Shots where the characters are small in relation to a still background: do these have a name?

Shots where the characters are small in relation to a still background: do these have a name? - Small stones on bottom under water

I'm wondering if these shots have a name: shots where the character(s) is sitting or otherwise still and takes up only a small part of the screen, which is also still, i.e. the rest is pretty much a wall or some other clean object? Below is an example from Mr. Robot:

Still characters in front of a still background



Best Answer

It's an example of 'negative space'.

Mr Robot plays with this a lot, very effectively. It also uses a lot of lower quadrant framing & even adds to the negative space by removing the leading room in shots.

Negative space, in short, is the space in a frame which 'is not the subject'. The subject is the positive space.

Leading room is where, if a character is to the left of frame, traditionally they would be facing to the right, inwards across frame. This is sometimes called nose room. It gives the character a sense of belonging to the frame.
Mr Robot often does the opposite, places a character towards the edge of frame & has them facing out of it. This gives a sense of separation, loneliness, disconnect from the rest of the scene.

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When done with a conversation, it increases the separation between the characters.

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Lower quadrant framing increases this sense of separation still further, making the characters feel slightly 'lost' in the frame.

Even facing into frame, there's a sense of 'overwhelming'.

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The shot in the question is an example which seems to give the characters the sense of 'lonely together'. Both shrunk into the frame's lower edge, smaller & less significant than the painting behind, taking up little of the overall picture… yet facing each other.

Images from Bold Entrance: How ‘Mr. Robot’ uses lower quadrant framing to create a feeling of oppression and isolation - check out for additional information.

Edit: I was sure something similar had cropped up before - this, though is initially referring only to the lead room - Meaning of a movie shot type with too little of a leadroom




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What is a still shot in film?

A film still (sometimes called a publicity still or a production still) is a photograph taken on or off the set of a movie or television program during production. These photographs are also taken in formal studio settings and venues of opportunity such as film stars' homes, film debut events, and commercial settings.

What is the purpose of a POV shot?

\u201cA POV shot is a camera technique that films from a particular angle. It shows the audience what the character is looking at from a first-person perspective. This is most often established with a shot of a character looking at something, followed by a shot showing the character's reaction.\u201d

How many types of film shots are there?

There are three different types of basic camera shots which include: the close-up, medium shot, and the long shot.

What is shot framing?

Camera shot framing refers to how you place or position subjects in shots. It's about composing an image rather than just pointing the camera at the subject.



Ultimate Guide to Camera Movement — Every Camera Movement Technique Explained [The Shot List Ep6]




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