One person in the frame.

Use it when. Most of your coverage. A clean single has nobody else in it. A dirty single shows the edge of the other person.

On the phone. Put the eyes on the upper third. Give look room on the side the person faces.

Two people in one frame.

Use it when. The master of a conversation. It sets where each person stands.

On the phone. Shoot it first and let the whole scene play. Everything else must match it.

The back of one head and shoulder in the foreground; the other person faces us.

Use it when. Dialogue. Cut between the two OTS shots and the audience feels the exchange.

On the phone. Keep both cameras on the same side of the two people. That is the 180-degree rule.

The camera sees what the character sees.

Use it when. Right after a close-up of someone looking. Fear, curiosity, discovery.

On the phone. Hold the phone at the character’s eye height. A little movement helps.

A close shot of an object or a hand that the scene needs.

Use it when. A clock, a key, a message on a screen. Inserts also hide cuts in the edit.

On the phone. Shoot every insert you can think of. They save the edit.

Three or more people in one frame.

Use it when. Meetings, arrivals, anything where the group is the subject.

On the phone. Go wide, 0.5× or 1×, and stage people at different depths.

Divide the frame into thirds. Put the eyes on the upper line and the person near a vertical line.

Use it when. A default that almost always looks right. Break it on purpose, not by accident.

The space between the top of the head and the top of the frame.

Use it when. Tighter shots need less headroom. A close-up can cut the top of the head.

Extra space on the side the person faces.

Use it when. A person looking left sits on the right of the frame. Also called lead room when they move.