Adobe Premiere
Different types of shots in film.
Frame your vision by mastering the art of cinematic shots. Learn when and how to use the most common types of camera shots.
How to frame your film.
Premiere Pro is a powerful video enhancer that brings out the best in your footage.
Camera distance can make all the difference.
Focal length affects both the field of view and the apparent distance between objects in the frame. Wider focal lengths (e.g., 24mm) provide a larger field of view and make objects appear farther apart, while longer focal lengths (e.g., 85mm) compress the scene, making objects appear closer together.
Focal length also impacts depth of field, with longer focal lengths generally producing a shallower depth of field, which can be used to isolate subjects from their background.
Varying camera distances can reflect a character's emotional state. When you want to communicate a character's emotional journey, you can start with wide shots that gradually transition to close-ups as a character becomes more emotionally vulnerable. This creates a narrative that visually mirrors the character's internal state.
Discover types of camera shots.
Shot composition involves arranging visual elements within the frame to create a pleasing and meaningful image. Key aspects include balance, symmetry, leading lines, and negative space. In visual storytelling, composition can guide the viewer's eye, emphasize important elements, and convey mood or tension. For example, using negative space around a character can evoke feelings of isolation or vulnerability.
With high-quality cameras now standard in smartphones, filmmaking has become accessible to a broader audience, opening the door to new voices and perspectives. The ease of use and portability of mobile devices also make it possible to experiment with unconventional camera angles, perspectives, and new types of movie shots, leading to new and more dynamic styles of shooting.
Wide shots.
Wide shots often use wider focal lengths (16-35mm) to capture expansive scenes. They may require higher f-stops (f/8-f/11) for greater depth of field..
Master shots.
These shots that capture all of the action happening in a scene are usually set up as long shots or wide shots. Because they record everything, these are crucial camera shot types for basic coverage. Editors can let a scene breathe by cutting to the master shot during pauses in action or dialogue.
Two-shots.
A shot with two subjects is known as a two-shot. By capturing the subjects’ interaction, their distance from one another, and their body language, a two-shot can tell the viewer a lot about their relationship. “We try to keep the two-shots for the majority of a scene and then use the single or the tight shot for a killer line or important detail,” Ruckus Skye says.
Medium shots.
Medium long shots typically use standard focal lengths (35-50mm) to provide a natural perspective. Lighting often balances the subject and background.
Cowboy shots.
In the 1930s, American filmmakers started using a style of movie shot known as a cowboy shot, which portrayed gunslingers from hat to mid-thigh to include their holsters. Modern films use cowboy shots to show a subject’s body language and some background while still capturing their facial expressions. In Wonder Woman, for example, a cowboy shot captures Diana as she crosses the battlefield, punching away bullets and smiling at her sense of power.
Over-the-shoulder shots.
Over-the-shoulder camera shots are reverse shots that use a standard to slightly telephoto lenses (50-85mm). Lighting needs to balance both subjects while maintaining depth.
Reaction shots.
The crucial visual isn’t always on the person talking. Reaction shots are close-up shots that are hugely important for character and story development. “Some of my favorite acting moments are when actors are listening,” Ruckus Skye says.
Close-up shots.
Close-up shots, especially extreme close-ups, often employ longer focal lengths (85-135mm) to compress facial features and blur backgrounds. Filmmakers may use wider apertures (f/1.8-f/2.8) for shallow depth of field.
Push-ins.
By contrast, a push-out highlights a character’s isolation. “You’re increasing the world around them and the distance between the viewer and the subject,” Stoler says. These types of moving shots usually require a dolly, jib, or Steadicam.
Cut-ins/insert shots.
These close-up shots capture small details like a subject’s hands or feet. If a character looks at a text on their phone, the director might want to capture close-up camera angles of the phone screen. The cutaway, the opposite of the cut-in, jumps from the subject to something else, like from the startled expression on an actor’s face to a barking dog or from a ball crossing the goal line to fans cheering in the stands. Gathering types of movie shots like these can be useful for editing together multiple takes of the same scene.
Point-of-view shots.
Point-of-view shots can use various focal lengths depending on the desired effect. The filmmaker may employ handheld or stabilized camera movement to mimic natural head motion.
Dutch angle shots.
Camera angles and what they communicate.
Camera height relative to the subject affects the viewer's perception of power dynamics. Low camera angles (looking up) make subjects appear more dominant, while high angles (looking down) can make them seem vulnerable. Extreme low or high angles can create perspective distortion, exaggerating features closer to the camera. This distortion can be further emphasized by using wide-angle lenses close to the subject.
Birds-eye view.
Looking down from above, this aerial shot may suggest the smallness of the subjects below or the vastness of their environment.
Eye-level shots.
Eye level is the angle of everyday life. This nonjudgmental camera angle doesn’t have the same storytelling effect as shooting from above or below a subject. The Skyes avoid eye level in their work. “There’s no perspective,” Lane Skye says. “When you’re above a character looking down, they feel smaller,” Ruckus Skye adds. “They’re maybe not as confident or powerful. And if you look at any superhero, you’re always looking up at them. That’s a cliché, but you can do that on smaller levels and it’s more subconscious.”
Low-angle shots.
Any shot that looks up at a character is a low angle shot, whether the camera is positioned just a few inches below the character’s eyeline or if it’s down by their feet. Because low angle shots give the impression that a character is towering over the audience, directors use them to convey a sense of power and authority. This type of movie shot helps the viewer connect and relate to powerful and invulnerable characters, so they’re often used in action films or superhero films. In the classic Western Stageoach, John Wayne’s heroic character is introduced with a low angle shot that makes him look large and in charge.
High-angle shots.
In a high angle shot, the camera is positioned above an actor and looks down at them. This perspective makes characters look small, vulnerable, or lost in their environment. High angle shots are often used in horrors, thrillers, or suspense films because they convey danger or shock. Early in Titanic, James Cameron uses a high angle shot of Rose looking down at the ocean to symbolize her powerlessness in a world where so many of her life’s decisions are being made for her. Likewise, in the Harry Potter franchise, Dobby the house elf is almost always filmed in a high angle shot. This both reinforces his short stature and his diminutive role as a lowly servant.
Look for shots that work visually and thematically.
Shot sequencing involves arranging shots to create a cohesive narrative flow. Factors to consider include shot size progression (e.g., wide to close-up), screen direction, and eyeline match. Pacing is controlled through shot duration and the rhythm of cuts. Faster cuts generally create more tension or excitement, such as in a commercial, while longer takes can build suspense or allow for contemplation like in a documentary. The 180-degree rule is often employed to maintain spatial continuity between shots.
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Questions? We have answers.
A shot list is a detailed plan of all types of camera shots needed for a scene or project. In Premiere Pro, you can organize and track these shots using markers or metadata.
The medium shot is widely used in filmmaking. It's versatile for dialogue and action, and easy to set up and edit in Premiere Pro for seamless sequences.