Editing Medium shot

{{Short description|Camera angle shot from a medium distance}}
[[File:A Farewell to Arms (1932 film) 4.jpg|thumb|right|300px|An example of a medium group shot featuring [[Gary Cooper]] and [[Adolphe Menjou]] from the [[1932 in film|1932]] [[Drama (genre)|drama film]] ''[[A Farewell to Arms (1932 film)|A Farewell to Arms]]'']]

In a movie a '''medium shot''',<ref name="Brown_Page_20">{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=Blain |title=Cinematography: Theory and Practice, Image Making for Cinematographers and Directors |date=2012 |publisher=Focal Press |location=Burlington, Massachusetts |isbn=9781136047381 |page=20 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uyMYMbjheqgC&pg=PA20 |access-date=August 11, 2023}}</ref> '''mid shot''' ('''MS'''),<ref name=media>{{cite web |title=Mid Shot (MS) |url=http://www.mediacollege.com/video/shots/mid-shot.html |website=mediacollege.com |publisher=Wavelength Media |access-date=2015-12-01}}</ref> or '''waist shot'''<ref name=asu>{{cite web |title=Basics of video shooting |url=https://www.asu.edu/alti/ltlab/tutorials/video/basics/type4_ms.htm |website=asu.edu |publisher=[[Arizona State University]] |access-date=2015-12-01}}</ref> is a [[camera angle]] [[Shot (filmmaking)|shot]] from a medium distance.<ref name=medium />

== Use ==
Medium shots are favored in sequences where dialogues or a small group of people are acting, as they give the viewer a partial view of the background, such as when the shot is 'cutting the person in half'<ref name=medium>{{cite web|title=medium shot|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/medium-shot|website=www.dictionary.com|publisher=Dictionary.com|access-date=1 December 2015}}</ref> and also show the subjects' facial expressions in the context of their body language.<ref name=peachpit>{{cite web|last1=Ablan|first1=Dan|title=Medium Shots|url=http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=31096&seqNum=2|website=www.peachpit.com|publisher=[[Peachpit]]|access-date=1 December 2015}}</ref> Medium shots are also used when the subject in the shot is delivering information, such as [[news presenter]]s.<ref name=media /> It is also used in interviews.<ref name=asu /> It is the most common shot in movies,<ref name=vic>{{cite web|last1=Alexander|first1=Victor|title=Long shot, medium shot, close-up|url=http://www.releasing.net/filmmaker/long_medium_close-up_shots.html|website=www.releasing.net|publisher=Releasing.net|access-date=1 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223183924/https://www.releasing.net/filmmaker/long_medium_close-up_shots.html|archive-date=December 23, 2019}}</ref><ref name=cinema /> and it usually follows the first establishing shots of a new scene or location.<ref name=cinema>{{cite web|last1=Moura|first1=Gabe|title=SHOT SIZES: Telling What They See|url=http://www.elementsofcinema.com/cinematography/framing-shot-sizes/|website=www.elementsofcinema.com|publisher=Gabriel Moura|access-date=1 December 2015|date=3 June 2014}}</ref> 

A [[normal lens]] that sees what the human eye sees<ref name=lenses>{{cite web|last1=Moura|first1=Gabe|title=Types of Lenses|url=http://www.elementsofcinema.com/cinematography/types-of-lenses/|website=www.elementsofcinema.com|publisher=Gabriel Moura|date=3 June 2014|access-date=1 December 2015}}</ref> is usually used for medium shots.<ref name=cinema />

== Definition ==
[[File:Robin Roberts interviewing Barack Obama.jpg|thumb|A medium two-shot of [[Robin Roberts (newscaster)|Robin Roberts]] interviewing [[Barack Obama]]]]
The medium shot shows equality between subjects and background. The dividing line between what constitutes a [[long shot]] and medium shot is not definite, nor is the line between medium shot and [[close-up]].<ref name=cinema /> In some standard texts and professional references, a full-length view of a human subject is called a medium shot;<ref name=vic /> in this terminology, a shot of the person from the knees up or the waist up is a close-up shot. In other texts, these partial views are called medium shots.<ref>{{cite web|title=Film Glossary|url=http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~engl377/film.html|website=www.owlnet.rice.edu|publisher=[[Rice University]]|access-date=1 December 2015}}</ref> In principle, the medium shot is what can be seen with the human eye in a single quick glance and convey all the action taking place in that [[Angle of view|field of view]].<ref name=vic /><ref name=media />

== Types ==
Medium shots are divided into singles (a waist-high shot of one actor), group shots, [[Over the shoulder shot|over-the shoulders]] or [[Two shot|two-shots]] (featuring two people).<ref name=vic /> A medium wide shot, or [[American shot]], shows a bit more of the background but is still close enough for facial expressions to be seen, although these facial expressions would be better seen in a waist-high shot.<ref>{{cite web|title=Elements of Cinematography: Camera|url=http://www.utdallas.edu/atec/midori/Handouts/camera.htm#ms|website=www.utdallas.edu|publisher=[[University of Texas at Dallas]]|access-date=1 December 2015}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{portal|Film}}
{{commonscat|Medium shots}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Camera angle]]
* [[Camera operator]]
* [[Close-up]]
* [[Dutch angle]]
* [[Establishing shot]]
* [[High-angle shot]]
* [[Long shot]]
* [[Low-angle shot]]
* [[Mise-en-scène]]
* [[Over the shoulder shot]]
* [[Two shot]]
* [[Video production]]
* [[Videographer]]
{{div col end}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
*{{cite book
|last1=Ablan
|first1=Dan
|title=Digital Cinematography & Directing
|date=2002
|publisher=[[Peachpit]]|isbn=0-7357-1258-1
|url=http://www.peachpit.com/store/digital-cinematography-directing-9780735712584?w_ptgrevartcl=%5bdigital%5d+Directing+-+Types+of+Shots_31096
}}

*{{cite book
|last1=Alexander
|first1=Victor
|title=Filmmaking A to Z: The Guide to 35 Millimeter Filmmaking
|date=29 May 2008
|publisher=Victor Alexander
|isbn=978-1-4382-0963-0
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_1wL-ii1mDcC&q=Filmmaking+A+To+Z:+35Mm+Film-Making
}}

{{Cinematic techniques}}

[[Category:Cinematic techniques]]
[[Category:Television terminology]]