Language: English

Static

A shot where the camera’s position, direction and field of view never change for the whole take. Only the people or objects in the frame move. With no camera intervention it feels calm and objective, and the viewer can give full attention to the performance and action on screen.

Camera seen at an angle from above. The camera and its view pyramid stay put, and only the character walks across the frame.
Camera view. The framing stays the same throughout, and the bunny walks from left to right and stops.

How it feels

  • Stability
  • Objectivity
  • Observation
  • Tension in stillness
  • Calm

When to use it

  • Focusing on an actor’s performance and dialogue
  • A quiet space, like an empty subway platform
  • Holding on a landscape or building for a long time
  • A character entering and leaving the frame

In the movies

Memories of Murder (2003) · Source: Movie Montage (YouTube) · Original video
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) · Source: SearchlightPictures (YouTube) · Original video

    Not to be confused with

    Pan
    A pan turns in place to follow a moving character. A static shot stays put even when the character leaves the frame.
    Handheld
    Even a tiny shake reads as handheld. A static shot has no shake at all.
    Long Take
    A long take is about length, filming for a long time without cutting, and the camera may move.

    Prompt

    Keyword

    locked-off static shot

    Descriptive

    Locked-off static shot. The camera is fixed on a tripod with zero movement for the whole clip, the frame identical from first second to last, while only the subject moves within it.

    Try these combinations

    • Static shot: an empty platform

      Locked-off static shot of an empty subway platform, a train arrives and leaves, fluorescent light

    • Static shot + wide: a symmetrical composition

      Static wide shot, symmetrical, a man walks into frame, sits on a bench and stays still, Wes Anderson style

    Related terms