Frame for information and emotion
Choose shot sizes that tell the audience where to look.
2 min read
In this lesson
- Use wide, medium and close shots deliberately
- Preserve spatial relationships across cuts
Decide what the viewer needs now
A wide shot establishes the place and the relationship between people. A medium shot makes an exchange readable. A close-up isolates an important reaction or detail. Choose the frame according to the information the audience needs at that moment, rather than making every shot a close-up because it feels dramatic.
State the main subject and what must remain visible. If the action depends on a character placing a key on a table, do not crop out both the hand and the table. Aspect ratio changes what fits; compose for the ratio chosen at the start.
Keep cuts understandable
Establish where characters stand and which way they look. A reverse angle should feel connected to the established scene. If screen direction changes, give the audience an orienting shot or a clear reason. A new angle should reveal information or change emphasis, not simply add coverage.
Review the assembled sequence as well as individual takes. Two strong shots may fail together if eyelines, positions or prop states conflict. Fix the relationship between the shots. Avoid requesting a new cinematic angle without specifying what information it must preserve or reveal.
Begin wide enough to show Nia behind the counter and Tomas at the door. Cut to Nia’s medium close-up only after he mentions the note. Keep her eyeline toward frame left and leave room in that direction.
Put it into practice
Plan three frames for a discovery: establish the space, reveal the object and show the reaction. Explain what new information each contributes.
- Every frame has a clear subject
- The cuts preserve the viewer’s understanding of the space