What do you call these types of shots?

Is their terms for the type of shot depending on if the characters in the shot, are facing diagonal, sideways, or dead on towards the camera?
 
Would the dp need to know where the actor is facing. He/she just needs to know if it's a medium shot or wide etc. then in the shot notes it would say 'actor A talks to actor B'. Or 'face side on'.

I speak from little experience. I'm interested in what you would write.... Though I would probably just write what I wrote above
 
Well so far in my experience the DP does need to know because there was a couple of miscommunications on a shoot, of a project my friend asked me to co-direct. I told the actor to face the camera. He did but since he could not look at the camera, his facing was still a bit diagonal, then I wanted. I had to tell the DP to move in front. This happened a few times actually so I figure I might as well just write it down, instead of correcting him. This way he knows going in, and is prepared.
 
I always sit with the Director and nut out the overall mood and tones of each scene, as well as a specific shot list. On the day, the shot list is often tweaked depending on how the scene is blocked.

Have the discussion with your DP and note down the shot list together - how else are you going to schedule the day? Things do change, but at least if you have the discussion you know you're on the same page.

I've taken to using Shot Lister app so I have a list on the day on my phone (otherwise I always forget!). It's a good app, and a few 1st ADs I know are using it on the day as well so it ties in together nicely.

FWIW, without knowing the exact kind of shot you're looking for, I'm not really sure what I'd call it, but sideways I might call a profile shot, and dead-on I'd probably mention as down the barrell, but it would depend on the focal length intended, as well as the height of the camera.
Also, sounds like all you needed to do was tell the DP you wanted it 'dead-on'. If you knew what you wanted beforehand, then before the setup you sohuld have told the DP that you wanted it dead-on. If you didn't know beforehand, then there's no miscommunication there.
 
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I know what you mean about the location having the best shots being blocked. At one location I want to do an OTS, but the room as too small, so the back of the guy's head is going through barrel distortion in the lens. But I guess it's best to have the best shot with some barrel distortion than have to choose another, not as effective shot.

Okay thanks. I thought maybe their might be a name for the angle of a shot, kind of like how their are names for MCUs, OTSs, etc.
 
Always make sure you scout your locations with your DP, sound recordist and Production Designer. If a location is too small, or doesn't have enough power for lighting that's something your DP will be able to tell you, and you can then search for a different location.

As far as scene blocking - you can have an idea of what the scene will be like in your head, but when you see the blocking on the day things can change. Sometimes the shot list stays the same, but sometimes you realise that this shot is the money shot given the blocking, not the shot you previously thought.
 
So imagine a circle around your talent (or the thing you are shooting) and the camera is at 6 o'clock and your actor is facing the camera at 6 o'clock. Here are the names of the shots based on the actor turning...

* at 6 o'clock - full frontal (not a very flattering shot but can be used dramatically to suggest being trapped)

* at 3 o'clock - side profile left (talent will be facing camera right)

* at 9 o'clock - side profile right (talent will be facing camera left)

* at 12 o'clock - full back of head

at angles between these key startling points you have...

* at 45 degrees between 3 and 6 o'clock and 6 and 9 o'clock (I believe that you were referring to this as diagonal) you have the 3/4 left and right profiles. The same applies to the other 45 degree angles which result in 3/4 back (left or right).

In case you don't want to get into the lingo (profile, full frontal, etc...) you can reference it by the clock - "I need him/her at 9 o'clock"). That said, as with all disciplines there is a lingo for good reason - to limit miscommunication. Go formal or informal (clock face or angles on 360 degree circle) come to some agreement with your DP to make sure you are on the same page.

Oh and something very important to help reduce communication with the talent - their left is camera right and their right is camera left.

I hope this helped.

Sam
 
Oh and something very important to help reduce communication with the talent - their left is camera right and their right is camera left.

I've always used 'camera left'/'camera right' and 'your left'/'your right' depending on whether I want someone to move to my (camera) left/right or their own left/right. Sometimes they are the same. If we're moving them out of their original positions (ie, we swing around to do the reverse OTS and have to move the actor's shoulder in), then we're 'cheating' them camera/your left/right
 
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Well so far in my experience the DP does need to know because there was a couple of miscommunications on a shoot, of a project my friend asked me to co-direct. I told the actor to face the camera. He did but since he could not look at the camera, his facing was still a bit diagonal, then I wanted. I had to tell the DP to move in front. This happened a few times actually so I figure I might as well just write it down, instead of correcting him. This way he knows going in, and is prepared.

So, you want to direct a movie, on paper, during preproduction? That's not really directing. If you're going to act in a movie that you're directing, you can expect to either add more time needed to both direct and act, or you should REALLY trust your DP.

These sorts of things are worked out during blocking, and the term you communicate to your actors is that you want them to "cheat" to their left or right.
 
Okay thanks. Sometimes there is no other larger location available though, and I have no choice but to use one where you might get some barrel distortion in the OTS shots, or some people might go out of frame a little while walking around.

I can do the shot list by labeling the shots with the "o'clock method" if that helps. What about vertically though? What if I want the camera below the actor a little, pointed diagonally upward, or above, pointed diagonally downward. Do I use that method of labeling the shots for vertical as well?
 
Why not just draw some simple boards if you're having that much trouble communicating with words? Boards really quickly clears up any confusion.

Also, in regards to your location point - that's one of the tricks about being a Director. The compromises you make - do we have barrel distortion or do we change the shot list? Do we change this shot slightly and add a shot to cover the action when he walks out of frame?
 
Yep I was going to draw boards anyway. Just thought I would write the name of the shot on it, but I could just draw them and forget the name of the shot. I could also of course pan the camera if someone goes out of frame. But then I have to choose which actors to keep the camera on in a master. Or I could create a new shot, it all depends. I feel it's probably a good idea to keep an OTS shot, even if the back of the guy's head is distorted, because the emotion of the moment calls for an OTS shot. Or should I just say screw emotion, cause distortion is bad, and should be avoided?
 
Diagonally or Sideways to the camera is a profile shot. When they are looking into the camera be sure their eyeline is on the other actor and not directly into the camera as this is called screen cheating. It's really only useable in one genre of film. Parody/Spoof.
 
Why not just draw some simple boards if you're having that much trouble communicating with words? Boards really quickly clears up any confusion.

Also, in regards to your location point - that's one of the tricks about being a Director. The compromises you make - do we have barrel distortion or do we change the shot list? Do we change this shot slightly and add a shot to cover the action when he walks out of frame?

I think beginning directors should always storyboard their projects. Plan, Plan. Plan. When you get to those physical locations and perhaps your plan needs adjustment, your DP might notice before you do. Also it's easier to convey details like push in, or transition to 3 person shot in a drawing.

good luck!
 
It's also much easier to communicate to everyone - your 1st AD, your DP and his team, your Production Designer. Show em a board and they immediately know what you want, rather than constant questions of 'is this what you want' or 'will this be in frame?'
 
Okay thanks. I find myself having to make a lot of decisions cause the locations are not as ideal. For sound as well of course. I could just go ahead and leave everything in the hands of the camera person and sound person, and not ask anymore questions on here. But I feel something is going to be done wrong, and a more expensive movie is going to be ruined because of it. I just hope I got everything covered, and they got more covered than I do. When a DP tells me to shoot at 60i and convert to 24p, and then I am told that's totally wrong, that also makes me less confident, and wanting to cover more bases.

And I'm already breaking so many rules that most pros would tell me not too, cause of low budget. So I don't want to accidentally break any rules that turn out to be 'unbreakable'.
 
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