Week 4 Assignment: Camera Angles in a TV Show

Review of Separate Camera Shots in the 

Television Series Magic for Humans

This week I chose to comment on a couple shots from the television series Magic for Humans. I watched several movies and shows in order to really get a feel for the effect of different camera angles, but I didn't realize that it is not possible to take a screenshot while streaming via the Netflix app. After a couple of failed tries, I chose to do a shorter show so that I could really take the time to focus on the effects of those shots. I also chose to do a show that I was unfamiliar with so that I could record my initial reaction. This show, Magic for Humans, is a series in which Justin Willman, a magician, performs funny magic tricks. Here are some shots that I thoguht were very effective. 

First, the show begins with an introduction using a a series of cameo shots. While the man, Justin, describes what magic means to him and transitions to the next topic, the shots change from full body shots to medium shots to close shots, which helps the audience stay focused on him as it produces a dynamic feeling. The plain background the defines the cameo shot also forces the viewer to focus on the only action: the introduction. This is very effective and forces the viewer to stay focused on what is going on without any distraction.

Next, I noticed that the show employed the use of reaction shots quite frequently. This is appropriate because the audience is what makes a magic trick magical, so its only right to focus on the reaction of the audience in response to the tricks performed. In these shots, the kids show faces of shock, confusion and wonder. The scene takes place when the children are provided a marshmallow and asked to keep an eye on it, but when they put the cup over it, the marshmallow disappears. The use of reaction shots in this case help the audience feel the same confusion and wonder as the kids, making the shot much more effective. It also made the scene seem much more authentic. 

Another shot that was extremely effective was the freeze frame shot. In a freeze frame shot, a single shot is used for several frames so as to convey the illusion that the shot has frozen. In this case, the freeze frame was used similar to a title page in book, as it transitioned to a new segment of the show. The shot also added comic relief, making the scene more ejoyable for viewers. 

The producers also used a very different type of shot to transition from one scene in the show to the other. While many parts of the show were fairly casual and awkward, this shot conveyed a completely different feeling. This shot, an establishing shot, was used to transition from "Magic for Susans" to "Goat Yoga." Yoga is often seen as a very peaceful exercise that helps harbor a deeper connection with both yourself and the Earth around you. In this case, the establishing shot created a sense of peace within and helped show a literal transition from one location to another. The serenity of the scene sets the tone for the next performance, so this shot was almost essential to the show.

While there were many shots that were effective in conveying certain emotions, this assignment also helped emphasize just how many various camera shots can be used to tell a story in film. The use of a variety of shots is very interesting to the audience and helps build a greater appreciation for the work and effort that is put into a movie.