Content as a Service v2 - discover video collection - Thursday, September 12, 2024 at 16:05
Master the master shot.
Your master shot captures all the important action as a continuous shot of the whole scene. It’s a helpful tool for the audience to understand the scene and for editors to reference throughout the post-production process.
What is a master shot?
The master shot captures all the action happening in a scene and is usually set up as a long shot or wide shot. Because master shots record everything, these are crucial camera shot types for basic coverage. While including various shots and camera angles in film is a good idea, this shot serves as a neutral one where editors can let a scene breathe by cutting to the master shot during pauses in action or dialogue. They can go back to this shot at any point to reorient the viewer with the geography of the scene or create a smooth transition between various shots.
This essential shot establishes all the characters involved in the scene and their positions within the environment. The master shot in film often conveys how characters relate to each other and interact with their environment.
Two different approaches to the master shot.
Two different types of master shots exist in filmmaking: the standard master shot and the complex master shot. Each serves a unique purpose in the production process.
1. The normal, standard master shot.
Your master shot gets the full picture of a scene, but even this seemingly simple shot can go beyond the standard and use various angles and compositions to keep audiences engaged.
The standard master shot is a wide shot of the entire scene from start to finish. It’s an essential piece of video production that the shot editors can depend on to familiarize the viewer with the scene. This neutral shot doesn’t typically add meaning or emotion on its own but is important for coverage and a safety net for continuity. While this is a foundational base, it’s important to add a variety of shots, such as the reverse shot, Dutch angle shot, or high angle shot.
2. The intentional, complex master shot.
A complex master shot could encompass various camera movements or composition types to add to the emotional depth of a scene and enrich the storytelling. This shot uses deliberate blocking, camera movement, and sometimes lighting to help tell the story. These shots can sometimes replace the need for multiple setups.
In Jaws, Steven Spielberg used complex master shots to show the film’s characters are small and insignificant against the great white shark antagonist and the vast ocean. He used long, continuous tracking shots and some pan shots of the characters while they moved throughout the frame, helping build tension by gradually revealing the shark was nearby rather than relying on jump scares. In addition, the film director used other camera angles and shots to keep viewers on their toes, a notable example being the dolly zoom on Chief Brody when he sees the shark attack at the beach.
Difference between a master shot vs. establishing shot.
While a master shot and an establishing shot both aim to familiarize the viewer with a setting, they differ in the duration and scope of the shot. When editing video, you’ll want to include both of these in order to show the environment and help your audience better understand the scene.
The master shot covers the full scene, including characters and actions, and the establishing shot shows the location or environment and is often used at the beginning of a scene to set context. Master shots are longer and can last a few minutes while establishing shots are typically short shots that last a few seconds.
What is captured in a master shot and why?
A master shot captures the entire space in a scene, which may include showing the whole set, room, or environment. It shows where characters are located in relation to one another, the space they’re in, and any actions they take. Dialogue and movement are also captured in this shot. Master shots can serve as reference points before capturing additional coverage, and are sometimes used to support longer sequence shots when shooting for continuity.
Here are some reasons and examples of why the master shot can be beneficial:
- Gives an idea of the scene’s geography. In a high school cafeteria, the master shot might show where students are sitting at each table before taking close-up shots of the characters.
- Shows essential actions. In a living room decorated for a surprise party, the master shot might show all the guests hiding behind furniture. Someone walks in, and the guests yell, “Surprise!” only to realize it’s the cake delivery person.
- Helps with rehearsal. Directors might use this shot as a rehearsal where actors perform the scene in one take, which helps everyone involved with timing and blocking.
Different ways to frame master shots.
A master shot sets the scene, but the picture can be framed in different ways.
- Wide shot. This is often used at the beginning of a scene to set the stage. It helps establish where the action will take place and provides viewers with a view of the space. The wide shot focuses more on the environment than the characters and helps with continuity by familiarizing viewers with the environment before cutting to close-ups.
- Long shot. The long shot camera angle frames characters from head to toe, usually with some space around them. It shows characters’ immediate surroundings and is great for group interaction shots or tracking character movement. This shot helps maintain a clear path of movement and physical relationships between characters and gives the audience a view of all essential actions without close-ups of facial expressions. This shot helps with continuity because it reminds the audience of the location and time the action is happening, even when the camera angle changes.
