Tag Archive - Stationary Camera Shots

Establishing Shots That Reveal Character

Last week I began discussing Establishing Shots used in movies and how they help make clear in just a few moments where the scene is taking place. So many scenes in novels jump into the narrative or dialog without establishing the setting, and so being mindful to start with some sort of Establishing Shot at the beginning, or at least near the beginning of each scene (unless it’s evident, as in the case of a continuation of the prior scene) is important in order not to confuse your readers.

But what if you want to be vague on purpose? Continue Reading…

An Introduction to Stationary Camera Shots

We’re now going to start going deep into cinematic technique by looking at numerous camera shots over the next few months. Basically there are two types of camera shots: stationary and moving, so we’ll first explore the stationary ones.

Stationary camera shots are the staple of most movies and TV episodes. We see life most often as if looking through a stationary camera, whether close up on what we are viewing or far away. These essential shots define our world, whether the real one around us or the imaginary one we are putting down on paper. We are not always moving, nor does our gaze continually move without letup. So as we explore the different stationary camera shots, keep in mind the types of moments in a scene that will need a camera focused steadily and unmoving for best effect. Continue Reading…

String Shots Together to Make Dynamic Scenes

We’re taking a look at how movies are filmed. If you haven’t noticed, movies are made up of a string of shot sequences—don’t confuse these with whole scenes. In creating a shot sequence, the aim of using a camera is to imitate the way the human mind uses the eyes. Our minds will not let our eyes stay fixed on any one subject for more than four or five seconds. Our eyes are constantly moving and focusing on different subjects. Continue Reading…

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