Camera shots and angles: establishing/long shot

Establishing/Long shot:

An establishing/long shot is normally used to show the audience where the film will be located or to show a change in location within a film. The shot can also establish a context for the scene by showing important figures and object. The shot often shows an exterior, i.e. a building or a landscape, for example, a town, the beach or the countryside and is used to display scenes of thrilling action with very little detail clearly visible:

Examples:

2012: A film that uses this shot type regularly is 2012. 2012 is an American science fiction disaster that follows the lives of Jackson Curtis, played by John Cusack, and his family as they attempt to avoid being sucked into the geological and meteorological super-disaster.

The film uses the establishing long shots to capture the action unfolding and the severe consequences that follow. The screenshots below, taken from the film, show natural disasters such as earthquakes destroying roads, buildings and cars and meteors destroying the natural habitat. From these shots, the audience have a clear idea of what impact is caused by these disasters and what can be destructed by them:

 

 

 

Salt: another film that regularly uses establishing and long shots is Salt. Salt is a 2010 American action thriller spy film. The main character, Evelyn Salt, played by Angelina Jolie, who is accused of being a Russian sleeper agent goes on the run to try and clear her name.

The film uses establishing/long shots to show the audience the different locations of where Evelyn Salt escapes to and to show the chaos that follows her attempted escape. The screenshots below show two different settings of where Jolie finds herself whilst trying to clear her name and a police car chase. From these shots the audience can easy follow Jolie's geological journey and understand how important it is for her to clear her name as she is being tracked down by the police: 

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire: Another film that widely uses establishing/long shots is The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is an American science fiction adventure film and is the second instalment in The Hunger Games trilogy. In the film main characters, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.

The film uses establishing/long shots to update the audience of what district and surroundings the main characters are in and to capture the action unfolding around them. From the screenshots below the audience are given a clear image of where the scenes are located and the action occurring within them: