Establishing shot: Difference between revisions
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{{short description|Long shot that sets up the context for a scene in filmmaking and television production}} |
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[[File:LOC Brooklyn Bridge and East River 7.png|thumb|right|An opening shot of the [[Brooklyn Bridge]] establishes the setting and trajectory of the film ''[[Saturday Night Fever]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Boggs|first=Joseph M.|year=1996|title=The Art of Watching Films|pages=161, 454}}</ref>]] |
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[[File:The Pentagon US Department of Defense building.jpg|thumb|right|An aerial shot of [[The Pentagon]] can be used to establish a meeting of US military strategists.]] |
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An '''establishing shot''' in [[filmmaking]] and [[television production]] sets up, or establishes the context for a scene by showing the relationship between its important figures and objects.<ref name=" |
An '''establishing shot''' in [[filmmaking]] and [[television production]] sets up, or establishes, the context for a scene by showing the relationship between its important figures and objects.<ref name="Brown_Page_18">{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=Blain |title=Cinematography: Theory and Practice, Image Making for Cinematographers and Directors |date=2012 |publisher=Focal Press |location=Burlington, Massachusetts |isbn=9781136047381 |page=18 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uyMYMbjheqgC&pg=PA18 |access-date=11 August 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| title=Film analysis. Part 4: Editing | publisher=[[Yale University]] | url=https://filmanalysis.yale.edu/editing/#establishing | access-date=2020-06-25}}</ref> It is generally a long or [[long shot|extreme-long shot]] at the beginning of a scene indicating where, and sometimes when, the remainder of the scene takes place.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Videography Glossary|publisher=[[Calgary board of education]]|url=http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b690/Curriculum/computerop/comp9plus/CTS901-03/CTS9Plus-VideoGlossary.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205093002/http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b690/Curriculum/computerop/comp9plus/CTS901-03/CTS9Plus-VideoGlossary.html|archive-date=2017-12-05|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://static.atomiclearning.com/files/atomic_storytelling_guide.pdf|title=Video Storytelling Guide|publisher=Atomic Learning, Inc.|date=2007}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Shot types|website=MediaCollege.com|url=https://www.mediacollege.com/video/shots/|access-date=2020-06-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Terms Used by Narratology and Film Theory|publisher=[[Purdue University]]|url=https://cla.purdue.edu/academic/english/theory/narratology/terms/|access-date=2020-06-25}}</ref> |
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Establishing shots were more common during the [[ |
Establishing shots were more common during the [[classical Hollywood cinema|classical era]] of filmmaking than they are now. Today's filmmakers tend to skip the establishing shot in order to move the scene along more quickly, or merely mention the setting in on-screen text (as is done in the [[Law & Order (franchise)|''Law & Order'' franchise]]). In addition, the expositional nature of the shot may be unsuitable to scenes in mysteries, where details are intentionally obscured or left out. |
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==Use of establishing shots== |
==Use of establishing shots== |
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{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2019}} |
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2019}} |
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;Location: Establishing shots may use famous landmarks to indicate the city where the action is taking place or has moved |
;Location: Establishing shots may use famous landmarks to indicate the city where the action is taking place or has moved. |
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*[[Brandenburg Gate]] or the [[Fernsehturm Berlin|Fernsehturm]] to identify [[Berlin]] |
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*[[Munich Frauenkirche|Frauenkirche]] to identify [[Munich]] |
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*[[Parliament House in Australia|Parliament House]], [[Old Parliament House, Canberra|Old Parliament House]], the [[National Carillon]] or the [[Black Mountain Tower]] to identify [[Canberra]] |
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*[[White House|The White House]], [[United States Capitol|The Capitol]], the [[Washington Monument]], the [[Lincoln Memorial]] or [[Northern Virginia]]'s [[The Pentagon]] to identify [[Washington D.C.]] or the surrounding region |
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*[[Willis Tower]], [[Chicago "L"]], ''[[Cloud Gate]]'' or [[Chicago Picasso]] to identify [[Chicago]] |
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*[[Victoria Harbour]] to identify [[Hong Kong]] |
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*[[Las Vegas Strip]] to identify [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]]<ref name="albany">{{Cite web|title=CSI and Forensic Realism|publisher=University of Albany|date=|url=http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/vol15is1/Deutsch_Cavender.pdf|accessdate=12 April 2010}}</ref> |
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*[[London Eye]], [[Big Ben]], [[Buckingham Palace]] or [[Tower Bridge]] to identify [[London]] |
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*[[Hollywood Sign]] or [[U.S. Bank Tower]] to identify [[Los Angeles]] |
