Speak Cinema
Learn to Speak Cinema
Shot size, vertical position, and horizontal position are the vocabulary of visual storytelling. This series breaks each one down in under two minutes — watch, compare, and start reading shots like a director.
Intro
Start here — what this series covers and why the vocabulary matters.
Shot Sizes
How much of the subject — and how much of the world around them — fits inside the frame.
Extreme Wide Shot
Subject is tiny within a vast environment — establishes location and scale.
Wide Shot
Full body and generous surrounding space — context stays readable.
Full Shot
Head to toe, minimal room to spare — the whole body reads clearly.
Medium Full Shot
Cuts around the knees — keeps body language readable, tightens focus.
Medium Shot
Waist up — the standard, conversational shot.
Medium Close-Up
Chest and up — balances expression with a touch of body language.
Close-Up
Frames the face — foregrounds emotion and reaction.
Extreme Close-Up
Isolates a detail — eyes, hands, an object — for maximum intensity.
Vertical Position
Where the camera sits relative to the subject — a few inches changes how powerful, or how small, they feel.
Eye Level
Camera sits level with the subject’s eyes — neutral, natural point of view.
Shoulder Level
Slightly above eye level — a subtle, natural-feeling elevation.
Hip Level
Around waist height, looking slightly up — common for handheld coverage.
Knee Level
Low angle from the knees — the subject feels taller, more imposing.
Foot Level
Extreme low angle from the ground — maximum drama and scale.
Horizontal Position
Which way the subject faces the lens — from full confrontation to a fully anonymous back.
Front
Subject faces the camera directly — the most direct, confrontational read.
Front 3/4
Turned partway toward camera — natural and conversational.
Profile
Viewed straight from the side — graphic and observational.
Back 3/4
Turned mostly away — mysterious, follows the subject’s gaze.
Back
Fully turned away — anonymizing, or reveals what they’re looking at.
Single
One character alone in frame — isolates focus entirely on them.
Go Deeper
Ready to Put It Into Practice?
Our courses build on this vocabulary to teach full shot planning and storyboarding.