medium shot
{{Short description|Camera angle shot from a medium distance}}
File:A Farewell to Arms (1932 film) 4.jpg and Adolphe Menjou from the 1932 drama film A Farewell to Arms]]
In a movie a medium shot,{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=Blain |title=Cinematography: Theory and Practice, Image Making for Cinematographers and Directors |date=2012 |publisher=Focal Press |location=Burlington, Massachusetts |isbn=9781136047381 |page=20 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uyMYMbjheqgC&pg=PA20 |access-date=August 11, 2023}} mid shot (MS),{{cite web |title=Mid Shot (MS) |url=http://www.mediacollege.com/video/shots/mid-shot.html |website=mediacollege.com |publisher=Wavelength Media |access-date=2015-12-01}} or waist shot{{cite web |title=Basics of video shooting |url=https://www.asu.edu/alti/ltlab/tutorials/video/basics/type4_ms.htm |website=asu.edu |publisher=Arizona State University |access-date=2015-12-01}} is a camera angle shot from a medium distance.
Use
Medium shots are favored in sequences where dialogues or a small group of people are acting, as they give the viewer a partial view of the background, such as when the shot is 'cutting the person in half'{{cite web|title=medium shot|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/medium-shot|website=www.dictionary.com|publisher=Dictionary.com|access-date=1 December 2015}} and also show the subjects' facial expressions in the context of their body language.{{cite web|last1=Ablan|first1=Dan|title=Medium Shots|url=http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=31096&seqNum=2|website=www.peachpit.com|publisher=Peachpit|access-date=1 December 2015}} Medium shots are also used when the subject in the shot is delivering information, such as news presenters. It is also used in interviews. It is the most common shot in movies,{{cite web|last1=Alexander|first1=Victor|title=Long shot, medium shot, close-up|url=http://www.releasing.net/filmmaker/long_medium_close-up_shots.html|website=www.releasing.net|publisher=Releasing.net|access-date=1 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223183924/https://www.releasing.net/filmmaker/long_medium_close-up_shots.html|archive-date=December 23, 2019}} and it usually follows the first establishing shots of a new scene or location.{{cite web|last1=Moura|first1=Gabe|title=SHOT SIZES: Telling What They See|url=http://www.elementsofcinema.com/cinematography/framing-shot-sizes/|website=www.elementsofcinema.com|publisher=Gabriel Moura|access-date=1 December 2015|date=3 June 2014}}
A normal lens that sees what the human eye sees{{cite web|last1=Moura|first1=Gabe|title=Types of Lenses|url=http://www.elementsofcinema.com/cinematography/types-of-lenses/|website=www.elementsofcinema.com|publisher=Gabriel Moura|date=3 June 2014|access-date=1 December 2015}} is usually used for medium shots.
Definition
File:Robin Roberts interviewing Barack Obama.jpg interviewing Barack Obama]]
The medium shot shows equality between subjects and background. The dividing line between what constitutes a long shot and medium shot is not definite, nor is the line between medium shot and close-up. In some standard texts and professional references, a full-length view of a human subject is called a medium shot; in this terminology, a shot of the person from the knees up or the waist up is a close-up shot. In other texts, these partial views are called medium shots.{{cite web|title=Film Glossary|url=http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~engl377/film.html|website=www.owlnet.rice.edu|publisher=Rice University|access-date=1 December 2015}} In principle, the medium shot is what can be seen with the human eye in a single quick glance and convey all the action taking place in that field of view.
Types
Medium shots are divided into singles (a waist-high shot of one actor), group shots, over-the shoulders or two-shots (featuring two people). A medium wide shot, or American shot, shows a bit more of the background but is still close enough for facial expressions to be seen, although these facial expressions would be better seen in a waist-high shot.{{cite web|title=Elements of Cinematography: Camera|url=http://www.utdallas.edu/atec/midori/Handouts/camera.htm#ms|website=www.utdallas.edu|publisher=University of Texas at Dallas|access-date=1 December 2015}}
See also
{{portal|Film}}
{{commonscat|Medium shots}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
- Camera angle
- Camera operator
- Close-up
- Dutch angle
- Establishing shot
- High-angle shot
- Long shot
- Low-angle shot
- Mise-en-scène
- Over the shoulder shot
- Two shot
- Video production
- Videographer
{{div col end}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
Further reading
- {{cite book
|last1=Ablan
|first1=Dan
|title=Digital Cinematography & Directing
|date=2002
|publisher=Peachpit|isbn=0-7357-1258-1
|url=http://www.peachpit.com/store/digital-cinematography-directing-9780735712584?w_ptgrevartcl=%5bdigital%5d+Directing+-+Types+of+Shots_31096
}}
- {{cite book
|last1=Alexander
|first1=Victor
|title=Filmmaking A to Z: The Guide to 35 Millimeter Filmmaking
|date=29 May 2008
|publisher=Victor Alexander
|isbn=978-1-4382-0963-0
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_1wL-ii1mDcC&q=Filmmaking+A+To+Z:+35Mm+Film-Making
}}
{{Cinematic techniques}}