In cinematography, a long shot and a master shot differ in their purpose and visual composition. A long shot, often used to establish setting or show the entire character’s body, typically captures a wide field of view. It allows the audience to understand the context and spatial relations within the scene. On the other hand, a master shot is a recording of an entire scene, start to finish, from a camera angle that keeps all the characters in view. It serves as the narrative backbone, providing a reference for coverage shots. While both shots are essential for visual storytelling, the long shot is about framing context, whereas the master shot is about capturing the whole scene’s action.