Like a boom shot, a crane shot involves the camera being placed up high but there is more freedom with a crane shot. It is what it says, you attach the camera to the end of a miniature crane that can move like most cranes, back and forward, swing up and down, left to right.
However, you can probably see in the animation below that a crane shot is slightly different to a boom shot. The camera can move in many directions, including from a low position up to a high position.
The crane shot is one of the most technical shots and it is a shot that every director wants in his movie, and every DP wants to do. It may be amazing to watch, but the common audience member are not going to give a toss about the camera shot. It is more for the film critics and for the film makers to be pleased with. So is there any point in spending all this money? Yes… Probably it is.
Most Hollywood blockbusters will be full of these crane shots so by placing them into your movie, there is a chance that the audience will think you have made a Hollywood movie. Yes… They may not be impressed with your crane shot, but it gets you closer to making a Hollywood like movie.
So what are great examples of when you can use a crane shot? Well there are lots and lots and lots of examples. The list could go on and on. But if you want some examples then the following are some pretty good ones.
• Crane shots are great as an establishing shot. The crane rises above a town to reveal the whole location for the next scene or a crane lowers to get closer to a subject within a given location.
• Like a pedestal shot, a crane shot can be used to go from one floor in a building down to or up to another floor in a building. Maybe your subjects are running up or down stairs in a building and you want to shoot them.
Crane shots can be used pretty much anywhere. Anywhere that you want a some versatile shots. Instead of using a pedestal shot, or a high angle shot you could stick a crane shot in. But as said before, think about your budget before you get carried away with putting a crane shot into your movie.
If you are set on putting a crane shot into your movie but would like some help with it, then don’t hesistate to ask by commenting below or visiting the forum.
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