Long shots are an essential tool in filmmaking, used to establish the setting or context of a scene. They capture a wider field of view, often including the full length of characters and the surrounding environment. This can help the audience understand the spatial relationship between characters and their surroundings, thereby grounding the story in a tangible reality.
Long shots are particularly useful for outdoor scenes, where the scenery plays a major role in setting the mood or conveying the story’s theme. They can depict grand vistas, bustling cityscapes, or desolate landscapes, depending on the narrative’s needs.
Moreover, a long shot can also provide a sense of scale, highlighting the insignificance or enormity of characters within the environment. It can create a feeling of isolation or vastness, add drama, or give an objective viewpoint of events.
In character-driven scenes, long shots can visually represent a character’s emotional state. For instance, a lonely character might be shown alone in a large, empty space. Hence, while long shots serve a practical function of setting the scene, they also contribute significantly to the film’s visual storytelling.