Final answer:
An extreme close-up (ECU) is a shot that captures only the face without shoulders or hair or a specific part of the face in detail, and it is used in both films and stage pictures to focus the audience's attention and convey intricate emotions or details.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of shot that captures a human face without the shoulders or hair, or a detailed portion of the face, such as the eyes or mouth, is known as an extreme close-up (ECU). In film and photography, an ECU is used to focus on a very small area of the subject, accentuating details for dramatic effect. This level of closeness can be employed to enhance the audience's understanding of a character's emotions or to draw attention to specific attributes of an object. Stage pictures utilize these shots to provide powerful visual storytelling, ensuring the audience's focus is exactly where the director desires.
In the case of an object, an ECU would similarly capture a single detail, like the intricacies of a texture or a small component, echoing the intimate and revealing nature of this type of shot.
For example, if a director wants the audience to fully grasp the emotion in an actor's eyes during an intense moment of a play or film, they may use an ECU of the eyes to create a strong emotional connection with the viewers.