera moves smoothly along a track in a lateral movement (straight lines)
Dolly- Similar to a tracking shot, but the camera is on a wheeled mount that can move in all directions
Crane- Camera is on a jib arm with a counterweight that can be raised or lowered
Steadicam- Camera is strapped to the operator with a stabalisation rig allowing for smooth movements across all surfaces
Handheld- Camera is held in hand and will film bumpy footage
Composition
The organisation of elements within the frame
Symmetry/asymmetry for emphasis
Depth of field- using focus to make the viewer concentrate on elements
The rule of thirds- an imaginary 3x3 grid that can be used to make shots more dynamic