Camera Shots and Angles!

This lesson aims to improve students’ understanding of camera shots and angles, and in particular those used in horror movies. This should enable them to design their own sequences of camera shots and angles when producing their own moving image media texts.

I used this lesson in the middle of the planning phase of a horror film trailer. However, as the main learning for the lesson is to be able to define, identify. analyse and use each of the camera shots and angles, it can be used for students at any stage of a media studies course. It includes a range of tasks, most of which are differentiated for different ability ranges, and includes lots of engaging subject matter. The lesson follows a clear learning journey, which is visually expressed to the students frequently throughout the PowerPoint presentation. The learning journey enables students to:
- Define each of the camera angles and shots through a group activity;
- Identify each of the shots and angles in movies stills;
- Analyse why different shots and angles are effective after watching a segment of a film;
- Create their own sequence of camera shots and angles for a short moving image piece;
- Evaluate their success in using effective camera shots and angles.

NOTE: The subject matter used for the final stages of the analysis task may be visually disturbing or inappropriate for some younger students - please check this section and alter it if you need to - you may wish just to pause the video before it gets too gory!

All images and videos are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide of the lesson.