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Course Sample — Shoot Great Home Video — Lesson 2 — Page 2

Shot Types

Let's break a sample finished sequence down and talk about its parts. The following are some standard abbreviations showing you how directors work with shots:

• LS exterior of the school as graduates and families approach the door.

LS means long shot, usually a camera far enough from the action that a human figure doesn't even fill the screen. This instance is also known as an establishing shot, which establishes where the subject is.

• MS from inside the auditorium as family members arrive and take their seats. They flip open their programs. Half the time of the previous shot.

MS is medium shot, and the family members take up a big portion of the screen. The perspective has changed from "exterior of the school" to "inside the auditorium," adding an element of curiosity as to what's going on.

• CU of a hand flipping through a graduation program. Very short.

CU stands for close-up. The perspective has changed again, to focus on the same thing the family is focusing on: a program of events. This shot is short.

In less than 1 minute, this scene incorporated three different perspectives in three shots, and the duration of each shot dropped as the actions came closer together in time.

Contrast this to the long establishing shot from the back of the auditorium as Nephew Dan graduated. The sequence is now much more interesting. With a little idea of how the whole piece will edit together (blending establishing with medium and close-up shots), you suddenly have a much better idea of what to shoot.

The next section has you practicing some shot techniques. If you haven't purchased a camera yet or even borrowed one, read on. You'll learn some great tips for future filming.

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