Lesson 2: Shot Types — Wide, Medium, Close + Why They Matter

Big idea

A good story uses different shot sizes. Each one gives the viewer different information.

Learning goals

By the end of this lesson, you can:

• Identify wide, medium, and close shots
• Choose shot types to show place, action, and emotion
• Avoid repeating the same shot style all the time

The 3 main shot types

1) Wide Shot (WS) — “Where are we?”

Shows the location + context.
Use it to:

• Introduce the setting
• Show distance, space, scale

Examples:

• School compound
• Market street
• A room from the doorway

✅ Tip: Hold it steady for 8–10 seconds.

2) Medium Shot (MS) — “What is happening?”

Shows a person from waist/chest up (or the action clearly).
Use it to:

• Show people doing things
• Show main action in the story

Examples:

• Someone washing plates
• A friend walking and talking
• A student working

3) Close-Up (CU) — “How does it feel?”

Shows details: face, hands, objects, emotion.
Use it to:

• Show feelings
• Highlight important details
• Make the viewer care

Examples:

• Hands writing
• A face reacting
• An object with meaning (ID card, tool, photo)

Why shot variety matters

If you only use wide shots → story feels far away
If you only use close-ups → viewer gets confused about location
If you only use medium shots → story feels flat

✅ Strong sequence = wide → medium → close (most of the time)

Practice activity (15 minutes)

Choose a simple action: pouring water, walking, packing a bag, opening a shop.

Record:

• 1 wide clip (8 sec)
• 2 medium clips (8 sec each)
• 2 close-ups (6–8 sec each)

Label them in your mind: WS / MS / CU.

Pro tip: “Same action, different angles”

Instead of moving the camera a lot, record the same action from:

• Front
• Side
• Close-up on hands/feet

This creates “editing options” later.