Shot- From
the moment the camera “rolls” (records) until “cut” is called, this is a shot.
Frame- 1.
Each individual still image taken by the camera is a frame.
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Four frames from Thomas Edison's Butterfly Dance (1894) |
2. Also refers to the borders of what the camera sees and does not see, like a picture frame. Something visible onscreen is in the frame; everything else in out of frame.
Setup- Any
time the camera is moved to a new position (either a fixed position or, if the
camera moves during the shot, a new starting position), this is a new “setup.”
Coverage- How
many setups are used to film a scene. If only one setup is used,
this is no coverage. The more setups, the more coverage.
Wide Shot- A
shot in which most of a person is visible.
Medium Shot- A
shot closer than a wide shot (often this means a person is seen from the waist
up).
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Medium Shot. |
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Close Up. |
Note: There are no
exact definitions of Wide, Medium or Close Up shots, (in other words, what one
person defines as a wide shot may be another person’s medium shot, etc.) but
the general principle is important to understand.
There are many, many other sub-varieties of shot, and you can see examples of some of the most common types of shot here. For now, I'll only ask you know Wide Shots, Medium Shots and Close ups.
Master Shot-
One shot that contains the whole scene from start to finish and sees all of the
action; usually a wide shot. Best to shoot first.
Two-shot- A
shot (usually a medium shot) that contains two characters. If it contains three
characters, this is sometimes called a “Three-shot.”
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Two-shot. (in this case, a Medium Shot) |
Singles- A
shot that contains only one person, usually a medium shot or close up.
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Single. (in this case, a Close Up) |
Insert/cutaway- something
other than a character’s face that can be “cut to” if needed. Examples include
close ups of important props, things characters see, close ups of hands or
feet, dogs or cats under the table, etc.
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Insert/ cutaway. (in this case, a shot of what Luke is looking at) |
Master Scene Technique- A method of shooting the whole scene in a master, then moving to a
two-shot, then singles of each character, and finally an insert or two. This
gives the editor the most flexibility. Usually the master is a wide shot, the
two shot is a medium shot, and the singles are close-ups. Just remember: Master shot, two-shot, single.
Eyeline- an
imaginary line connecting the eyes of characters when they make eye contact.
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Eyeline. |
Continuity Editing- Cutting on similar movement to imply no time passing between cuts.
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