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Understanding Medium Close-Up Shot
Have you ever watched a movie and noticed that there are several ways to show a character? Sometimes, you can see their entire body, including their feet, and other times, the camera is fully zoomed in and you can only see their eyes. These are two extremes, but there is one type of shot that's exactly in the middle, offering the best of both worlds. You can see the character's head, shoulders, and chest, but you cannot see their legs.
This is a medium close-up. Today, we will discuss everything that's important about this recording technique, from its definition to some practical applications. Stick around!
A medium close-up is a specific type of camera framing technique that shows the subject from the chest up. You can always see the subject's head clearly, and you will also see a part of their upper body. The point of this technique is to find some middle ground between a full close-up (where you can only see the character's face) and a medium shot (where you can see the character from the waist up). This type of shot offers viewers the ability to react to subtle facial expressions with the background still visible.
What are the Visual Characteristics of a Medium Close-Up Shot
This type of frame allows filmmakers and video creators to experiment with different compositions. Depending on the story and the type of scene, they can choose to put the character's face in the center of the screen or on the side. They also have the freedom to show the subject's chest or only their shoulders.
A medium close-up is still close enough for the audience to pick up even the most subtle gestures. Think of the brilliant Meryl Streep in any movie, with her genius, subtle acting techniques, where we can see a twitch near her lips, or subtle eye movements.
A full close-up zooms in on the face, and the background becomes almost non-existent. In medium close-ups, however, you have limited background visibility, but you can still see it. That's why these types of shots are perfect for intense dialogue scenes or dramatic reaction shots.
The Benefits: What Does a Medium Close-Up Shot Convey?
A medium close-up shot can be used to bring different emotions to life.
A Medium Close-Up (typically framed from the chest or shoulders up) captures facial expressions clearly while still showing some body language. It strikes the perfect balance between intimacy and context, which is ideal for conveying emotions without feeling too intrusive.
MCUs are a go-to framing for conversations and interviews, allowing viewers to focus on the speaker's expressions and tone. It's commonly used in shot/reverse shot dialogue sequences, which can be widely used in films, TV, documentaries, and YouTube content.
When and Where Can You Use a Medium Close-Up Shot?
Top 3 Genre-Specific Applications for Medium Close-Ups
Medium close-up shots are commonly used when recording conversations, regardless of the genre, but they have a very high impact in dramas, especially if we are witnessing an important story beat. A prime example of a medium close-up used in a conversation comes from the masterpiece Forest Gump, where the main character is telling his life story to a woman sitting next to him on a bench.
Imagine a scary situation where a character is walking towards a room where you know something bad will happen. You see them walking, with eerie music playing, and the camera is focused on their face with a medium close-up. If this doesn't build suspense, we don't know what will. A prime example is the scary realisation scene from the relatively new thriller hit Get Out, directed by Jordan Peele.
At first, two people in a romantic movie usually see each other from a distance at the beginning of the story, but as they get closer to each other, a good idea to have the camera get closer to them as well, bringing the audience into the evolving relationship. Just think about a dancing scene or a kissing scene, and you'll get it. An excellent example is the romantic dancing scene from the Twilight saga.
Creative Combinations for Medium Close-Up Shots
You can bring the audience into the scene completely, with the slightly shaky feel of OTS shots paired with a medium close-up, which will make the viewer feel like they are standing next to the subject in the frame.
By decreasing the depth of the field setting on your camera, you blur the background but keep the subject in focus. You can make your medium close-up shot more interesting by blurring the background, thus adding focus to the main subject in the scene. You will get an excellent effect with interesting and captivating visuals.
The Star Wars franchise popularized the push-in and push-out transition effect. It's a transition between two scenes where one scene pushes the other one out of the frame. This type of transition effect is ideal for introducing medium close-up shots, especially when transitioning from an establishing shot of the location to a scene where the character is having a conversation.
Tips for Perfect Medium Close-Up Shots
If you are a rising star in the filmmaking world and you want to record the perfect close-up shot, you need to pay special attention to the following three tips.
Use a camera lens with a focal length between 50mm and 85mm. This range avoids any form of distortion and offers a normal, natural perspective. It is perfect for shots where we see the character's face and upper body.
Following the very important rule of thirds and ensuring that the eyes are level or parallel to the imaginary horizontal lines used in the rule of thirds is important. This will create a balanced scene with a natural viewpoint, making it more relatable to the audience.
Make sure to eliminate or dull down all background distractions from the scene. If you are recording in a busy area, then you might need to use a shallow depth of field to blur the background completely. The main focus of the scene should be on the character's face.
How To Create Your Medium Close-Up Shot Video?
Filmora is an essential tool in any filmmaker's toolkit because this video editing software solution has it all. Basis, standard, and advanced video, image, and audio editing features are all present and easy. You also get millions of creative assets and dozens of helpful AI tools. Filmora brings a lot of fun into video editing, and you need to experience it first-hand.
To create a medium close-up shot in Filmora, download, install, and launch the software, and then follow the steps below to apply a zoom effect and make a medium close-up.
Secure DownloadDrag the video to Filmora's editing timeline.
Right-click on the video in the timeline and select the Crop and Zoom feature.
Adjust the size of the frame, make sure that the subject's head, shoulders, and chest are visible, and click on the Apply button.
Check out the comparison between the original clip on the left and the medium close-up shot on the right. They have a totally different vibe, don't you agree?
Troubleshooting Common Issues with Close-Up Shots
You created the perfect medium close-up, but there's something in the background that annoys you, and the shot isn't perfect.
You can try blurring the background to remove the noise. Otherwise, you can try recording the scene again with a different lens, or pick a different time of day when the location is not that busy.
You think that you have followed all the rules, but for some reason, the close-up shot looks off and unnatural with the subject in it.
Before you start recording, activate the rule of thirds grid on your camera and ensure that the subject's eyes or forehead are in line with the upper horizontal line. This will make the scene feel more natural.
