Camera Techniques

What are the rule of thirds?

The rule of thirds are the guidelines in which you see when looking through the lense of most dslr cameras. The guidelines are in the form of a grid; two lines going down and two lines across, these guidelines help you line up your shot when filming or taking a picture, this means that you can make sure your horizon is level and the actors are in shot. When using the rule of thirds you should be creative, for example don't make the main subject in the middle of the frame, you should put them on intersections of the shot to look more interesting and less boring. It may be that the main subject is in direct focus and the background is out of focus, this brings the audience's attention to the main subject which matters most. The ratio for the rule of thirds is 16:9, you know this because there are three equal sections vertically and horizontally which looks like this:

Many professionals now use the Quadrant rule in which has only one line either vertically or horizontally. This could be useful for lining up each shot for when putting them together, or this rule could be used for shots such as the two shot where one character is on one side of the frame and the other character is on the other side. The rule should allow you to lines these characters up so that they are centred on each side of the frame.

What is the 180 degree rule? (arc shot)

The 180 degree rule is where the camera circulates around the same half of where the actors are positioned. This means that if two characters are in the shot at the same time, the camera may want to circulate around them on the same half to show each facial expression of what they may be talking about.

Camera angles

Camera angles are the relationship between the camera and the object that is being filmed. The more extreme the angle, the more symbolic the shot may be. It may be that the director uses a particular shot or angle to create a dramatic effect for the audience.

A long shot is often used to set the scene of the film. It shows the entire object or person and there surroundings so the audience can gather a clear understanding of what is happening or about to happen.

An extreme long shot is the same just even more zoomed out, this shows the background and scenery more than a particular person or object. You may use a extreme long shot when beginning the film to show where the scene of the film will be taking place.

A medium shot shows detailed movements and expressions of a character. You may also see his style or a particular talent or disability that he may have. This shot allows the audience to look in detail about who the character is or what he may be doing.

A close up shot shows expressions or objects only. It allows the audience to pay close attention to what may be happening or changing within a certain amount of time. Close ups show hardly any background as the aim of a close up is to concentrate on specific detail of mise en scene.

A extreme close is the some but just more in depth. It creates dramatic effect and tension as you only see part of an object or person to see close detail.

The birds eye view shows a scene from directly over head, as if the camera was a bird. It is very unnatural and strange, however can be significant in some films to show a stranded island or lost survivor. It could also start of the film or scene to show the area or country that the film is set in.

A high angle shot is not as extreme as the birds eye view shot but it makes a certain character look weak and vulnerable. It makes the audience feel as if they are ashamed of a certain character for doing something wrong as the camera angle reflects on how we feel as a person towards that character.

An eye level shot is a shot the shows the humans point of view. This is usually 5-6 meters from the ground as that is the average size of a human. The camera is shooting as if it were a person, this makes the audience feel as if they are in the scene which could create a tense atmosphere. This could make the character look at the camera for the audience to feel as if they are a part of the film, or the camera may be hidden and peaking around a object for the audience to feel they are creeping up on someone.

A low angle increases the heigh or speed and motion of the scene. This angle could give a sense of confusion or disorientation as a specific character may dominate the scene. It makes a object or person look superior by looking directly up to them to show they are bigger than the audience or person watching. (camera)

An Oblique/Canted angle means that the camera is tilted for a particular shot. It makes the shot look like a building is falling down or a tragic event is about to happen. This makes the scene look as if the earth is falling and everyone is hanging on to not fall off.

There are many different angles and shots that could be used during a scene to shot different perspectives and views of what may be going on. The way in which each shot is cut tell the audience what is going to happen next and whether there should be tension in the atmosphere.

Camera Movement

A pan is the movement which scans the whole room or scene horizontally. It often shows a moving object which is kept in the centre of shot. It often follows someone that is moving very fast.

Zoom allows the camera to get in closer to the shot, it also helps show detail of what is going on. This may be when someone is spying on another person in the opposite building, the director may want to zoom in to show what you or the person may be looking at in the opposite building. Zoom also allows you to look closer or further away from a particular object or person.

A tilt movement is moving the camera up and down while keeping its horizontal axis the same. For example the camera could be a person nodding or shaking their head. The audience feel like they are the camera in the scene.

A camera dolly is a wheeled cart or similar device used in filmmaking and television that creates smooth horizontal camera movements. The camera is mounted on a dolly and it rides so that the camera operator can push the camera and dolly forward and backward.

A hand-held shot is where the camera operator has no tripod or dolly that the camera is mounted on so the camera operator physically holds the camera and moves around with it to create the effect that the camera is a character in the scene. In films and television, they normally use equipment to stabilise the camera one it is held.

For a crane shot, the camera is usually on a crane or jib to film the actors from above. This is usually at the end of a movie where the camera quickly goes away and shoots from above to show the scenery before the end. This is also usually when the camera equipment is very heavy.

An Aerial shot is an exciting version of a crane shot. Usually taken from a helicopter to show action and adventure movies. This is usually at the beginning of a film to establish to setting and movement. A helicopter is much more flexible than a crane and can get right in the centre of where the action is taking place. It conveys real drama and exaggeration.