Medium shot

The medium shot is the most commonly used shot in films and usually shows a character waist up It's used so the audience can closely watch a character; their faces and hands are the focus of the shot and these are what the actor will use the most to express themselves. When it depicts more than three people then it tends not to be called a medium shot but a long shot. This example shows the audience the characters body language without compromising the details of his facial expression; if it showed his whole body then these details wouldn't be so clear.