Shot Progession

     Filmmakers often use a kind of shot progression that moves from a general setting into one that is more specific. This progression begins with the long shot - a shot that establishes the setting and provides a sense of orientation for the audience - as if to answer the question 'Where are we?' Next, there is the medium shot; this shot, after we have been immersed into the setting, brings our attention to a specific object or character - as if to answer the question 'What are we supposed to be watching?' The progression then commonly concludes with the close-up, which focuses closely on one object or character after it has been brought to our attention - as if to answer the question 'What is important about this object or character?' This progression is a common tool in slowly bringing the audience toward details that are significant; rather than quickly launching the audience into an unfamiliar setting, it allows time for the relevant locations and details to be digested. Let us observe an instance of this familiar progression as it is utilized in one of my favourite films, The Wizard of Oz.
    
     This progression is used to introduce the audience to the character of the Scarecrow. As Dorothy wanders down the Yellow Brick Road, she passes a cornfield, in which the Scarecrow is only one of the many details brought to our attention. Because he is seen from a long distance, the audience is not yet focused on the Scarecrow as the center of attention; rather, the shot simply establishes the setting of the scene to follow:

  There are many details in the shot displayed above: Dorothy, Toto, the road, the fence, the cornfield, the trees, the backdrop, and the Scarecrow himself. All these details serve as the background of the scene's activity.
     Soon, the camera settles on the Scarecrow in a medium shot, as is seen on the right. Rather than seeing the Scarecrow as a part of the cornfield, our attention is directed directly to his figure hanging on the pole. This medium shot serves to inform us that the Scarecrow will be relevant to this scene: he is now, as is here dictated by the camera, a character to whom we will
 devote our attention. Thus, he is introduced to the film's storyline.




Finally, as is shown on the left, the camera draws into a closeup. This is an important step because it is during this shot that we begin to know the Scarecrow as a character. As he first begins describing his situation to Dorothy, the camera is close enough as to monitor the details of his expression, allowing the audience to become acquainted with the Scarecrow's qualities and/or characteristics. Therefore, by the time that the camera has moved from the medium shot to the closeup, we not only know that the Scarecrow is an important character, but also what kind of a character he is. The movement of the camera echoes this evolution, bringing our eyes toward the subject along with our minds.

     This common camera movement is a logical way of leading into a scene; it can lead into words, objects, places, or any other important aspect of a film's storyline. In this instance, it brings us slowly toward a character. After the progression has taken place, the audience recognizes the Scarecrow as a part of the storyline, and the film is allowed to expand into other aspects of the narrative.