Types of shots
The shot is the basic unit of visual storytelling: everything you see between one cut and the next. And its size, how much of the frame the person fills, is the first thing that decides what the viewer feels.
What is a shot
The word "shot" has two meanings worth keeping apart:
- Shot as a take: the piece of video between two cuts.
- Shot as a size: how much space the subject takes up in the frame. That's what this lesson is about.
The scale is almost always measured against the human figure: where the edge of the frame "cuts" the body. In the simulator above you can see it with the same person, from the same spot.
The full shot size scale
| Shot | Where it cuts | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| Extreme wide shot (EWS) | Tiny person in the landscape | The setting rules; the person is a dot. It orients the viewer and conveys loneliness or grandeur. |
| Wide shot (WS) | Full body with room around it | The whole person with some space around them. It shows action, wardrobe and relationship to the space. |
| Cowboy shot (MLS) | Knees | It cuts at the knees. It was born in westerns so you could see the gun on the hip; today it works for groups and standing dialogue. |
| Medium shot (MS) | Waist | It cuts at the waist. The conversation shot: you see hand gestures and expression. |
| Medium close-up (MCU) | Chest | It cuts at the chest. The presenter shot, the interview shot, and the shot for almost any talking-to-camera video. |
| Close-up (CU) | Shoulders | Head and shoulders. We move into emotion: the viewer reads the face. |
| Big close-up (BCU) | Forehead and chin | From the forehead to the chin. Intimacy, tension or a key moment. |
| Extreme close-up (ECU) | A detail | An object or a part of the body: here, the eyes. It directs attention to what matters. |
You'll see variations: "long shot" or "full shot" instead of wide shot, "medium wide shot" for one that cuts at the hips, "American shot" or "medium long shot" for the cowboy shot. What matters isn't the exact name, but understanding the progression: the closer you get, the more emotion and the less context.
Emotional distance: the golden rule
Shot size works like the distance between people in real life. From 30 feet (10 m) away you know where someone is; from 3 feet (1 m) you can see whether they're nervous; at 8 inches (20 cm) you're only ever with someone you're very close to, or someone you're about to fight.
Don't
Film an emotional confession in a wide shot: the viewer is too far away to feel anything.
Do
Start in a medium shot and move in to a close-up when the important moment arrives.
That's why scenes usually start wide (with an establishing shot) and get tighter as tension rises. And that's why, when everything is resolved, the camera pulls back out again.
Two shots and group shots
- Two shot: two people in the frame. It shows the relationship between them.
- Over-the-shoulder shot (OTS): we see the speaker over the shoulder of the listener. It puts the viewer inside the conversation.
- Point-of-view shot (POV): the camera sees what the character sees.
- Reaction shot: the face of the person listening. Sometimes the most important thing in a dialogue is how someone takes the news.
How to frame each shot without mistakes
The classic rule is don't cut at the joints: ankles, knees, right at the waist, elbows or neck. Cutting on those lines makes the person look "amputated". Cut a little above or below.
Don't
A close-up that cuts right at the chin or the neck.
Do
A close-up that cuts at chest or collarbone height; or a big close-up that crops the forehead and keeps the chin.
When you film something you can't repeat, like a conversation or an event, try to get at least three sizes: a wide shot to set the scene, a medium for the action, and close-ups or details. That way you'll have something to cut to in the edit. This is called coverage.
- Shot size sets the emotional distance.
- Go wide to set the scene and tight to move the viewer.
- Don't cut at the joints.
- Film several sizes of the same action so you can edit it.
Your turn: one action, seven shots
Choose a simple action, like someone making a coffee, and film it in seven different shot sizes.
- From the extreme wide shot to an extreme close-up of the cup.
- Put them in order on the timeline from wide to tight.
- Then try a different order, for example starting with the detail. What changes in the story?
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a medium shot and a close-up?
A medium shot cuts at the waist and shows gestures and hands; a close-up shows the head and shoulders and focuses on facial expression.
Why is it called a cowboy shot?
It became popular in American westerns, because cutting at the knees let you see the gun on the characters' hips. In Europe it's often called the American shot for the same reason.