Preliminary Task shot types and examples.

Match on Action shot:

This shot is used to mask the transition from one frame to another. It ‘matches’ the action from the previous frame by keeping the action the same but showing from a different angle.

E.G. A character may pick up a cup of tea and then the next frame shows them taking a sip; A character may reach into their letterbox in one shot, followed by a close up on the letter or the character pulling the letter out from another angle.

This example below sees Chandler from front on talking to a crowd outside his apartment door. The next shot – taken from inside the apartment looking out – is matched to the action with shooting Chandler from the back before he turns around to enter his home.

The second example shows the use of a kiss to mask the different camera shots used in the scene.

Shot/Reverse shot:

This is a technique where one character is shown looking at, and in conversation with, another character. The shot cuts from one character to the other to indicate the conversation is occurring with each other.

This technique makes use of the 180-degree rule.

A film technique wherein one character is shown looking (often off-screen) at another character, and then the other character is shown looking "back" at the first character. Since the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the viewer unconciously assumes that they are looking at each other.

-Bordwell, David; Thompson, Kristin (2006). Film Art: An Introduction. New York:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvG8k1CNaMo 

180 degree rule:

This rule states that characters within a scene maintain the same left/right relationship to each other. The camera will therefore always stay on one side of the action to maintain this.

If the rule is broken, it can create a disjointed scene, where characters may seem like they are talking, or looking at, nothing rather than each other.