Its Kind of A Funny Story - Camera Shots

Prof. Ramirez-Berg talked about different camera techniques during his guest lecture. There are Long Shots (LS), Medium Shots (MS), and Close Ups (CU). Different camera angles also show and represent what is going on in the film. For example an eye level shot indicates that they both are power neutral and it is used as an identification shot. A low angle shot would typically mean that the person, or character that is shown has power in the film. And finally a high angle shot means that the character has less power and is vulnerable. I recently saw Its Kind of a Funny Story and noticed that it contained many of these techniques.

A Long Shot is usually used when a director is trying to portray a gloomy, lonely, or sad feeling. Usually they tend to show the subject far away and tiny in the scene, sometimes they have something with the opposite feelings in the background to emphasize the feeling it is meant to portray. At the end of Its Kind of a Funny Story they show a scene where they are on the top of the hospital looking out towards New York City, this can be an example of a long shot

A Medium Shot is the information shot. Usually the Medium Shot is used so that the audience can see what else is going on in that scene, for example to see what else is there in a room, or where exactly the characters are located. In It's Kind of a Funny Story they use a series of Medium Shots in this "Under Pressure" Scene to show the relationship information between him and the other patients of the hospital, he then imagines himself as the lead singer of Queen meanwhile all the shots are Medium Shots so people can see the relationship forming.

Finally a Close Up is when the director is trying to show you specific details more likely to portray feelings and emotions. In It's Kind of a Funny Story and this scene came into mind when thinking of a Close Up because both characters are shown in a personal space that specifies the feelings they have for each other.

Picture:
http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2010/07/have_some_indie_comedischmaltz.php
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmWijEbozWI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkiBBmrWhHU