Close-Up (CU)
Definition
A Close-Up (CU) is a shot in which the subject fills the majority of the frame, typically showing a person's face from the chin to the top of the head, or a specific object or detail in tight framing. Close-ups are one of the most powerful tools in the filmmaker's vocabulary, as they bring the audience into intimate proximity with the subject and allow the camera to capture subtle nuances of expression and emotion that would be invisible in a wider shot. The extreme close-up (ECU) takes this even further, isolating a single feature — an eye, a hand, a mouth — for maximum dramatic impact.
Contextual Usage
The director calls for coverage: "After we finish the master, I want to go in for close-ups on both actors. I want to be tight enough to see every micro-expression — this is the most emotionally complex scene in the film, and I need the audience to be able to read every thought that passes across their faces."
About this section
Production — or "principal photography" — is the phase in which the film or video is actually shot. It is the most visible and, typically, the most expensive phase of the entire process. Every day on ...
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