Wide Shots in Cinematography: A Director’s Essential Tool
Picture some of the most breathtaking scenes you've ever watched—chances are, many of them were made possible by the use of wide shots. Filmmaking, with all its challenges, revolves around crafting an emotional journey and captivating the audience’s imagination. A significant part of this is creating a compelling world filled with complex characters and a strong atmosphere. Achieving this requires scope, often accomplished through a variety of shot types, angles, and camera movements.
Whether you’re working on a blockbuster or an indie film, or creating content for a big screen or an iPhone, scope is vital. Let's dive into the world of wide shots to understand their importance in enhancing your film’s narrative.
Understanding Wide Shots in Film and TV
Today, we’ll explore the wide shot—also known as a long shot or wide angle shot—and examine how it contributes to the overall scope of your story. We’ll also discuss extreme wide shots and medium wide shots, along with tips on how to use these shots effectively to amplify emotions and highlight the themes and tone of your film.
What is a Wide Shot?
A wide shot (often abbreviated as WS) captures the entire subject or person within the frame, showing their relationship with the surrounding environment. Now that we’ve defined the wide shot, let’s explore when it’s best to use this shot.
When to Use a Wide Shot
The wide shot is a director’s versatile ally. It efficiently conveys where the characters are and who they are with, without needing to move the camera extensively. This shot invites the audience into the full scene, allowing them to absorb all relevant information and providing context for what is about to unfold. Wide shots can establish a scene, reflect a character’s emotional state, or explore the intricacies of a landscape. When used correctly, wide shots can add drama, tension, and depth to the story.
Since film is a visual medium, let’s look at some examples of wide angle shots in action.
Examples of Wide Angle Shots
Kubrick’s work in “Eyes Wide Shut” provides a masterful example of the wide angle shot, contributing to the film’s eerie atmosphere. Kubrick’s use of wide shots throughout his films is iconic, demonstrating how a character, like Bill Harford, can be portrayed as overwhelmed and out of place within the environment.
Wide shots are also effective in action scenes, heightening drama and tension, as seen in “Thelma and Louise.” Here, wide shots emphasize the characters' dire situation, making their eventual escape feel even more impactful and cathartic.
Wide shots aren’t limited to dramatic or action-packed scenes—they work just as well in comedies. In “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” wide shots are used to deliver visual gags and convey the characters’ emotions, providing a window into their inner thoughts while keeping the humor intact.
The versatility of the wide shot is evident—it can be used to establish scenes, create mood, or even add a comedic element. Although there’s a standard definition of a wide shot, there’s no single way to use it.
Wide shots are also frequently used as establishing shots, setting the scene and providing the audience with a sense of where the action will take place. Below are examples of some of the most memorable establishing shots in cinematic history.
Films Defined by Wide Shots
Some films are so heavily reliant on wide shots that these shots become central to the movie’s identity. “No Country for Old Men,” for example, is a film defined by its extensive use of wide shots. From the opening sequence, the Coen Brothers use wide shots to introduce the unforgiving desert setting and highlight the isolation of the characters.
“Seven” is another film that uses wide shots to emphasize atmosphere. A medium wide shot of Detective Somerset, for instance, is a prime example of how wide shots can create a mood of unease and tension, making the environment feel claustrophobic and overwhelming.
Extreme Wide Shots: Definition and Examples
An extreme wide shot (EWS) is so expansive that the subject becomes almost insignificant within the frame. This type of shot is ideal for highlighting the scale and size of a setting that a traditional wide shot cannot capture. The extreme wide shot is not about the character but rather about the environment, often portraying the character as overmatched, small, or inconsequential.
Films like “True Grit” use extreme wide shots to emphasize the vastness of the landscape, making the characters appear insignificant against the immense backdrop. Another classic example is from “Lawrence of Arabia,” where extreme wide shots are used to convey the endless scope of the desert, amplifying the sense of overwhelming odds faced by the protagonist.
While extreme wide shots show less of the character and more of the setting, medium wide shots do the opposite, offering a balance between character and environment.
Medium Wide Shots: Definition and Examples
A medium wide shot typically frames a character from just above or below the knees, providing enough context of the setting while also capturing the character’s expressions and emotions. Films like “12 Years A Slave” and “Catch Me if You Can” demonstrate the power of medium wide shots in establishing character dynamics and setting the stage for crucial narrative moments.
The Power of Wide Shots in Filmmaking
Wide shots are an essential part of a director’s visual toolkit, capable of establishing settings, introducing characters, building tension, and even adding humor. If you find yourself unsure about wide shots, revisit their definition, study examples from films, and then put these principles into practice. Who knows, maybe one day your work will define what a wide shot is for future filmmakers.
By Sal Framondi,
CEO/Founder, OPPRIME.tv
Producer, Black Filmmakers Matter
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