Camera shots and angles: medium shot

Contains a shot of a figure from the knees or waist up and is often used for dialogue scenes or to show detail of action. Background detail is kept to a minimum as this shot is usually used to focus on dialogue and character interaction. 

Examples:

Friends with Benefits: A film that widely uses medium shots is Friends with Benefits. Friends with Benefits is a 2011 romantic comedy film that follows the story of two characters, played by Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis, as they begin to develop deep feelings for one another during a friends-with-benefits relationship.

The film uses medium shots to capture the interactions between the two characters during scenes of dialogue and interaction that show detail to the growing connection between the two. The below screenshots capture the interaction between the two characters:

 

 

 

 

No Strings Attached: A second film that widely uses medium shots is No Strings Attached. No Strings Attached is also a 2011 American romantic comedy that follows the story of the two main characters, played by Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman, as they begin to develop deep feelings for one another whilst having a sex-only relationship, although Kutcher admits his feelings, Portman struggles to come to terms with the commitment involved within a relationship. The film uses medium shots to show the dialogue and interaction between the two characters as the film, and their relationship, progresses. The screen shots below clearly show the audience the growing feelings they have for one another through their actions and dialogue:

 

 

 

 

LOL: A final film that uses medium shot types widely is LOL. LOL is a 2012 American coming of age comedy-drama-romance starring Miley Cyrus and Demi Moore. The story follows the life of teenage girl Lola, played by Cyrus, as she experiences break ups, make ups and tricky boyfriend situations. The medium shots are used in the screenshots below to show the breaking interaction between Lola and her ex boyfriend and the growing attraction between Lola and her new boyfriend, who also happens to be her ex boyfriend's best mate: