Master shot
Encyclopedia
A master shot is a film
recording of an entire dramatized scene, from start to finish, from an angle that keeps all the players in view. It is often a long shot
and can sometimes perform a double function as an establishing shot
. Usually, the master shot is the first shot checked off during the shooting of a scene—it is the foundation of what is called camera coverage
, other shot
s that reveal different aspects of the action, groupings of two or three of the actors at crucial moments, close-up
s of individuals, insert shots
of various props, and so on.
Historically, the master shot was arguably the most important shot of any given scene. All shots in a given scene were somehow related to what was happening in the master shot. This is one reason why some of the films from the 1930s and 1940s are considered "stagey" by today's standards. By the 1960s and 1970s, the style of film shooting and editing
shifted to include radical angles that conveyed more subjectivity and intimacy within the scenes Today, the master shot is still an extremely important element of film production, but scenes are not built around the master shot in the same way that they were when professional filmmaking was in its infancy.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
recording of an entire dramatized scene, from start to finish, from an angle that keeps all the players in view. It is often a long shot
Long shot
In photography, filmmaking and video production, a long shot typically shows the entire object or human figure and is usually intended to place it in some relation to its surroundings...
and can sometimes perform a double function as an establishing shot
Establishing shot
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...
. Usually, the master shot is the first shot checked off during the shooting of a scene—it is the foundation of what is called camera coverage
Camera coverage
Camera coverage, in filmmaking and video production, is the amount of footage shot and different camera angles used to capture a scene. When in the post-production process, the more camera coverage means that there is more footage for the film editor to work with in assembling the final cut.-See...
, other shot
Shot (film)
In film, a shot is a continuous strip of motion picture film, created of a series of frames, that runs for an uninterrupted period of time. Shots are generally filmed with a single camera and can be of any duration. A shot in production, defined by the beginning and end of a capturing process, is...
s that reveal different aspects of the action, groupings of two or three of the actors at crucial moments, close-up
Close-up
In filmmaking, television production, still photography and the comic strip medium a close-up tightly frames a person or an object. Close-ups are one of the standard shots used regularly with medium shots and long shots . Close-ups display the most detail, but they do not include the broader scene...
s of individuals, insert shots
Insert (film)
In film, an insert is a shot of part of a scene as filmed from a different angle and/or focal length from the master shot. Inserts cover action already covered in the master shot, but emphasize a different aspect of that action due to the different framing...
of various props, and so on.
Historically, the master shot was arguably the most important shot of any given scene. All shots in a given scene were somehow related to what was happening in the master shot. This is one reason why some of the films from the 1930s and 1940s are considered "stagey" by today's standards. By the 1960s and 1970s, the style of film shooting and editing
Film editing
Film editing is part of the creative post-production process of filmmaking. It involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. It is an art of storytelling...
shifted to include radical angles that conveyed more subjectivity and intimacy within the scenes Today, the master shot is still an extremely important element of film production, but scenes are not built around the master shot in the same way that they were when professional filmmaking was in its infancy.