Lesson 6 of 8 · 12 min read

Shot Sizes and Prompting

Wide, medium and close-up: when to use each and how to ask for them.

1
Wide sets the place
Open a scene wide so the viewer knows where they are. Ask for “wide establishing shot” and keep the subject small in frame.
2
Medium tells the story
Medium shots show what the character is doing. Most of a scene lives here.
3
Close-up carries emotion
Use close-ups for reactions and details. Combine them with a slow push-in for tension.

Try it

Close-up of a woman with glowing circuit tattoos on her face, holographic hood, slow push-in, cyber beauty

Cut from wide to close, never from close to closer. Jumps in size feel intentional; tiny jumps feel like mistakes.

Make the same moment three times: wide, medium and close-up.