Close-up Shots in Cinema. #FilmMaking

Close-up Shots.

A scene from 'The Front Line'

In a close-up shot a particular thing takes up the major part of the screen. Eg: A coin, a face, hand. Close-Up shots take viewers closer to the subject but we cannot rely always on Close-Up shot for action scenes where you need the full view of what is happening. These shot are taken as if the camera is only few inches away from the subject. Have to say that Close-Up shots are one of the most difficult to take, from the director’s level and also from the actor’s level.

Cut-In are similar to Close-Up shots but focuses mainly on a specific part of the subject. Tamil director Myshkin is one of the few directors ever, who used Cut-In shots extensively. His films like Anjathey and Yudham Sei used legs/hands/fingers of character instead of face to express the emotion of the character.

Extreme-close-up shot focuses comparatively minute things more closely, like: Eyes, fingers, and words on a news paper.

Close-Up scenes are used most of the times by zooming in to the subject after starting from a medium or long shot.

A shot which starts as long-shot, zooms in to a close-up shot.
A scene from Maniratnam's Tamil classic 'Kannathil Muthamittal' (A Peck on the Cheek)

There are few films where a scene starts with a Close-Up shot and then zoomed out to explain the atmosphere and situation.

A shot which starts as close-up, zooms out to a medium-long shot.

A scene from Joon-ho Bong's Korean classic 'Memories of Murder'

• Rarely does a movie starts with Close-Up shot, opening sequences will be mostly in long shot.

• In the early stages of film-making, directors avoided such shots. (Eg: Charlie Chaplin films)

• A Close-Up shot need more lighting and careful make-up.

How to make use of a close-up shot is up-to the director, while watching few world class movies you will see the different ways of how such shots are used.

Eg: A Close-Up shot, at the same time follows the subject as it moves. This shot is rarely used because its hard for the viewers to grasp what is happening around.

Baran (Cut-In shot): During the 10 seconds of the climax scene, camera focuses merely on the movements of the hands of the two lead actors, without touching each other.