Ultimate Guide to Camera Shots_ Every Shot Size Explained [The Shot List, Ep 1]

Camera shots and camera angles — every shot, in a scene, in a sequence, and in a movie, needs to be decided on with purpose. Choosing between a close-up or a medium shot can mean a huge difference in how the moment is perceived and felt by the audience. There is psychology at play in film language and film theory, and it is up to the director when making a shot list to speak that language fluently.

In this video essay, we’ll cover the fundamental camera shots at your disposal, how each of them typically operates and how one film used that shot size particularly well. Movies like Coco, Avengers Endgame, The Godfather Part 2, The Favourite, and Phantom Thread use specific camera shots to capture the ideal presentation of a cinematic moment. From establishing shots in Blade Runner 2049 to extreme close ups in Kill Bill, we’ll illustrate the essential building blocks of cinematography.

This is the first episode of a new series called The Shot List, where we break down dozens of possibilities filmmakers have when deciding on camera shots and angles. Cinematography has a language all its own. The next time you sit down to create a shot list, remember that there are many (almost too many) options available. But when you know the power and purpose of each possibility, the decisions become easier and easier.