Survey of Motion Pictures Exam 1 Practice

A wide shot captures the largest area in a frame. The camera sits farther away, showing much of the surroundings—land, buildings, or expansive space—so you can see where the action is taking place and how characters relate to the environment. This is perfect for establishing location, mood, and scale at the start of a scene. A medium shot focuses more on the subject from roughly the waist up, narrowing the view to emphasize the person. A close-up tightens further to facial details, minimizing the background. A two-shot includes two people together in the frame, highlighting interaction, but it still doesn’t necessarily reveal as much of the surrounding space as a wide shot. Therefore, the wide shot is the one that shows a large area.