What is an establishing shot

An establishing shot is an opening shot at the beginning of a movie or a scene that, literally, establishes the setting and gives a viewer context. The best-known examples of this artistic technique include to name a few, Hogwarts’s views from any Harry Potter movie, or the camera gliding over the treetops at the very beginning of “The Shining".

Why use an establishing shot

An establishing shot, as it follows from its definition, makes a film both more informative and picturesque. Without any verbal explanations, it shows where and when the action takes place. Also, being combined with music or unusual shooting angles, it can set the mood and evolve certain emotions.

This type of shot comes in handy in vlogs as well. They can:

  • Set the location, especially in travel vlogs;
  • Create atmosphere, for example, in BookTube videos (you can shoot a row of bookshelves, a library, or a scene from the book you’re going to discuss);
  • Mark the transition between scenes/topics;
  • Highlight events and draw attention to the topic (for example, in lifestyle vlogs);
  • Provide cultural context (a Chinese food market in a foody vlog).

Establishing shot characteristics

This type of shot has several characteristic features that will help you easily tell it from other ones.

First of all, usually (but not mandatory) it’s a wide or even super-wide shot, as it should embrace the whole scene. Quite often it’s static, slow, or tracking some object along a leading line (for example, a boy riding a bike along a road).

As for the camera angle, it can be an aerial shot, especially nowadays, when you don’t have to rent a helicopter and can do well with a drone. Even if not, the establishing shot camera angle is usually quite elevated. Although, there might be exceptions if a director wants to show the character’s POV. This trick can also come in handy in vlogs.

As for the duration, it can be both an extremely long shot (as in "The Shining"), or a relatively short one, but still no shorter than at least 3-5 seconds. Also, some directors create establishing time-lapses, to illustrate, for example, a transition between day and night, or seasons.

How to make an establishing shot that hooks

You, as a vlogger, are not interested in complicated and highly artistic techniques, which could take a lion’s share of your budget. But establishing shots are now much cheaper than they used to be, and you can get the most from them. Here are some tips on how exactly.

  1. Add music. Soundtracks can give quite a new view of the same footage.
  2. Use high or low angles, if it’s technically possible. It will make your video more scenic.
  3. Shoot during Golden or Blue Hours. Not only do they look magnificent, but also create a romantic and nostalgic mood.
  4. Add "speaking" details that are important for the plot or create apprehension and suspense: a newspaper headline, an abandoned house, a mysterious figure in the background, footprints in the mud, etc.
  5. Use establishing shots for transitions. Add crossfade or dissolve effects during video editing.

Common establishing shot mistakes to avoid

Even though establishing shots are quite easy to shoot and edit, you should avoid several common mistakes.

  • Characterless views. An establishing shot should tell a story and give context. Just an "indistinct" winter forest or autumn orchard without any details or distinguishing features looks stunning but says nothing.
  • Ill-set duration. A too long shot becomes boring, a too short one doesn’t allow viewers to perceive all the details.
  • Mood mismatch. An establishing shot is often used in an opening scene, so it is taken at the very beginning of the production. Over time, the project’s atmosphere can change. It’s always worth revising all your footage at the end of the preparation stage and retaking some shots if necessary.
  • Shallow shots. If shallowness is not an element of the "signature style", establishing shots should feature significant depth of field.
  • Overburdening a shot with insignificant details.

FAQs

What is an establishing shot?

As a general rule, it’s an extra-wide shot that displays the scene's place, time, and context.

How long should an establishing shot be?

Long enough to let the viewer grasp the context. After that criteria sky's the limit.

What is the easiest way to add an establishing shot to my video?

The easiest way is to take stock footage, for example, from inbuilt libraries in editing tools. But this way it would be too generic, so we would rather recommend shooting establishing shots from scratch. You can do it with the help of a drone or even a smartphone (for example, for a POV establishing shot).

Final thoughts

An establishing shot is just one filmmaking technique, but it is worth using. Like any other shot, it has specific functions, and the primary one is filling the viewers in on the context without verbal explanations.