Cinematography and Camera Work

What this unit covers

The resources here follow the main building blocks of cinematography. Shot types come first: extreme long shot, long shot, medium shot, close up, extreme close up and establishing shot. Then come camera positions such as low angle, high angle, eye level, point of view and over the shoulder. Framing, lighting and camera movement sit alongside them.

Where to start

1. Open the quiz Camera Shots and Movements. It asks you to name shots, such as a long shot, and to say what a low angle shot does to the viewer.
2. Read one of the mind maps titled Cinematography. They set out shot types, framing (rule of thirds, nose room, frame within a frame, tight framing), camera position and camera movement on a single page.
3. Go through the flashcards Movement in Film, which cover pan, tilt, zoom, tracking or dolly shots, trucking, Steadicam and crane.

Using quizzes and maps together

Start with a map to see how the ideas connect, then take a quiz to test what stuck. If you miss a question on angles, return to the mind map on camera position, where low angle is linked to showing a character as inferior. The deck Camera Shots - What are the characteristics and uses of each? adds wide, point of view, aerial and worm's eye shots. The Camera Angles Quiz and the quiz on camera set and procedure give you more practice.

Going further

Other maps cover lighting, staging, single camera techniques and shot size. The Single Camera map is a worked production plan for a short piece called The 65th Hunger Games, with title, duration, synopsis and production concept. The deck on clamps and grips looks at practical kit.

Where this unit sits

This unit belongs to the Film and Video Production strand of Photography and film. Pick a resource that matches the point you are stuck on, and try making your own map or deck once you have worked through a few.