Camera Framing: Shot Composition & Cinematography Techniques Explained [The Shot List, Ep 2]

In the previous episode of the shot list, we broke down all the most commonly used shot sizes in the filmmaker's toolbox.

But once the camera shot size is determined, the question becomes, how should I compose the subjects in each frame?

And action dirt.

This is episode two of The Shot List.

Framing.

Now, let's get into the proper frame of mind.

These are the most commonly used framing options to cover action in a scene.

I've never seen anything like this.

Singles, which can be clean or dirty.

Two shot.

Over the shoulder.

Point of view.

And finally, the insert.

Our first framing convention, the single.

A single shot features one character alone in the frame.

The individual character is the primary focus.

But there are two ways to frame a single.

A clean single is when no part of any other character is visible in the frame.

It's best used when you want to convey a character's isolation.

Whereas a dirty single includes a limited presence from another character in the frame.

And don't forget that singles, like all of the framing options, can be combined with any of the shot sizes we covered in the last video.

Whether it's a close-up, a medium shot, or a wide shot, the single still applies.

When two characters are visible together in frame, this is called the two shot.

Don't sing if you want to live long.

The orientation of the characters to one another can vary, but to be considered a two shot.

Both faces must be clearly visible.

The two shot is all about creating a visual relationship between two characters.

This relationship might be affectionate, contentious, or even imaginary.

When more characters are added to the frame, the terminology adjusts to.

Three shot.

Four shot.

And so on.

There is no official limit on how high this number can go.

One, two, three, four, five.

But numbering this would be overkill, best to just call it a crowd shot.

Remember that no matter how many characters you include in a single frame, you are creating a relationship between them.

The most common and useful way of covering a conversation is the over the shoulder shot.

An OTS shot acts like a hybrid between a single and a two shot, where often only focusing on one character at a time.

Yes, I'm a city.

From these OTS angles, we get perspectives from both sides and a sense that we are included in the moment.

Can I help you?

I hope so, I'm an old friend of George's, thought I'd stop and say hello.

When you want the audience to experience the perspective of a character, it can be effective to frame up a point of view or POV shot.

The idea of the POV can cover a wide range of perspectives.

A person, an alien, a camera, a disembodied spirit, or even a shark.

In many cases, a POV shot is also paired with POV audio, so we can see what they see and hear what they hear.

The insert shot is not just about going extremely tight on a detail.

The way the information is framed is often even more important than how prominent it is on screen.

Inserts can also be combined with POV shots, a first-person perspective.

Or are we looking at the insert shot from a third-person perspective, or a hybrid frame like this?

We've covered the most common types of camera framing, but now let's put it all together.

Let's look at Bong Joon-ho's Parasite.

This sequence of scenes is about the physical and ideological connections between family members.

Watch how the director ties them together through framing decisions.

An ultra-wide four shot of the Kims in the Park family's backyard.

An insert shot of four whiskey glasses being filled.

A medium four shot of the Kim family.

A hybrid four shot, OTS, POV.

A close-up dirty single.

A dirty single.

A dirty two shot.

A dirty OTS shot.

A complementary OTS.

A dirty single.

A full four shot.

A two shot.

Pans over to a different two shot.

The pan continues to a three shot.

A dirty single.

A dirty single.

An OTS shot.

A clean single.

Pans over to frame another clean single.

Lastly, a wide four shot.

Single.

Two shot.

Point of view.

Insert shot.

Single.

Three shot.

Insert shot.

As we've seen, the way you frame a shot helps guide the scene in the desired direction.

Over the shoulder.

Once you understand what you want to achieve in the scene, you can decide how best to frame your subjects.

Plan out your shots in detail before production.

We shot listed using StudioBinder.

If you're looking to create and collaborate on a shot list, you can find a link in the description.

In the next episode of The Shot List, we'll explore every camera angle.

Subscribe and click the bell to get notified as we release our next filmmaking techniques video. In the meantime, happy framing.