Framing Frame
The frame decides what the audience sees and what it doesn’t. Shot size, aspect ratio, where the characters sit in the frame and depth of field together form a language the viewer reads without noticing.
- composition
- shot sizes
- aspect ratio
- lenses
- depth of field
What this section answers
- What is the difference between a CU and an MCU?
- When should I shoot 2.39:1 and when 16:9?
- How does depth of field work?
Articles and tools
Quick reference
| abbr. | shot | what the frame shows |
|---|---|---|
| ECU | extreme close-up | part of the face, the eyes |
| CU | close-up | the face |
| MCU | medium close-up | head and shoulders |
| MS | medium shot | from the waist up |
| MLS | medium long shot | from the knees up |
| WS | wide / long shot | the whole figure |
| EWS | extreme wide shot | landscape, the figure is small |
Terms
- Aspect ratio
- The ratio of picture width to height, for example 16:9 (≈1.78:1) or 2.39:1. More
- Letterbox
- Black bars above and below the picture when the picture is wider than the display.
- Pillarbox
- Black bars to the left and right when the picture is narrower than the display.
- Depth of field
- The range of distances that appears sharp. It gets shallower with a wider aperture (a lower f-number), a longer focal length and a closer focus distance.
- Extreme close-up ECU
- A frame showing part of a face or an object, for example the eyes. More
- Extreme wide shot EWS
- A landscape or space in which a person is a small element. Often used as an establishing shot.
In preparation
Topics we are working on. They are not published yet — we would rather have fewer pages, but verified ones.
- Composition: rule of thirds, leading lines, balance
- The 180° rule in editing (axis of action) — not to be confused with the shutter
- Depth of field: aperture, focal length, distance, sensor size
- Anamorphic lenses and the scope format