Shot Types Articles

• Close Up
• Cut-away
• Extreme Close Up
• Extreme Wide
• Hitchcock Effect
• Medium
• Over-the-shoulder
• Reaction Shot
• Two Shot
• Wide

• Dynamic Chase Scenes
  January, 2008
  by Peter John Ross
  Introducing an exciting new feature from Videomaker: Interactive tutorials! Every month these articles will link to an on-line training video and clips you can…
• Lighting Car Interiors
  January, 2008
  by Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D.
  Did you ever notice that in the movies we never have a problem seeing a person's features while he's driving down the road? Even at night?
• Wedding VideoLand
  August, 2007
  by Bill Davis
  A lighthearted Look at Wedding Video.
• Basic Training: Nine Digital Cinematography Tips
  August, 2007
  by Kyle Cassidy
  So you know about medium shots, wide shots, closeups and even extreme closeups. But why do your videos still lack that special zing?
• Basic Training: Dive In! The Water's Fine!
  July, 2007
  by Kyle Cassidy
  There's something about water that fascinates us. We're drawn to it, for travel, food, and entertainment.
• Video Editing : Plan A: B-roll
  June, 2007
  by Morgan Paar
• Basic Training: Super Vacation Videos
  June, 2007
  by Kyle Cassidy
  Oh, no! Not the vacation videos! It's time to teach your family amp; friends how to make interesting, entertaining and watchable summer vacation videos.
• Videotaping Sporting Events
  May, 2007
  by Kyle Cassidy
  Football, baseball, hockey, tennis. Swimming, cycling, running and lacrosse. Sports shooting is an art unto itself, and every sport has shooting hurdles to…
• Vidcast Recap: Videomaker Presents
  May, 2007
  by Jennifer O'Rourke
• Timeline: Time Control
  April, 2007
  by Morgan Paar
  As editors, we are in control of the time universe. We can stretch it, shorten it, and even change Fate by manipulatiing time.
• Basic Training: Shot Lingo
  April, 2007
  by Kyle Cassidy
  Tips to define the shot you want, and the language to create it.
• Director's Chair: Directing a Fall
  April, 2007
  by Dr. Robert G. Nulph
  Physical comedy has been a hallmark of the film industry since the early days of the silent film.
• Basic Training: Stage It!
  March, 2007
  by Kyle Cassidy
  Look, Ma!! I'm famous! The stage exists for one reason:
• Moving Performances
  February, 2007
  by Jim Stinson
  Learn how to set the stage so that your subjects behave naturally in front of the camera.
• Basic Training: Editing 101
  December, 2006
  by Kyle Cassidy
  "Leave it on the cutting room floor" is an old film phrase signifying to edit out stuff you don't need. It's a good reminder to cut down your piece for a…
• Basic Training: Composition 102: Part 2
  October, 2006
  by Kyle Cassidy
  Beauty might be in the eye of the beholder, but a great photo is due to well-executed and thought-out composition. Take your seats, it's time for the…
• Basic Training: Composition 101: Part 1
  September, 2006
  by Kyle Cassidy
  What makes great art great? Composition. In this first of two parts, we'll reveal some of the secret tricks of composition that the Masters use
• Picture This
  August, 2006
  by Michael Fitzer
  A basic understanding of the rules of composition will help you frame for maximum impact and ultimately enhance the outcome of your finished piece.
• A Complete Guide to Shooting Wedding Video
  July, 2006
  by Brian Schaller
  It's not just the newlyweds making wedding promises. Before you say
• Directing: Dual-Role Directing
  June, 2006
  by Dr. Robert G. Nulph
  Multitasking when you are directing is not easy but sometimes necessary. Here are a few suggestions.
• How to Make a Documentary Part II
  May, 2006
  by Randal K. West
  Considered an art form by many, documentary video production has its own special challenges and rewards. In this second of three parts on how to make a…
• Making Documentary Videos: The Interview
  April, 2006
  by Dr. Robert G. Nulph
  How to use Cinéma Vérité techniques to make compelling documentaries
• How DID They do that?
  April, 2006
  by Randal K. West
  It's April Fool's Day, and what better way to amuse your friends than getting a little giddy with the camera and going a little wacko with your video?
• Xtreme it Up!
  March, 2006
  by Jenny Hanson
  Attach a tiny "lipstick cam" to the family dog, and you've got an interesting POV shot that is just one way to go extreme when shooting.
• How to Conduct a Live Multi-Camera Shoot
  January, 2006
  by Joe McCleskey
  Gather 'round the family and friends for a multi-camera shoot and a fun time for all.
• Take 5: Five Steps to Smoother Skin
  January, 2006
  by Brian Peterson
  Make your on-camera talent look their best by following these five simple steps.
• Basic Training: Lenses - The Long and Short
  November, 2005
  by Jim Stinson
  Wide-angle and telephoto lenses render images differently from the way we naturally see things. Skilled videographers can exploit these differences to create…
• Video Production Tips
  October, 2005
  by Jim Stinson
  Many of the little things that you learn from from a lifetime of planning, directing, editing and producing videos can easily be applied to life as a whole.
• Video Editing : Manipulating Time
  September, 2005
  by Bill Davis
  Tempis Fugit. If you're not up on conversational Latin, that's
• Basic Training: Shoot to Show or to Edit
  September, 2005
  by Randy Hansen
  "Shoot to Show" and "Shoot to Edit" are two different styles requiring different methods of planning. No one knows these techniques better than a run-and-gun…