Camera shots

Extreme long shot - this shot is generally taken from more than a mile away, for example Hollywood. It is also known as the establishing shot. It could show the outside of a building, a landscape or even well known tourist attractions to show a well known location.


Long shot - this shot shows a medium distance, but this depends on where the audience stands looking at the screen. The long shot shows the character's full body from feet to head, and has many background images.


Medium shot - This is a closer shot than a long shot, as it shows the character from waist upwards.


Close-up shot - This shows very little background, and concentrates on either a face, or a specific detail of mise en scène. It shows the importance of things such as an expression on someone's face or words written on paper.

Extreme close-up shot - This is an extreme version of the close-up shot, generally magnifying beyond what the human eye would see in reality. An extreme close up on  face for instance, would show only the mouth or eyes, with no background whatsoever. This could be seen as an artificial shot, and can be used for dramatic effect.