Camera Framing & Shot Composition Techniques Explained
A practical breakdown of the six essential camera framing techniques (singles, two-shots, OTS, POV, inserts) that shows not just what they're called, but when and why to use each one to shape how audiences experience your story.
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TLDR
• Clean singles convey isolation; dirty singles show relationship/presence of others in frame
• Over-the-shoulder shots are the workhorse of conversation coverage—they're hybrids between singles and two-shots that create audience inclusion
• POV shots can be paired with POV audio to fully immerse viewers in a character's perspective
• Insert shots aren't just about going tight—first-person vs third-person framing changes how the information lands
• The Parasite sequence breakdown demonstrates how directors combine these techniques fluidly within a single scene to tie characters together visually
In Detail
This tutorial establishes that camera framing is fundamentally about creating and controlling relationships between characters on screen. The piece walks through six core framing conventions: singles (clean for isolation, dirty for showing presence of others), two-shots and multi-character frames (which create visual relationships), over-the-shoulder shots (the most common conversation coverage, acting as hybrids that include the audience in the moment), POV shots (which can combine visual and audio perspective), and insert shots (where first-person vs third-person framing matters as much as the detail itself).
The real value comes in the extended Parasite breakdown, which demonstrates how Bong Joon-ho fluidly combines these techniques within a single sequence. The analysis tracks every framing choice—ultra-wide four-shots, dirty singles, OTS shots, panning two-shots transitioning to three-shots—showing how a master director uses framing to tie family members together both physically and ideologically. Each framing decision isn't arbitrary; it's guiding the scene in a specific emotional and narrative direction.
The core insight is that these aren't just technical terms to memorize—they're storytelling tools with specific emotional effects. Understanding when to use a clean single versus a dirty single, or when to shift from an OTS to a POV, gives you precise control over how the audience experiences character relationships and emotional beats.