Medium Shot

A medium shot is used in film taken from a medium range to convey body language, in contrast to a close up conveying facial expressions and emotion. Taken from the dividing line between 'close up' and 'long shot', often a waist up shot of an actor/actress. A medium shot can allow the photographer to include more than one character, for example a fight scene or a heated argument during a movie. In a medium shot the viewer can acknowledge the setting and the mood, and still view the characters' acting performances. It is used for dialogue scenes with attention to character interaction. More subtle movements and detailed actions can be seen. Not as much detail is shown as a close up shot, but medium shots introduce more of the background. Here is an example of a medium shot taken from British TV drama 'Waterloo Road', an interaction between two main characters.