Task 5

Selection of stills from TV dramas demonstrating the range of shot types

Very Wide Shot (VWS) Very Wide Shot is used to show a large environment without showing us too much or too little, it shows what is necessary but also makes it more realistic. In this example, Lola is at the front door but the VWS is used to show what is around her to hopefully give the audience an idea of where she is. The type of social group represented is middle class, as you can see the girl is wearing a jumper and the house she is standing near looks slightly shabby and not too modern.

Over-the-shoulder shot (OSS) This shot is used to show that their is a conversation going on often between two people which is shown in the clip on the left. This particular shot is used to portray the Point of View of the subject without actually taking them out of shot. (Clip from New Tricks)

Close up (CU) This is used to show facial expression, the character is on the phone and is obviously being told something important or is having an important conversation. The shot is accompanied with a zoom In to make it more dramatic for the audience. (Clip from Haunted)

Cut-In - Cut-In is used to show something relating to the situation within the scene or some other part of the subject in detail. It is useful as it gives the viewer something to look at other than characters or settings. In this clip, legs are shown walking down the stairs, this could be because the director may want the audience to think about who the character is by showing a part of their body to make them guess, the camera then zooms out to show who.

Two-Shot - Two Shot is used to show two people in the frame, they are usually talking, arguing etc. Here in this clip, it seems that there is an intense conversation between both the girl and the boy as you can see they have very serious facial expressions. Two-shot is often zoomed into the characters faces or from the chest up.

Mid-shot (MS) Mid Shot is used to show the subject without much detail. Character's face can be seen and character's body can be seen, this is so the audience can see the subject, but not to the extreme of their whole body or just their face. Here in this clip, most of their body is shown but not to the point where every detail is on show, as the audience can see what is around them rather than just looking at their faces.

Wide Shot (WS) Wide Shot is used to show a large area, but not a very large area. The whole of the subject can be seen as well as the environment he is standing in. Here, 5 characters are shown, only parts of their bodies are shown and you cannot see all of their faces. You can see that they are outside as there is a police care and a fence. In this clip, the police car and police officers would be the most important part of the scene as it would be quite serious, because a the police officers would mean that there has been a crime

Cutaway (CA) Cutaway is used to show something other than the characters already on screen. It can be something related to the scene or something completely unimportant. In this example, the 5 people standing outside the pub looking at the Taxi have nothing to do with the main part of the story, they are just passers-by on the streets, you can see this as two people are walking by, the three other people have stopped to look at what is going on by the taxi. They all look about middle-class type as they are wearing jeans, jackets (nothing posh) just normal outdoor clothing.