How is camera work used in this excerpt of shameless?

The start of this scene begins with a deep focus shot with the character of Marty sitting in the foreground of the shot. This is in place to make the audience aware that the scenes concentration will be on this character. The shot also enables a sense of depth within the room the scene is taking place, so that you are able to witness a more private conversation-taking place in the background.
The scene then changes setting and closes in on a two shot, medium close up, this change in camera shot is so that we can see the different environment, in which a conversation begins to take place and also so that we can see in more detail, the conversation taking place between the two characters.
The next shot takes place in a room, with a high angle shot looking down on Marty. This is created to make the character that is alone in the room look even more isolated. The high angle shot is used in order to create the realisation that the character may be feeling quite low, hence us, the audience looking down upon him in this shot. This shot then jumps into a medium shot of Marty’s face, along with a loud noise in the background. The shot and loud noise go hand in hand here as it emphasises the characters anger at this moment in time.
The scene then shows a long shot of a car, in which the camera tracks. This suggests that there is a character of significance inside the car as the camera follows it. We then move on to a two shot of the two people inside the car, looking through the front screen, this is purely intact to show us the two characters that the camera is tracking and what they are doing, just so we know what is going on. The camera view then zooms out into a long shot, so we can see the environment that the events are taking place, so, basically to establish the fact it is being set in a council estate.
We then flick back to the scene inside the house in which Marty is, we see him running towards the camera, the camera here is static. The camera is in a static position as it creates a sense of urgency and also a sense of speed because he is running and the camera is staying focused and still. A repeat shot of where the static shot takes place then shows Fiona in the same place, this is to reinforce the fact that Marty has left and people don’t know about it.
A tilt shot is used to show the viewers Marty’s whole profile, and also to show us what he is carrying, and that danger is soon to come as it shows us he is carrying petrol therefore a threat of danger in enforced, this will capture the audience and creates more tension within the scene. The camera pans along the car yet again, and then jumps to a low levels shot, from beneath of the car from the audience’s point of view. This is to convey something similar to a horror film and to enable the audience to see the feet of the threat that is approaching. The camera view then seems handheld when we see the character pouring petrol over the car, the camera is unsteady here and this could to portray the characters unstable state of mind, or even to represent the tension and un control of the other characters in the scene over what is about to happen.
An over the shoulder shot tends to be used from now on. An over the shoulder shot is used firstly with the fire from the lighter dancing in the middle, between the characters, again this is put into place to reinforce the sense of danger. Also a series of two shits are put into place two show all the different characters reactions and feelings to what is going on throughout the drama. Medium close ups and master shots are also used between this scene to establish the setting once again, and also the positions of where everything is. We then move on to an extremely detailed close up of the lighter, this is to reinforce the impact and tension of the danger that may be approaching, another close up of Frank Gallagher’s cigarette falling into the petrol trail is used to show the importance of this happening, such as, the car exploding, in which is what everyone was trying to prevent from happening. After this dramatic event has taken place a series two shots are shown in order to see how people are feeling about the event that has taken place.
In conclusion, this scene of shameless, tends to use many two shots and medium to create the effect of being able to see how people feel and to be able to get an idea of the conversations and themes that are taking place during this scene. Use of high angle shots are used to make certain charecters seem isolated throughout the scene. Long shots and tilt shots are also used in order for the audience to see the whole picture, such as to enable us to see what the charecter was holding and what its significance meant and created for the rest of the scene. Alsoof long shots were used to reistablish the environment in which the scene was taking place, a council estate, and this is of course is what the whole programme is based around

Rebecca Scanlon