Published: December 3, 2024 | Last Updated: December 17, 2024
Cowboy Shot Definition & Meaning
A cowboy shot, also known as an “American shot” or “plan américain,” is a medium-long shot that frames the subject from approximately mid-thigh to the top of their head, often positioning the camera slightly lower at hip level. As such, it bridges the gap between wide and close-up shots, maintaining the character’s context in the scene while preserving intimacy. This framing was popularized in Westerns (hence the term) to capture both a cowboy’s facial expressions and their holstered weapon. In other words, it’s great for showing readiness, tension, and confidence/nervousness in a duel.
The purpose of a Cowboy Shot
The cowboy shot balances capturing emotion and action while providing enough context to show the environment and potential threats, making it a versatile shot in terms of composition. That’s also why it works so great for those tense standoff scenes – we can simultaneously see the fear in the eyes and the drawing of the gun in the frame.
Originally used to frame a cowboy drawing their gun, the cowboy shot is perfect for any scene where actions near the waist are important. A notable example is Sergio Leone‘s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966):
The cowboy shot often positions the camera slightly lower than the subject (sometimes at hip level), giving them a sense of dominance or heroism. This psychological element makes it a go-to for moments when a character needs to appear larger-than-life.
Using cowboy shots to build pacing
Cowboy shots can also contribute to the film’s overall pacing, as they can be intercut with wider shots or extreme close-ups (for example, of a character drawing a weapon) to create a rhythm that builds suspense. Let’s revisit the scene from the screenshot above from Good, The Bad and The Ugly, and see how Sergio Leone does this:
Cowboy shot angles
It’s important to note that a cowboy shot does not always show the subject from the front. The defining feature of a cowboy shot is its framing—from mid-thigh to above the head—not the direction from which the subject is viewed.
While many cowboy shots are framed from the front to emphasize the subject’s face and waist-level actions, the technique can also be applied to other angles. For example, you can shoot a character from a side profile to highlight posture, the movement of hands toward a weapon, or a character’s stance in a standoff. See the frame below from The Harder They Fall (2021):
As you can see, the American shot is combined a low-angle shot to emphasize the characters’ dominance in the scene. This is common, and the low angle can be more or less pronounced:
The screenshot above from the original Westworld (1974) shows the villain android called The Gunslinger (Yul Brynner). He’s framed with the traditional American shot from a slightly lower angle to make him seem even more imposing.
Or you might shoot from behind to build suspense by obscuring the character’s face, leaving us to focus on their physical stance, the enemy or setting, and the action:
The frame from The Harder They Fall (2021) above is an excellent example of an American shot from behind. The facial expressions of the two characters in the foreground are obscured. They’re also slightly out of focus, meaning the focus is on the action happening in the middle ground. The framing and composition communicate that they’re taking stock of the situation, and we’re left to wonder what happens next.
Modern takes on the Cowboy Shot
Medium-long shots are a common framing technique because they can show emotion, context, and action. It’s used in everything from dialogue scenes with groups of people standing to action or horror scenes.
Some modern filmmakers use the Cowboy shot as an homage to the old Western origins. The frame above from Kill Bill: Volume 1 is a great example. Here, Tarantino uses the cowboy shot to build suspense. He frames The Bride (Uma Thurman) from behind with her weapons drawn, and she scans the Japanese garden for her wounded enemy, O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu). It also works as an establishing shot for the upcoming duel.
The next example is from Wonder Woman (2017), starring Gal Gadot and Chris Pine:
In the screenshot, we see Wonder Woman walking through the fog of mustard gas, which General Ludendorff (Danny Huston) has just unleashed on the small Belgian village called Veld. Here, director Patty Jenkins uses the American shot to frame Diana not as a fearsome warrior but as a vulnerable—almost human—woman struggling to come to terms with what happened. Her bare thighs, arms, posture, and facial expression in the poised air emphasize her shock and vulnerability.
Summing Up
A cowboy shot frames a subject from mid-thigh to just above the head, often placing the camera at hip level. The framing balances emotional nuance with waist-level action, such as drawing a weapon or showcasing movement.
Originating in Westerns to show a gunslinger’s face and holster, the cowboy shot is often used to communicate heroism, dominance, or tension. While its origins are tied to saloons and shootouts, the cowboy shot has evolved into a framing technique that transcends genres and has been reinterpreted in modern cinema and television.
Up Next: The FilmDaft Guide to Camera Shots, Angles, and Moves.
