ABSTRACT
Medium close-up shots include a character roughly from the shoulders to almost the top of the head; this shot is tighter than a medium shot, but slightly wider than a closeup. Like the close-up, the medium close-up showcases facial expressions, letting audiences catch small nuances of behavior and emotion; however, the slightly wider framing also lets body language reveal hints about their demeanor by the inclusion of the shoulders in the frame. Normal and slight telephoto lenses are commonly used when shooting medium close-ups, because they do not add any noticeable distortion to a character’s facial features. Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s romantic comedy Amelie, the story of a Parisian girl who one day decides to dedicate herself to improving the lives of neighbors and strangers alike, routinely uses medium close-ups during moments when she selects someone to receive a random act of kindness, and when she discovers something particularly meaningful about their personal lives among others.
