Glossary
What is a two-shot?
By the KeyMo team · Updated
A two-shot is a camera frame that includes two people at the same time. It can show a question and reaction, a host and guest, or two people sharing a conversation. For a vertical clip, the editor must decide whether keeping both faces helps the idea more than a tighter crop of the person speaking.
Why two-shots are useful
Conversation is relational. A host asks a question, a guest reacts, or both people laugh at the same moment. A two-shot preserves that relationship without cutting back and forth. It can also make an interview feel honest because the viewer can see the listener's reaction rather than only the answer.
| Moment | Two-shot value | Possible edit |
|---|---|---|
| Question and answer | Shows who is speaking and who is listening | Start wide, then crop to the answer |
| Shared reaction | Keeps the timing of the reaction | Keep both faces if the frame is clear |
| Argument or disagreement | Shows the relationship | Use separate crops only if each line remains understandable |
| Product or prop demonstration | Shows people and object | Choose the crop that preserves the object being discussed |
The 9:16 problem
A two-shot that looks comfortable in 16:9 may be too wide for a 9:16 post. Cropping the center can cut both faces at the edges; scaling the full frame down can make each face too small. There is no automatic answer. Read the sentence and choose the crop that preserves the information the viewer needs.
- Find the active speaker and the key reaction.
- Check whether both faces remain recognizable after the crop.
- Keep names, captions and platform controls away from the mouths and lower edge.
- If the idea depends on both people, select a different moment or use a layout that preserves both faces.
Two-shots in a KeyMo workflow
KeyMo uses face tracking to reframe clips for 9:16 and gives each candidate a score out of 10. Treat that score as a selection signal, not a framing approval. Open the clip, check the speaker changes and adjust the moment if the two-shot is too wide. The safe zone checker helps with captions after the crop is right.