Blog Post #8: Preliminary Exercise

I used my cat as the posed actor for my video clips.

Pan:

The pan shot I used was to introduce the posed actor. It could be used as suspense to slowly begin to show the subject you are recording. It also allows the audience to see the background/environment that surrounds the actor. I could use this both on people (interviews) or when showing a wider view of a scene in my documentary.

 

Zoom:

The zoom has a similar effect as the close up shot because it is showing my actor's expressions and close up details. It can also be used for the background/environment. It also makes the audience pay attention to a certain aspect you want because it is directing their attention to something.

Close Up:

A close up shot on actors is used to show their expressions and emotions. Because I used it on my cat, you could clearly see her expressions and the details of her face. This could be a good camera shot to use in a nature documentary to show close up details that you want the audience to notice.

High Angle:

A high angle shot shows the actor from a above viewpoint. This conveys more emotion by displaying them as "smaller." The effect on my cat is that she is being looked down upon. This shot could also be used in a similar manner in a nature documentary by showing prey.

Conclusion: Some things I can improve and work on is my high angle shots, keeping my camera steady, and using lighting to my advantage. I also think I will incorporate these types of camera shots to my documentary because they are relatively easy to do.