THE MOST IMPORTANT SHOT IN TELEVISION

If you’ve attended a MEDIAdvise workshop or heard me speak before, you already know the answer…at least I haven’t seen anyone sleeping in class. But for the rest of you… do you know? What is the most important shot in television?

Is it the opening shot? That certainly is a very important shot. It set’s the tone and feel for the visual information that follows. The opening shot should exemplify a common visual theme for the rest of the images. If you follow a more advanced logic, the opening shot should “fore-shadow” upcoming characters and provides an illustration of how to visually “read” the story.

Is it the closing shot? It sure is the most difficult to conceptualize and capture. An ideal closing shot should communicate a concluding image and marry it to a concluding thought.

Is it a wide shot? Wide shots communicate the most visual information to the viewer. Wide shots provide the visual setting, time of day, season of year, weather conditions, proximity of subjects to targets, an overview of location, and should contain visual interests germane to the topic.

Is it the perspective shot, the medium shot, the positive presence shot, the re-action shot, the transition shot? All are important ingredients to telling a good visual story. But, the most important shot you can display to your viewer is the tight shot!

The tight shot provides sharp, clear details that allow viewers to become intimate with your subject and location. Tight shots introduce and trigger the visual emotion that other focal lengths can’t accomplish. Tight shots engage the viewer drawing them deeper into your story. Tight shots take your viewers to the location and present visual clarity.

That’s what they do, but why do they do it. Why are tight shots the most important shot in your arsenal? Because we see the world in tight shots. You and I… as we walk through life without the benefit of a camera on our shoulder… we see the world in tight shots. Your viewers do to. They don’t consciously realize it. You probably haven’t either. But that’s why tight shots are more comfortable…more attractive. People are accustomed to seeing them and have come to expect them. To not see tight shots is a major distraction and very unappealing to most viewers.

NBC News correspondent Bob Dotson works with freelance videographers on occasion and usually asks them to provide 85% tight shots on the raw tape. 85%! Not many people would argue with Mr. Dotson’s logic.

When you think you’ve shot enough close-ups, you’re probably about half way there. Don’t underestimate the importance of providing your viewers with the details and clarity that they’re used to seeing. Shot and use tight shots!