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A Filmmaker's Guide to: Establishing Shots

Film Studies (Pt.120)

By Annie KapurPublished 3 years ago 4 min read
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In this chapter of ‘the filmmaker’s guide’ we’re actually going to be learning about literature and film together. I understand that many of you are sitting in university during difficult times and finding it increasingly hard to study and I understand that many of you who are not at university or not planning on it are possibly stuck of what to do, need a break or even need to catch up on learning film before you get to the next level. This guide will be brief but will also contain: new vocabulary, concepts and theories, films to watch and we will be exploring something taboo until now in the ‘filmmaker’s guide’ - academia (abyss opens). Each article will explore a different concept of film, philosophy, literature or bibliography/filmography etc. in order to give you something new to learn each time we see each other. You can use some of the words amongst family and friends to sound clever or you can get back to me (email in bio) and tell me how you’re doing. So, strap in and prepare for the filmmaker’s guide to film studies because it is going to be one wild ride.

Establishing Shots

What are they?

I think that by now, we all know what an establishing shot is but let us go through it for those that don't. An establishing shot gives meaning to a scene or story by showing us the first thing we should be focused on. It can give away genre, it can show character, it can even show perspective. But the one thing it must do is be memorable to the viewer. It must put us within the film and make us believe the story before it has even started.

How are they used?

Establishing shots are used just as their name suggests, to establish a scene or a movie and to make us more involved with the story from the very first scene. The main motive of an establishing shot is to make us see something that is possibly, very important to either the storyline or the themes for the first scene of our experience.

Another reason establishing shots are used is a very simple one - when you go to the cinema to see the film, the establishing shot can be made to look amazing on the giant screen you're sitting in front of. It can invite you into the genre and encompass the audience via its almost over-the-top nature and it can invite us into the storyline that possibly, a viewing on a smaller screen could not.

Case Studies:

"2001: A Space Odyssey"

What we see here is simple. Not only is there the symbolic nature of the planets that we need to understand in order to get more involved with the storyline. But there is also the nature of the space scene in which Kubrick knew all too well that this was going to be seen on the big screen and wanted to make it as grand as possible.

The rest of the movie obviously gives way to why the audience should care about this one establishing shot because not only does it give us something to think about, but it also gives us things to connect to other things. Especially in films such as "2001: A Space Odyssey", "The Shining" and other films by Stanley Kubrick, Sir Alfred Hitchcock, Fritz Lang and later on by Stephen Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino and even JJ Abrams.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have had, over the years many reasons for establishing shots but there are main ones that you want to pay attention to.

Establishing shots have been made for these main reasons:

  • to entertain the audience of the bigger screen cinematic experience
  • to force us into the storyline and make us feel as if we are directly a part of the plot
  • to help us to make connections between the establishing shot and the rest of the movie once the storyline begins
  • to make sure we can visualise the different setting, time, perspective, character etc. that is being viewed
  • to get an initial reaction from the audience - this shot is normally one of those that the audience is going to remember

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About the Creator

Annie Kapur

190K+ Reads on Vocal.

English Lecturer

🎓Literature & Writing (B.A)

🎓Film & Writing (M.A)

🎓Secondary English Education (PgDipEd)

📍Birmingham, UK

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