ACADEMY
SECONDARY SHOTS
1 The establishing shot It could be a dramatic drone shot, or a cropped wide shot on a wide or long lens. It helps set the scene, and also the time, weather and feel of the project. A quiet village on a sunny day is very different to a neon-lit city street outside a busy nightclub, for example. 2 The establishing object A useful tool is to go from a wide shot to close-up detail – to tell the story of where you are. This could be a tight shot of ballet shoes, or a boxer putting bandages on. Perhaps a road sign, trees bending over in the wind, or a car key turning on an ignition. Entrances and exits of where you are can also be useful. 3 The establishing reveal Instead of going with a straight wide shot of the subject, try a camera move. Have foreground interest obscuring the subject, then slowly move the camera to reveal everything. Ideal for a slider, a motorised gimbal or even a jib. Movement works wonders, if used correctly. 4 Reaction shot It could be a crowd cheering for a goal or groaning in defeat, or a single person laughing at another’s jokes. It could even be a staged ‘noddy’ shot to show an interviewer agreeing with a talking head. Or maybe just the reaction between two people talking.
1
5 Unscripted clip Always try to shoot candid-type footage of your subject. This can be laid over the top of some dialogue, to build up a wider story and add visual interest. Interview a blacksmith and show the subject hammering some metal. But also get B-roll of the person moving things around their shop, stoking the fire, putting their gloves on or anything they would normally do – this gives a fuller picture of the environment. 6 Slow is good A bit of slowmotion can add a lot to the production values of your shots, so give it a try if the subject suits. For action, wildlife, sports and all forms of fast movement, it’s an obvious thing to do. Overcrank your camera and go for it. In fact, you could shoot almost all of your B-roll at faster frame rates, in case you want to slow it down in post. If shooting at 25fps for PAL, try a minimum 50fps. Or go up to 120, 180, or even 240fps if your camera can handle it. For a bar scene, an ice cube dropping into a glass in slow motion can work.
2
“Always try to shoot candid-type footage of your subject. This can be laid over the top of some dialogue, to build up a wider story”
6
5
AT THE DOUBLE A slow-motion, silhouette shot of a high-flying dirt biker in the Qatar desert is atmospheric and sets the scene for a stylish short film
17
PRO MOVIEMAKER
Powered by FlippingBook