Establishing shots, or extreme wide shots, give a bird's eye view to show the vast scope of the surrounding area where a scene is about to take place. Films set in San Francisco may contain establishing shots of the Golden Gate Bridge, while films set in Washington, D.C., may show establishing shots of the White House.
Wide shots focus on entire areas or characters while keeping their entire bodies in the frame. These shots allow focus on both a character and his surroundings in the same frame, accommodating continuous movement without the need to re-frame the camera for focus.
Over-the-shoulder shots are filmed by angling the camera over the shoulder of one actor to focus on another. This angle is commonly employed to alternate focus between one character and another during one-on-one interaction while maintaining continuity of the conversation.
Medium shots frame actors from the waist up. Typically, these shots are employed to emphasize interactions between them, such as an embrace or tussle.
Medium close-ups are angled halfway between a medium shot and a close-up shot, showing a subject from the shoulders up within the frame.
Close-ups angle in at close range on a character, prop or other area of focus, only inches away to direct an audience's focus to something important in an actor's facial expression, or something significant about an object, location or other onscreen detail. A close-up of an actor's face during an emotional scene may emphasize his pain, or a close-up of a slowly turning door knob unnoticed by an actor may serve to elevate suspense regarding what is on the other side.
Extreme close-ups angle way in on a subject to emphasize extreme detail, such as one specific facial feature. In a Western movie, the camera might give extreme close-ups of two cowboy's fiercely determined narrowed eyes in the moments right before they draw their guns for a duel.
Point-of-view shots are angled from a character's eyeline to give the audience his perspective, seeing what he sees just as he sees it. Such shots aim to encourage viewers to identify with a character and his present circumstance.
Low angles are shot from below the object of focus, conveying the impression of its power or dominance. For instance, a bully might be filmed from such an angle as he approaches a trembling victim. The angle would serve to magnify his threatening appearance as he looms over the poor kid he's about to pound.
High angles are shot from above the object of focus, diminishing the impact of its appearance to evoke a sense of it as weak, submissive or powerless. The bully's victim might be introduced at this angle to emphasize his character as meek and wimpy.