When working on a film, it’s vital that the writer, director, cinematographer, and camera operators all speak the same technical language so everyone is on the same page.
What Are Camera Shots?
A camera shot is how much space the audience sees in a particular frame. Cinematographers choose specific camera shots to portray things about a character, setting, or theme to the audience. Similarly, camera angles are different ways to position a camera to further emphasize emotions and relationships. There are many camera shots and camera angles to choose from, and each helps tell the story in its own way.
“Coverage” refers to the collection of shots that you need to gather during filming in order to edit together a coherent scene during post-production. For example, when shooting a two-person scene, your coverage may consist of five different shots: a master shot, a pair of over-the-shoulder shots, and a pair of close-ups of each speaker.
Who Controls Camera Coverage?
Determining the coverage for a specific scene is a collaborative process and a number of different people have input.
During the writing process, the writer may have a vision for a certain scene and suggest a specific type of shot be used.
For certain scenes, the director and/or the cinematographer will create a storyboard, which maps out the specific camera shots and angles that will be used.
The cinema photographer (often in collaboration with the director) will decide which shots to get for different scene.
Comments