Shot

Description

A camera shot is often defined as the basic building block of cinema because filmmakers work by creating a film shot by shot and then during film editing, they join these shots in sequence to compose the overall movie. From this standpoint, a shot corresponds to the length of film that is exposed during film production as it is run through the camera from the time the camera is turned on until it is turned off.

In this way, the cinematic shot forms one unit of a larger scene or sequence that, in turn, is made up of numerous film shots. To create a shot, therefore requires that the location be lit, that the film actors be placed within the frame and their movements choreographed, and that other elements of set design and costuming be in place for the duration of the shot. The word "shot" always designates a fragment of film. However, this fragment undergoes a series of changes between the shooting and the complete movie.

The notion of movie shot emerged when filmmakers began to film the same scene from several successive camera placements. During the film scripting phase, the shot is thus a fragment of the narrative corresponding to a camera placement. For film shooting, the shot is the series of images recorded between the moment the camera starts running and the moment it stops.

Key elements of a shot include: frame composition, camera angle, camera movement, duration, focus and depth of field.

For film editing, the shot comprises all of the images between two splices. A film is composed of a variable number of cinematic shots, either juxtaposed or sometimes (wholly or partly) superimposed. When viewing, a change of shot often produces the sensation of a visual rupture. So, for the viewer, the shot is a unit of perception of the cinema and as such, it is widely used in film analysis.

An establishing shot serves as an introduction to the story that’s about to unfold. It’s usually, but not always, the opening shot of a scene. Typically, a wide exterior shot of a building or landscape, the job of the establishing shot is to situate the film characters in a particular setting. It’s a cinematic shorthand that allows filmmakers to quickly communicate the underlying context of a scene to the audience.

The arrangement and combination of shots contribute to the overall visual and narrative structure of a film. Filmmakers use various shot types, such as close-ups shots, medium shots and wide shots to create a visual language that communicates the story, characters and emotions to the audience. The sequence of shots is carefully edited to form movie scenes, and scenes are then organized to create a complete film.