Today, we're going to take a closer look at something
you've probably seen a thousand times.
The High-Angle Shot.
If used right this shot will take your filmmaking literally
to the next level.
So what is a high-angle shot?
A high-angle shot is a shot
where the camera points down at something.
It can be subtle like this.
Or extreme like this.
It can be a tight shot
or it can be very wide.
High angle shots are awesome,
but I've noticed that very few filmmakers make good use of them.
Often times they're used arbitrarily,
just because they kind of look cool.
But I want to take a closer look
at how you can maximize their impact in your next project.
High-angle shots have three primary functions.
They can convey narrative information.
They can elicit emotional responses in the viewer.
And they can convey something about a character.
Here's a fairly common type of high-angle shot.
It's a narrative high-angle shot.
A big dramatic crane shot that sweeps over a scene.
The primary purpose here is narrative.
From above, we can see more of the world.
The shot establishes context for our scene
and is most useful to show landscapes or large crowds
which would be difficult to capture,
if the camera were positioned too low to the ground.
The thing to remember about a narrative high-angle shot is
that it's not meant to draw too much attention to itself,
or evoke a strong visceral response.
It doesn't want to throw us off balance.
The angle is pretty shallow.
Meaning the camera points down only slightly.
But some high-angle shots are meant to give us a visceral thrill.
The second type of high-angle shot is the visceral high-angle.
These high-angles are designed to give you a sense of vertigo.
"Don't worry. I'm totally on top of this."
Here's a great high-angle shot from Harold Lloyd's "Safety Last."
Some people call it this a bird's-eye view
or overhead shot
where the camera points straight down from a high place.
A shot like this doesn't usually convey new information about the scene,
but it definitely makes an emotional impact.
It makes us feel uneasy or anxious.
Check out this moment from Hitchcock's "North by Northwest."
"Listen to me. I have nothing to do with this."
Roger Thornhill runs out of the UN building
and there's no one dangling for a precipice,
but we're looking straight down nonetheless.
And in this scene from "Minority Report"
Spielberg makes us feel much the same way.
Again, no dangling hero,
but boy, is it anxiety-inducing.
These last two bird's-eye shots
connect us to a third type of high-angle
which often combines elements of narrative and visceral emotion.
It's the character-driven high-angle shot.
This type of high-angle shot makes a character appear smaller or weaker.
This can be both a narrative device
communicating to us that the character is vulnerable.
And it can also be made visceral too,
so we can connect to their vulnerability.
We feel for them, in some cases, we fear for them.
Some filmmakers use high-angle shots
for very specific narrative emotional purposes.
Most notable among these is Hitchcock himself.
Consistently, in Hitchcock films,
when his characters are in jeopardy,
he positions the camera high above them.
Again and again,
the high-angle shot shows us characters who are in trouble,
on the run or about to encounter mortal peril.
In a Hitchcock film,
a high-angle shot always screams danger.
Even when we don't yet know there's something dangerous about to happen.
Take the opening shot of the crop duster sequence in "North by Northwest."
It's a high-angle shot, as the bus approaches,
and Thornhill steps off.
Many filmmakers would have opted for something closer to the ground
but not Hitchcock.
By opening the scene with a high-angle,
he introduces a subtle note of danger.
And by placing his character into the shot,
Hitchcock alerts us subconsciously
that Roger Thornhill is in danger.
We`re prime, we`re anxious.
So even though the scene is long and methodical
we are on the edge of our seats.
So if you're a filmmaker
and want to make the most out of the high-angle shot,
here's how it breaks down.
If you want to establish the scale of a crowd,
or the layout of a landscape,
use a narrative high-angle shot.
Push the camera up and keep the angle somewhat shallow.
Establish your landscape and you're done.
But if your audience needs a jolt or a thrill,
if you need to inject tension vertigo,
or to punch up the action, try a visceral shot,
by pushing your high-angle to the extremes,
extreme height or a sharp angle.
Finally, if you want to emphasize the danger to your characters
and want to make weak characters seem weaker,
try framing them in high-angle.
Now that you've got a good grip on high-angle shots,
it's time to put them to use.
Whether you prepare your shot list
with a spreadsheet pen and paper
or with shot listing software like StudioBinder,
give the high-angle shot some love.
And when you're ready to expand your cinematic knowledge a little more,
check out our other videos.
We've got great stuff on our channel
and new content coming all the time.
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Keep your cameras rolling. And until next time.
Break a lens.