Extreme Long Shot

The extreme long shot is a shot used to emphasise background in a television programme or movie, the subject is small in the overall image. The extreme long shot is particularly used as the opening to a sequence or scene, with the framing being referred to as an establishing shot. It is hard to see an actor or actress performing clearly during an extreme long shot, as it is taken very far away from the subject. The extreme long shot ultimately denotes a precise location with attention being paid on the background. Extreme long shots can be taken from up to a quarter of a mile away and can connote a sequence in a movie such as a burning building, or a battle during war in a movie. Little detail is often included in an extreme long shot, as it is not meant to give away specific information. Here is an example of an extreme long shot from the British TV drama 'Doctor Who', showing the planet and the telephone booth.