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*[[Empire State Building]], the [[Statue of Liberty]], the [[Brooklyn Bridge]], [[Times Square]] or the [[World Trade Center site|World Trade Center]] to identify [[New York City]] |
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*[[Golden Gate Bridge]], [[Painted ladies]] to identify [[San Francisco]] |
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*[[Philadelphia Museum of Art]], [[Philadelphia City Hall|City Hall]], or [[Ben Franklin Bridge]] to identify [[Philadelphia]] |
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*[[Bank of America Plaza (Atlanta)|Bank of America Plaza]], [[Westin Peachtree Plaza]], or [[Georgia State Capitol]] to identify [[Atlanta]] |
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*[[Space Needle]] to identify [[Seattle]] |
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*[[Milwaukee Art Museum]] or [[Milwaukee City Hall|City Hall]] to identify [[Milwaukee]] |
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*[[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] or [[Terminal Tower]] to identify [[Cleveland]] |
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*[[Gateway Arch]] to identify [[St. Louis]] |
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*[[Colorado State Capitol]] or the [[City Hall|Denver City Hall]] to identify [[Denver]] |
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*[[Freedom Tower (Miami)|Freedom Tower]] to identify [[Miami]] |
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*[[Eiffel Tower]] and/or the [[Arc de Triomphe]] to identify [[Paris]] |
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*[[Tyne Bridge]] to identify [[Newcastle upon Tyne]] |
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*[[Stockholm City Hall|City Hall]] or [[Globen]] to identify [[Stockholm]] |
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*[[Saint Basil's Cathedral]] or the [[Kremlin]] to identify [[Moscow]] |
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*[[Reunion Tower]] to identify [[Dallas]] |
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*[[Alamo Mission in San Antonio|The Alamo]] to identify [[San Antonio]] |
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*[[Christ the Redeemer (statue)|Christ the Redeemer]] to identify [[Rio de Janeiro]] |
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*[[Taipei 101]] to identify [[Taipei]] |
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*[[Cataract Gorge]], the [[General Post Office, Launceston|Post Office]] or the [[King's Bridge (Launceston)|Kings Bridge]] to identify [[Launceston, Tasmania|Launceston]] |
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*[[Tasman Bridge]], [[Wrest Point Casino]] or [[Mount Wellington (Tasmania)|Mount Wellington]] to identify [[Hobart]] |
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*[[Monument Hill (New South Wales)|Monument Hill]], the [[Albury Post Office|Post Office]] or the [[Albury railway station|Railway Station]] to identify [[Albury]] |
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*[[Story Bridge]] or [[Mount Coot-tha]] to identify [[Brisbane]] |
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*[[Q1 (building)|Q1]] to identify [[Surfers Paradise]] |
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*[[Fort Scratchley]], the [[Newcastle Customs House|Customs House]], [[Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle|Christ Church Cathedral]] or [[Queens Wharf]] to identify [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]] |
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*[[Sydney Opera House]] or the [[Sydney Harbour Bridge|Harbour Bridge]] to identify [[Sydney]] |
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*[[Arts Centre Melbourne|Victorian Arts Centre]], the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]], a [[Trams in Melbourne|Tram]] or the [[Flinders Street railway station]] to identify [[Melbourne]] |
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*[[Lake Wendouree]], [[Sovereign Hill]] or the [[Town Hall]] to identify [[Ballarat]] |
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*[[Adelaide Town Hall]] or the [[State Library of South Australia|State Library]] to identify [[Adelaide]] |
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*[[Kings Park, Western Australia|Kings Park]] or the [[Swan Bells]] to identify [[Perth]] |
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*[[Sky Tower (Auckland)|Sky Tower]], [[One Tree Hill (New Zealand)|One Tree Hill]] or the [[Auckland Harbour Bridge|Harbour Bridge]] to identify [[Auckland]] |
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*[[Tokyo Tower]], [[Tokyo Skytree]] or [[Shibuya#Shibuya Crossing|Shibuya Scramble Crossing]] to identify [[Tokyo]] |
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*[[The Skysuites Tower|Skysuites Tower]] or a [[Jeepney]] to identify [[Manila]] |
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*[[CN Tower]] to identify [[Toronto]] |
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*[[Hillbrow Tower]] to identify [[Johannesburg]] |
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*[[Table Mountain]] to identify [[Cape Town]] |
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*[[Burj Al Arab]] or [[Burj Khalifa]] to identify [[Dubai]] |
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*[[Sheikh Zayed Mosque]] or the [[Emirates Palace]] to identify [[Abu Dhabi]] |
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*[[General Post Office, Dublin]], [[Liberty Hall]] or the [[Spire of Dublin]] to identify [[Dublin]] |
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*[[Edinburgh Castle]] to identify [[Edinburgh]] |
