raina's journey: Camera Movements

Over the course of the week, I learned about the different types of camera movements used in film. We were asked to film short clips demonstrating the different movements. The first video I recorded demonstrates a pan camera movement. A pan camera movement is where the camera moves from left to right or rotates from side to side. In video one, you can see that the camera itself does not move from where it is and that it is in a fixed position. However, as I pan the camera from left to right, you can see each of my friends that I sit with during lunch. As the camera pans, you can see them waving at the camera. Thus, the pan allows me to show the scene around me to viewers. The viewers are then able to follow the subjects along the pan from left to right. In the second video clip, an example of a camera tilt movement is shown. In contrast to a pan, a tilt is when the camera rotates up and down. In other words, in a tilt, the camera is also in a fixed position, but it moves vertically. Hence, in the second video, the camera starts off tilting downwards, then it gradually tilts upwards. The video clip is of my friend Sneha revealing a secret bag filled with yummy snacks and food. Thus, the tilt in the video allows me to dramatically reveal something to viewers while the camera follows along with the subject. In both the pan and tilt camera movements, the scene is either shifting horizontally or vertically. However, there is also another movement that we learned called the static shot. In a static shot, the camera itself also does not move and is completely still. In other words, the camera is static throughout the shot, and there is a locked camera aim. Hence, the third video clip that I imported directly demonstrates a static shot. In the video clip, my friend Sneha is texting on her phone and ends up running into a pillar. During the whole scene, the camera is locked and does not have any movements. This type of static shot emphasizes the appearance of my friend in terms of her actions in the scene. As a result, this helps create a comedic and humorous mood.

Although I have only discussed the camera movements where the camera is in a fixed position, there are many other types of movements where the camera is moving. For example, video clip four shows what is known as a dolly zoom. In class, we learned that a dolly is a camera machine that moves on tracks, usually forwards or backwards. A dolly zoom, however, is when the camera is moving in the opposite direction from the zoom. Hence, in video clip four, the camera is physically moving towards my friends Madison and Tina, but the focal length is zooming out. You can tell the focal length is zooming out because the background appears to be getting farther, although my friends are getting closer into perspective. The use of a dolly zoom in the video allows me to create a distorted and warped effect on the classroom background while still emphasizing the main subjects, or in this case, my friends. In addition, another example of a camera movement where the camera is physically moving is known as the handheld shot. Like the name says, a handheld shot is a scene where the camera is held by someone. For instance, in the fifth video clip, the camera is shaking and moving intensely as I am chasing my friend Sneha throughout the school during lunch. The shakiness and movements from the handheld shot add a sense of urgency and allow viewers to feel as if they are in the scene. Therefore, camera movements are another important aspect in film and media studies because each type of movement has its own purpose in shaping the scene.

Video clip one: pan