Possible Shot Types

I decided to look at the types of shots we may want to use in our Thriller film and the impact that they would have upon our opening. Unfortunately my darling James wasn't available to model for me, so I decided to use my beloved Ganondorf figurine in order to show what the shot would look like.

Shot 1: Long Shot
This shot consists of showing the entire character's body. This is good for establishing a character and also showing the audience their costume or posture. For example, a long shot of the evil Ganondorf (as seen below) shows that he is wearing a lot of orange and red colours, suggesting to the audience that he is a dangerous and evil character.
In our film, we could use a long shot in order to show the hit man's costume. As he will be in a full suit, it is a good opportunity to show the audience what he is wearing and this would also allow the audience to infer that he is a professional.

Shot 2: Mid Shot

This shot shows the upper half of the body. It is good for showing costume and also for showing a character's reaction to something. We could use this in our film, for example, when the hit man pulls the gun out of his pocket and the victim realises what is about to happen. 

Shot 3: Close Up (CU)

CUs may also be used in order to show a character's reaction to something, but they may also be used in order to make sure the audience sees something significant in the film. For example, we may use a CU in our film in order to show the hit man taking the gun out of his pocket.

Here is an example CU of Ganondorf's face.

Shot 4: High Angle Shot

A high angle shot is used to show vulnerability in a character. In our film, I think it would be a good idea to use a high-angle shot when the victim is pushed onto the sofa by the hit man. 

Shot 5: Low Angle Shot

This type of shot has the opposite impact of a high-angle shot, and instead of making the character look more vulnerable, it makes them look more scary and powerful. We would use these shots on the hit man in our opening. As you can see in the picture below, Ganondorf looks twice as terrifying when a low angle shot is used.

Shot 6: Point of View (POV)

A POV shot is used in order to allow the audience to empathise with a character and understand how they are feeling. This may be used during a chase scene or may be used in order to show that a character is looking for something. We may use this kind of shot in our film when the gun is pointed to the victim's face. As you can see in the shot below, Ganondorf was looking at a lamp in his POV. How exciting. 

Shot 7: Establishing Shot

These are very common in film openings because it establishes to the audience where the scene is set. In our film, we may use an establishing shot in order to show the audience the victim's house before the hit man enters it. In the example below, I used Tortimer's house (from Animal Crossing, by the way) to give an example of how an establishing shot may look. As you can see, the house is in the distance because it makes it look a lot more vulnerable.