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*[[Petronas Towers]] to identify [[Kuala Lumpur]] |
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*[[Lujiazui|Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone in Pudong]] to identify [[Shanghai]] |
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*[[Marina Bay Sands]] to identify [[Singapore]] |
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;Time of day: Sometimes the viewer is guided in their understanding of the action. For example, an exterior shot of a building at night followed by an interior shot of people talking implies that the conversation is taking place at night inside that building |
;Time of day: Sometimes the viewer is guided in their understanding of the action. For example, an exterior shot of a building at night followed by an interior shot of people talking implies that the conversation is taking place at night inside that building – the conversation may in fact have been filmed on a studio set far from the apparent location, because of budget, permits, time limitations or convenience. In the series ''[[JAG (TV series)|JAG]]'', [[24-hour clock|24-hour]] [[Coordinated Universal Time]] was used for these scenes to reinforce the military setting of the series. |
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;Relationship: An establishing shot might be a long shot of a room that shows all the characters from a particular scene. For example, a scene about a murder in a college lecture hall might begin with a shot that shows the entire room, including the lecturing professor and the students taking notes. A close-up shot can also be used at the beginning of a scene to establish the setting (such as, for the lecture hall scene, a shot of a pencil writing notes). |
;Relationship: An establishing shot might be a long shot of a room that shows all the characters from a particular scene. For example, a scene about a murder in a college lecture hall might begin with a shot that shows the entire room, including the lecturing professor and the students taking notes. A close-up shot can also be used at the beginning of a scene to establish the setting (such as, for the lecture hall scene, a shot of a pencil writing notes). |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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{{Cinematic techniques}} |
{{Cinematic techniques}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Establishing |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Establishing shot}} |
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[[Category:Cinematic techniques]] |
[[Category:Cinematic techniques]] |
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[[Category:Film editing]] |
[[Category:Film editing]] |
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Latest revision as of 00:13, 17 January 2024
An establishing shot in filmmaking and television production sets up, or establishes, the context for a scene by showing the relationship between its important figures and objects.[2][3] It is generally a long or extreme-long shot at the beginning of a scene indicating where, and sometimes when, the remainder of the scene takes place.[4][5][6][7]
Establishing shots were more common during the classical era of filmmaking than they are now. Today's filmmakers tend to skip the establishing shot in order to move the scene along more quickly, or merely mention the setting in on-screen text (as is done in the Law & Order franchise). In addition, the expositional nature of the shot may be unsuitable to scenes in mysteries, where details are intentionally obscured or left out.
Use of establishing shots
[edit] |
- Location
- Establishing shots may use famous landmarks to indicate the city where the action is taking place or has moved.
- Time of day
- Sometimes the viewer is guided in their understanding of the action. For example, an exterior shot of a building at night followed by an interior shot of people talking implies that the conversation is taking place at night inside that building – the conversation may in fact have been filmed on a studio set far from the apparent location, because of budget, permits, time limitations or convenience. In the series JAG, 24-hour Coordinated Universal Time was used for these scenes to reinforce the military setting of the series.
- Relationship
- An establishing shot might be a long shot of a room that shows all the characters from a particular scene. For example, a scene about a murder in a college lecture hall might begin with a shot that shows the entire room, including the lecturing professor and the students taking notes. A close-up shot can also be used at the beginning of a scene to establish the setting (such as, for the lecture hall scene, a shot of a pencil writing notes).
- Concept
- An establishing shot may also establish a concept, rather than a location. For example, opening with a martial arts drill visually establishes the theme of martial arts. A shot of rain falling could be an establishing shot, followed by more and more detailed look at the rain, culminating with individual raindrops falling.
References
[edit]- ^ Boggs, Joseph M. (1996). The Art of Watching Films. pp. 161, 454.
- ^ Brown, Blain (2012). Cinematography: Theory and Practice, Image Making for Cinematographers and Directors. Burlington, Massachusetts: Focal Press. p. 18. ISBN 9781136047381. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
- ^ "Film analysis. Part 4: Editing". Yale University. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Videography Glossary". Calgary board of education. Archived from the original on 5 December 2017.
- ^ "Video Storytelling Guide" (PDF). Atomic Learning, Inc. 2007.
- ^ "Shot types". MediaCollege.com. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Terms Used by Narratology and Film Theory". Purdue University. Retrieved 25 June 2020.