Comparing shot sizes

[rc444]

I'm interested to know how people perceive shot sizes. Here is what I was taught. There is no "right" answer as everyone has been to a different film school. Would be interesting to see what other people think.

ECU - usually focusses on a single body part or object, eye, nose, exhaust pipe
CU - head only
Dirty CU - head and shoulder blades. Seems to be more the norm these days.
MCU - head to breasts
mid shot - head to waist
MLS - head to knees
LS - head to toes
WS - looser than a LS, usually covers space above the heads and knees as well. Can also refer to inanimate objects, WS of building etc
Master shot - another name for WS
GS- group shot - another way of describing a WS if there are people in it
Establishing shot - same dimensions are WS, but an annotation used for setting the scene
2S- 2 shot
3S- 3 shot
O/S - over the shoulder. Sometimes can be described as "O/S Ben/Tom fav Tom" if Tom is the person we are favouring

Full shot - a general term used if an object or person is facing the camera directly. Used more in continuity
Reverse shot - if a person's back is to the camera

I've heard the terms BCU (Big close up), VLS, XLS and XWS, but we didn't use these at our film school.

 

[Paul Hudson]

Don't forget the CB (Cowboy) From the guns up

 

[j1clark@ucsd.edu]

Don't forget the CB (Cowboy) From the guns up

Isn't there also an 'american' shot, that is from the knees up, Or is that what you're refereing to as the Cowboy Shot.

Also isn't there a 'just lower than the bust line to top of head' shot, popular shot for women with significant features...

 

[rc444]

I've heard of the American shot; I think I was reading about it in a storyboard book. As for the 'just lower than the bustline to top of head', don't know, but if it's in Hollywood then I wouldn't be surprised. BTW, anyone know what to call those Boston Legal shots, those crazy jolting zoom ins we all know and love?