Content is king when it comes to marketing your business. And video is the king of kings. With YouTube rivalling Google as a search engine and consumers increasingly ignoring plain text content, your brand needs video content.

Thoughtful, gripping video content which holds the consumers attention needs to be well planned and expertly shot. Here at NEEDaFIXER we offer a full service for creating your ideal promotional video.

Which camera shots should you use?

A camera shot is a series of uninterrupted frames creating an image. The narrative of the shot is explained in part by the type of camera shot used.

There are an infinite number of variations on the camera shot. Let’s have a look at some of the most popular shots used in producing video for business.

  • Extreme Long (Or Wide) Shot – in these shots the subject will appear in only a small part of the frame. You can use this style to convey a sense of a whole location. If the narrative requires to offer context to the subject, then these shots are perfect.
  • Extreme Close Up – By way of contrast, an extreme close up shot removes any distraction from the subject. This could be as a narrator, or interviewee, delivers the main message. The subject may be the most attractive part of a brand’s offerings, showed off in detail.
  • The Full Shot – Particularly if the subject is a person, a full shot is a good balance between the extremes of long shots and close ups. Still offering a good amount of location context whilst showing important details about the subject itself. Starting with this shot, the film maker can smoothly transition to other styles of shooting.
  • The Medium Wide Shot – Being able to incorporate accessories or other characters, this ‘knees up’ shot offers the opportunity for the subject to explain the immediate surroundings. A medium wide shot might be shot from an angle, or even behind the subject.
    • The Cowboy Shot – So named because of its origins in wild west films. You may not be filming a gun slinger, but the effect of the subject ‘shooting from the him’ works well for many subjects. Shoot subjects from about mid-thigh upwards.
  • The Close Up – Not as revealing as an extreme close up, but still conveying the emotion of the action. These shots will focus in on the integrity of an interviewee as they answer revealing questions about the business or brand being promoted.
  • The Interviewers Point Of View (POV) – If using members of a business’s workforce or management to highlight a brand’s personality, it may not be necessary to reveal the interviewer. Instead, let the camera act as the eyes of the viewer, as if they themselves are carrying out the interview. 
  • The Product User’s POV – If you are marketing a brand which is offering a particularly interactive product, then these shots are amazing. The viewer will get the impression that they themselves are involved in using the goods on offer. Possibly showing the film makers hands, but from the point of view of their own eyes.
  • The Medium Close Up – Another variation on the close up shot. Includes the shoulders and neck of a subject, a small amount of background and surroundings at atmosphere whilst still focussing on the main subject.
  • The Establishing Shot – Setting the scene for the viewer, the establishing shot creates the mood for the footage about to follow. It could be a combination a filming styles but will almost certainly introduce the location, the action we’re about to see and the subject.
  • The Single Shot – A single shot simply means it features one subject, tightly focussed but not necessarily close up. Maybe the background might be dramatic in effect or colour but sometimes blurred to keep the viewers focus on the message being offered by the subject.
  • The Two Shot – This possibly needs no explanation! An interaction between two subjects needing an equal share of the frame. The subject maybe a consumer using a product being marketed. A casual conversation about how the product or service being promoted solves problems can be an effective two shot.
  • The Three Shot – Again, the name explains these shots perfectly. Rather than introduce three different subjects through a series of single shots, the three shot brings action and interaction straight to the story. These shots can also add some real depth to a marketing video.
  • The Over The Shoulder Shot – Another shot whose title describes itself perfectly. These shots can be used to create the illusion of standing close to a subject whilst they interact with a further subject. Particularly good when demonstrating a product, but also works well during interview style dialogue.
  • The Over The Hip Shot – Where a subject is moving, maybe a product which needs pushing or even holding, having the hip in the foreground gives a perspective on the relative size and bulk of a further subject or product.
  • Rack Focus Shots – Where two subjects are engaging, maybe in conversation, or maybe one is a product, the focus shifts from one to the other to emphasise which is speaking or acting. In marketing, the user can be focussed operating a control before the focus shifts to the product responding.
  • Aerial Shots – Give your marketing video a whole new perspective by introducing a demonstration, conversation or subject from above. Aerial shots offer the opportunity to take in a subjects surroundings, maybe introduce markings on the ground related to your brand’s product or service.
  • Drone Shots – Modern drone cameras produce ultra smooth footage. Following a subject as they move, or performing a fly past of a product, maybe carrying out a 360 degree surveillance shot will wow the viewer and keep their attention.
  • Tilt-Shift Focus Shot – Deliberately placing areas of the frame out of focus to create effects. Atmosphere and ambience can be created using careful tilt-shift focussing. Whether your brand wants to feel dreamy or have an urban cool feel, using these shots can change the tone of a video.
  • Low Angle Shot – For adding a sense of scale, looking up at a subject gives that subject an air of power. If you want your subject to appear confident, reliable and strong, these shots are definitely worth including in your marketing video.

We have only scratched the surface of the world of camera shots, but as you promote your brand, using a combination of these 20 listed here will certainly give your products and services the opportunity to shine.

Whatever style of video you have in mind for your business, here a NEEDaFIXER we can create the perfect marketing footage for you.

Get in touch today and let’s work together to create your marketing video.