Films are made up of sequences.
Sequences are made of scenes.
And scenes are made up of shots.
In the previous episode of this series,
we went over how to frame your subjects,
to isolate individuals
or create relationships.
But a shot size and framing are decided,
you'll need to consider camera height.
Specifically, the angle of the camera.
This is Episode 3 of the "Shot List".
Camera angles.
If shot size and framing are used to isolate
what we are looking at,
camera angles are all about how
we are meant to perceive them.
That adds yet another layer of meaning to every camera shot.
We'll be looking at nine different types of camera angles.
As we cover each camera angle and technique,
we'll be filling out a shot list using StudioBinder
that you can download and reference.
Now, let's begin with our first camera angle.
The low angle.
Any shot that finds itself below a subject's eye line,
looking up at them
is a low angle shot.
Low angle shots are typically used to make a subject look more powerful.
Perfect for heroes and villains alike.
The degree can be subtle or extreme.
Low angles are not confined to human subjects like in "2001",
but the effect is the same.
Let's look at the scene.
"- Man, I hate lions.
- So pushy. - And hairy.
- And stinky. - And, man, are they...
Ugly!
- Oh, surely we lions are not all that bad.
- Oh, Scar. It's just you."
Consider this low angle shot of Scar.
Everything about this shot spells villainy.
The color.
The smoke.
The darkness.
The expression.
But it is the low angle the brings it all together.
For more on the low angle shot,
check the description for our video
where we break down how to use a low angle in more detail.
Up next a complementary angle,
often paired with the low angle.
The high angle shot.
While low angle shots can pump a character up,
high angle shots can beat them down.
"- You arise from the ashes."
High and low angle shots are often paired in the same scene
to heighten the imbalance of power between subjects.
High angles are typically used to diminish a character,
making them appear weak or vulnerable.
An extreme variation of the high angle
is the aerial shot.
Typically used to establish environments,
cities,
landscapes.
Or to present characters moving through a larger world.
"- Stark, we're on your three, headed northeast.
What? Did you stop for drive-through?"
For a rather extreme example of a high angle shot,
we look to "The Avengers".
A powerful hero needs a powerful villain.
And what better way to challenge our muscle-bound protagonists
then a threat that dwarfs them.
In the description,
you'll find a link to our high-angle video-essay
where we break down how to use this towering shot
to convey narrative or character details
and elicit a viewer's emotional response.
When high angles approach 90 degrees above the subject
they become the overhead shot.
An overhead shot also known as a bird's-eye view
or a God's eye view
finds the camera directly above the subject
shooting straight down.
Overhead shots are great for showcasing complex movements.
And they could suggest a connection to the divine.
Or to capture the horrific details of a crime scene.
Consider this moment from "The Master".
Freddie lays above his fellow sailors
most likely drunk and unconscious
but the shot is presented without context.
All we see is a character who is disconnected.
In more ways than one.
And now an angle
that puts us off balance.
The dutch angle.
The dutch angle shot skews the horizontal axis of the frame
for an off-kilter image
that produces a variety of effects.
A dutch angle can create a sense of unease.
Mania.
"- Fact, Jim. Fact. If you don't buy things: toilet paper, new cars,
electrically-operated sexual devices, stereo..."
Terror.
Or bewilderment.
"- You're worried about me. Why?"
A dutch angle can also be used to magnify tension.
In "Do The Right Thing",
director Spike Lee uses dutch angles
to intensify the vitriol
between embittered characters.
"- Turn that jungle music off! We ain't in Africa!
Why it got to be about jungle music?
Why it got to be about Africa?"
As the racial tensions rise to a boiling point,
so does the angle of the tilt.
But there are nuances to properly set up a dutch angle
for maximum impact.
Check the description to our video essay
where we break down Brian De Palma's dutch angle
from this scene in "Mission: Impossible".
"- You're wanna shake hands with the devil? That's fine with me.
I just wanna make sure that you do it in hell!"
Moving on.
The eye-level shot.
Shooting an eye-level
is perhaps the most commonly used camera height.
For the audience, it is the most natural height to regard a character.
An eye-level shot doesn't impose judgment on a character
in the way a high or low angle shot does.
But that doesn't mean it can't be engaging or dynamic.
"- An IPO is an initial public offering.
It's the first time a stock is offered for sale to the general population."
In "The Wolf of Wall Street",
Jordan Belfort delivers this monologue
into the camera at eye-level.
"- Look.
I know you're not following what I'm saying anyway, right?
That's okay. That doesn't matter.
The real question is this.
"Was all this legal?"
Absolutely f*cking not.
The eye level shot
along with breaking the fourth wall
creates an instant connection to Jordan and his scheme.
For more on the fourth wall,
check the description for a video essay on how it can be used
to create an instant rapport with your characters.
Now if we drop just a little below the eyes,
we landed our next camera height.
The shoulder level shot.
If eye-level is the most common and neutral shot height
then shoulder level is the runner-up.
The lower position gives the illusion of a slightly low angle shot
without its heavier connotations.
Shoulder level shots are often used during conversations
and frequently become an over-the-shoulder shot
or OTS.
They can also emphasize a height difference
which translates visually to a power difference.
"- Wow.
Damn."
In a romantic situation,
the barely upturned eye-line
can enhance an affectionate glance.
In our OTS video,
we break down this scene from "Westworld".
"- In the beginning. I imagine things would be perfectly balanced."
To illustrate how camera placement
can connect or disconnect your characters.
On to our next camera angle.
The hip level shot.
The hip level shot can be found in every genre.
But it makes its home in the western.
Often in conjunction with the cowboy shot
which we covered in Episode 1 Shot Size.
The principal reason for this
is because gun holsters
rest at hip height.
Let's look at Sergio Leone's "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly".
Leone jumps between various hip level holster shots
and eye level extreme close-ups.
To create an iconic sequence
that is as exciting as it is tense.
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Just below the hips
is our next camera height.
The knee level shot.
The knee level shot, of course,
sees the camera placed at a subject's knee height,
Knee high shots often find themselves doubling as low angles.
"- But this one is a madman."
A knee level shot can be a great way
to track through an environment following a character.
And can be a good way to showcase character details
that might be missed in a wider shot.
Like in this moment, from "Forrest Gump."
"- Run, Forrest, Run."
This perfectly chosen knee level shot
gives us a front-row seat to his personal triumph.
Run, Forrest, Run.
Now our final category.
The ground-level shot.
A ground-level shot finds the camera placed
all the way down on the ground.
Or sometimes even slightly below ground.
Ground-level shots often double as low angles
if there is any degree of upward tilt.
Shooting from ground level
can be a stylish way to track a character's movement through a scene.
Or to capture details within the setting.
"The Shining" features one of the most iconic ground-level shots of all time.
The shot is full of dynamic movement
as we track behind Danny's tricycle.
The iconic carpet pattern
and engrossing sound design
keep us intrigued by this lengthy shot.
It's haunting,
even before we get to room 237.
So when you sit down to create your shot list
consider how the camera angle or height
affects the messaging.
Be creative with your choices.
Don't just settle for what's expected.
And don't worry about remembering all of these camera angles.
If you're using our shot-listing software,
all of these options are built-in.
Mix and match.
Try different combinations of shot sizes, framing, and angles.
Get creative.
You can find a link to StudioBinder in the description.
It's free to get started.
You'll also find a link to this full shot list and storyboard.
Use it as inspiration for your next shoot.
In the next episode of the shot list,
we'll turn attention to camera focus
or depth of field
and how they can be used to draw the audience in.
That's it for now.
It's time to take your shots to new heights.
♪ ♪