Week 3: Student Blogs

I commented on Cori Holloway and Ryan Witthoff's blog posts about different shots. 

The most interesting shots Cori filmed were the dolly shot, the high angle shot, the low angle shot, and the extreme close-up shot. What I liked about her dolly shot was it felt like you were walking with the subject, giving the audience a feeling of inclusivity. The high angle shot gave a really unique perspective and allowed you to fully observe the scene below. This shot can give the illusion that you are hanging over the edge of something, adding to the scene. Maybe in the scene they are figuratively barely hanging on while the audience feels the same physically. The low angle shot looked like it could be used in music videos or more playful settings. The subject in this shot looks larger than normal, making it seem like they are important even if they aren't. The extreme close-up shot evokes feeling uncomfortable because of the excess of intimacy between the subject and the audience. These are used sparingly because they are used for more serious, intimate moments. 

Ryan filmed a dolly shot, cameo shot, extreme long shot, and reaction shot. Like Cori, he had a very good dolly shot. In this scene, the subject is running away from something, but you don't know what. If the camera moves at the same speed the subject is running, it creates the illusion that the audience is running away from the same threat. In the cameo shot, the audience is closer up to the subject and they are centered in the center of the frame. This lets you know that this character is important and you should pay attention to the scene. It also lets you feel a sense of closeness with the subject because it feels like you are having a conversation with them. The extreme long shot establishes the setting and/or lets you know the subject in the shot is not of importance. The reaction shot creates mystery for the audience and makes them curious to know what is behind the camera that caused that reaction.