- Full shot. This shot shows a character’s full body, and often frames a single subject or a small group. These are ideal when you want to show body language or other character actions that are essential to the story. The full shot highlights character actions while still holding them within their setting. It benefits continuity by maintaining the integrity of certain body movements during the editing process, such as walking across a room or handing something off.
Master shot examples: The Shining and more.
The master shot is the master of all camera shots for a reason — it gives you a full view of the setting and ensures you don’t miss a single moment. Check out these examples of master shots from film to help inspire you for your next production.
- The Shining. The scene where Danny Torrence rides his tricycle through the hotel hallways in long, uninterrupted takes is a great master shot example. This shot follows Danny from behind, keeping a constant wide frame as he turns and moves through the spooky halls. The shot highlights the spaciousness, emptiness, and isolated nature of the hotel.
- Pride and Prejudice. A master shot is essential to show Elizabeth and Darcy dancing through a crowded ballroom. This shot shows their emotional distance and social barriers, which are all framed with beautiful, intentional blocking.
- Pulp Fiction. A wide shot shows diners, dancers, and retro decorations as Vincent and Mia sit across from each other at the restaurant. This shot depicts the chemistry between characters while showing their banter in a unique way.
How to nail the perfect master shot.
Careful planning is required to create the perfect master shot. This crucial shot supports film continuity and makes editing in post-production easier.
Here are some tips for mastering the master shot:
- Frame the space. Frame your shot in a way that allows viewers to see the environment, characters, and spatial relationships between them. The frame should tell a story on its own, without dialogue.
- Choose angles wisely. You want to select angles that give you flexibility when cutting scenes in post-production. Using a wide-angle or three-quarter view can help with cutting shots later on without losing continuity throughout scenes.
- Block actor movements. Make sure to plan out where and when actors will move across the scene, hand things off, and take other important actions you don’t want to miss.
- Light the way. Use lighting to guide the viewer. Various highlights and shadows can point the user to subjects in a busy frame. You can use practical lights such as screens or lamps to convey the mood of the scene.
- Avoid unnecessary movement. While you want to create an engaging film, too much motion can distract the viewer. In general, keep the camera steady unless it serves a specific purpose in driving the story.
- Use different shots. The master shot is the foundational piece, and from here, you can use close-ups, over-the-shoulder shots, and other shots and angles to complement your film and keep viewers engaged.
Work with master shots in Adobe Premiere Pro.
You don’t have to be a Hollywood director to master the master shot. Whether you’re creating a short film or a full-length feature, a master shot can improve the performance and timing of your film.
Premiere Pro has all the tools you need to succeed at mastering the master shot and more. With multicamera editing and transition options, incorporating master shots into your workflow is simpler than ever.
See how video editing software like Premiere Pro can help you create stunning, cinematic edits.
FAQs about master shots.
A master shot gives the audience a complete view of the scene and provides editors with foundational film that they can refer back to as it captures the entire scene in one take. A master shot shows the relation between the environment and the characters in it and sets the tone for each scene.
A master shot shows a small convenience store with a wide shot captured from above. A robber bursts into the store and yells at the cashier to hand him all the cash in the register. The master shot shows how the cashier and everyone else in the store react at that moment.
Yes, master shots can include camera movement. More complex master shots, such as tracking shots and pan shots, move with characters and across scenes to show every essential action.
Some situations when you can use a master shot include:
- At the start of a scene to establish the environment, characters, and their spatial relationships
- When multiple actors are talking or moving within a scene
- For real-time performances, similar to a stage play
The master shot rule is to always get a wide, complete shot of the entire scene. This means capturing every action, character, and spatial relationship from start to finish.
A master shot can be a wide shot, but not all wide shots are master shots. Master shots capture the entire scene from beginning to end, while wide shots focus on the setting and character placement.
Yes, you can work with master shots in Premiere Pro. The software has multicamera editing tools, a variety of transitions, effects, and other features needed to create a masterful master shot.
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