Guide to the close-up shot and how to frame it.
The classic close-up shot draws the viewer’s attention to a subject’s emotion, expression, or certain details. Learn how filmmakers use this framing technique to shape the story and guide the audience.
Up close and personal.
The close-up shot shows crucial emotional moments and quick but meaningful actions that move the plot along. Using this shot at the right time helps your audience better understand your characters and their motives.
What is a close-up shot in film?
A close-up shot tightly frames a subject to emphasize emotion, detail, or narrative importance. By removing background distractions, filmmakers can home in on facial expressions, heighten the drama or suspense, and portray emotional depth that may go unnoticed in wider frames.
This shot is foundational to cinematic storytelling because it can build tension and add greater emotional depth, helping viewers feel more connected with the story and characters.
Let’s explore why filmmakers choose this shot and look at some close-up shot examples to help you get ideas of different shots and camera angles in film that you may want to use.
Why filmmakers rely on close-up shots.
Close-up shots guide the viewer’s eyes exactly where filmmakers want them, including moving the audience’s attention toward facial expressions, emotions, or small but meaningful story details. Close-ups build intimacy with a character, reveal internal tension, isolate a key moment by itself, or combine with a dolly zoom shot for psychological shifts.
Here are some examples of what a close-up shot can help convey in filmmaking:
- Emotional intensity or vulnerability
- A shift in character perspective, realization, or change of intentions
- Character reactions to off-screen events
- Narrative details that need emphasis
Framing the classic, standard close-up.
The standard close-up shows the head and shoulders and is often used in scenes focusing on dialogue, reactions, or emotional expression. The rule of thirds is a good principle when placing your subject — you don’t want your subject too centered.
You’ll need to frame the shot tightly with the subject’s face taking up most of the screen. Make sure there’s enough lighting where viewers can see the subject’s reactions.
The classic close-up is a great place to start, but there are other variations you may want to choose to engage viewers. We’ll explore other types of close-ups later in this article.
How to film close-ups successfully.
You’ve got all the details on what the close-up is and why it’s a compelling shot choice, so now it’s time to learn how to do one yourself.
Follow these simple steps to shoot a close-up:
- Use a lens between 85 and 135mm to avoid distortion.
- Frame from the shoulders up or tighter.
- Focus sharply on the subject’s eyes.
- Use soft lighting to highlight expression or mood.
- Consider how the close-up fits into the edit with surrounding shots.
Different types of close-up shots to experiment with.
Aside from the standard, close-up shots come in various types, and each has a unique purpose. You’ll want to consider the following close-up shots for your film:
- Extreme close-up
- Choker close-up
- Standard close-up
- Insert shots
1. The extreme close-up shot.
An extreme close-up focuses on a specific detail, typically only framing part of the subject — an eye, mouth, or important object. The extreme close-up is often framed as an eye level shot and keeps a tight focus on details, emotions, tension, or symbols to amplify their importance. Using a wider shot could cause these details to get lost.
An extreme close-up shot could be used to:
- Build anticipation or suspense by focusing on a small detail
- Highlight a character’s psychological or emotional well-being
- Home in on a key story element
- Create a feeling of closeness or discomfort by invading a subject’s personal space
An example of an extreme close-up would be the camera focusing on a character’s eyes widening during a moment of realization.
2. Choker close-up shots that create tension.
The choker shot is an ultra-tight close-up typically framed from the eyebrows to the chin or lips. These shots are often used in moments of emotional pressure or confrontation. You may choose this shot to highlight tension, emotions, major reactions, or to create a feeling of pressure, intimacy, or closeness.
Ideally, film the shot with a longer lens — typically around 100 mm to 135 mm or more — to avoid distortion. An example of a choker close-up shot would be showing tears streaming from a subject’s eyes in a moment of emotional intensity.
3. Medium close-up shots leave room to breathe.
The medium close-up shot is typically framed from mid-chest up. It offers a balance between emotional clarity and physical context by allowing the viewer to see a character’s facial expressions while also capturing their body language and surroundings.
A filmmaker may opt for this shot when they want the audience to connect to a character and show their placement in a scene. Medium close-up shots are commonly used in documentary films to capture a character’s emotions and their relation to their environment. An example of a medium close-up shot would be two characters talking in a crowded public area, showing their trust with each other and the importance of the conversation.
4. Insert shots to highlight key action.
Close-up insert shots are the key to showing small but essential actions and details. These could include a hand turning a doorknob, a person passing a letter to another person, or a button being pressed.
An insert shot is a film editor’s technique that can advance the plot by placing the viewers’ focus on a crucial detail or create tension or heightened emotions by highlighting small but important actions. For example, a close-up insert may be used when a student quickly passes a note under a desk to another classmate. The shot ensures the audience doesn’t miss this crucial little detail. As an essential part of the editor’s toolkit, this shot ensures you don’t miss the little things between the many shots.
Editing creative transitions from close-ups.
Editors can creatively cut to or from close-up shots using wipe transitions, match cuts, jump cuts, and more. Transitions mixed with close-up shots can help reveal emotional changes or set the tone for a scene.
You may also want to blend your close-up shots with wide shots to hold the audience’s attention by showing the contrast between the two shots. To enhance the impact of your close-up, you may want to try reverse angles, which showcase emotional and spatial dynamics. Achieving this result could include cutting from one character’s face to another to see their reactions. The close-ups point the viewer to specific details, and the wide shots show the importance of the environment surrounding the subject.
Cross cutting film scenes between these two major shots helps the audience to better connect with the characters.
Tips for filming close-ups that fit your vision.
You’re ready for your close-up — but first, check out some tips to ensure it showcases all the emotions or essential actions you want your audience to see.
- Position your subject. Use the rule of thirds for placement. You can center your subject, but that could come off as more confrontational, so use it for such purposes.
- Use different lighting. The variety of lighting you use can set the tone for a scene. Hard lighting can create a dramatic scene, while soft lighting can make for a calmer mood.
- Diversify your angles. Straight on is the easy route, but raising or lowering your angles can indicate shifting perspectives or power dynamics.
- Avoid inconsistency. Not lining up your cuts could be detrimental to your scene. Don’t mismatch eye lines between cuts unless you’re doing it for artistic reasons.
- Don’t overdo it. When editing video, don’t overuse close-up shots. Save them for prominent actions or emotional moments to make their impact greater.
Bring close-up shots into your next film or video.
Sprinkling close-ups throughout your film allows your audience to connect with characters and the environment around them. From quick reactions or a peek at an essential object to emotional moments that tie everything together, using this shot in combination with diverse transitions will set your film up for success.
Once you have your footage, refine the scenes and sequence shots with a powerful video editing tool. Try out a video editing software like Adobe {{premiere}} to make editing your close-up shots picture-perfect.