Introduction to Storyboarding Shot Sizes

       An establishing shot (ES) or an extreme wide shot is the most common shot to open a scene or an entire film. They establish where the scene or film is going to be, the location. A master shot (MS) confirms the location or geography of a scene. It shows which characters are in the scene and their relationship to each other. A wide shot (WS) positions subjects far from the camera to visually represent their relationship to their environment. A full shot (FS) is when a subject's entire body reaches from the top to the bottom edges of the frame. The shot tells the audience who is in the scene, where the scene is set, and when the scene takes place. A medium full shot (MFS) is arranged from the top of the subject's head to just below their waist. This shot has an ability to capture character and other scene elements by focusing on body languages and facial expressions and the actions of characters in a setting. A medium shot (MS) is framed from the waist up. It captures the subject in a size similar to how we interact with people. A medium close-up shot (MCU) frames a subject from mid-chest to just above their head. This shot is about reducing distraction and prioritizing story and character details. A close-up shot (CU) is most often arranged at eye level, better to dig into the windows of the soul. In this shot size, we can better see a character's thoughts and feelings. An extreme close-up shot frames a subject to isolate a specific area. This is to signal an important sensory moment in a scene or to communicate tiny details too small to notice.

       I learned how important shot sizes are and how depending on which one you use it can add it the scene or film. The shot sizes could get you to see the location of a scene, the emotion of the characters, or tiny details we would have probably missed. It all adds up to make a great film.