Chapter 3

Camera Angles (Part II)

High angle shot - camera is tilted downward to view the subject.

Does not infer that the camera be placed at a great height. The camera may be placed below the
cameraman's eye-level, to look down at a small object. Yet, it is filming from a high angle!

Any downward angling of the camera should be considered a high angle shot, regardless of whether the
camera is angled slightly to photograph the top of a package, or almost vertically downward to depict a
mountain climber's point of view downwards!
High angles may be chosen for technical / psychological reason

High angle shots reduce the height of a player or object.

High-angling is excellent whenever a player should be belittled, either by his surroundings, actions or for the
narrative purpose.

The subjective camera may also place the audience higher, so that it may look down upon a player to feel
superior over both, the player and his situation.
The camera, acting as the collective eye of the audience must shoot across the entire area of the action, from
front to back, only from a high angle.

Raising the camera and shooting downward aids in keeping sharp focus across the entire picture area.
Cannot carry sharp focus on a level shot if filming near and far objects.

A high angle may cover the same front-to-back area with less difference between near-and-far focus
whenever reducing the lens depth of field
High angle shots are a welcome departure from eye-level shots and provide contrast, variety and dramatic
impact even to commonplace scenes.

Must be considered to establish the idea, supply pictorial beauty, or influence audience reaction to the
screen players.
A high, downward angle should be used with discretion on fast-moving action, because movement will be
slowed down.

But

A three-quarter low angle, employing a wide angle lens, adds illusion of tremendous speed and power to a
moving object.
In low-angle shot, camera is tilted upward to view the subject

A low angle does not necessarily mean a "worm's-eye" view of the setting or action.

A low angle shot may be made of a bug or a building.

Low angles are desirable to
- inspire awe, or excitement
- increase the subject height
- separate players or objects
- eliminate unwanted foreground
- drop the horizon and eliminate the background
- create a forceful perspective
- position players as symbol of Authority
- intensify dramatic impact
Low angles cause people, objects and structures to loom up in the picture because they are recorded with a
broad base and a diminishing perspective.
Employment of wide-angle lenses further emphasize the optical effect.
When filming players from a low angle with a wide-angle lens, care must be taken - or a caricature may
result.
Wide-angle lens, low angle tilt combined with 3 quarter camera angle is strongest
Camera may be placed below a false floor, to achieve the required lens height in relation to the subject.
Inspires awe in the audience - the viewer is placed in a lowly position from which he looks up to the symbol of
authority.
In some instances it may be necessary to place a player or object on a pedestal, in order to enable subject to
appear higher in relation to the camera/.
 LEFT - WITH JUMP CUT
BELOW - LOW ANGLE INSERT IN BETWEEN

Excellent for cheating a cut-away reaction close-up against the sky, or other nondescript background.
Dropping the horizon out of the frame removes all background identity and permits filming such close-ups
almost anywhere at any time.
Problem of jump-cuts discovered while assembling shots, may be easily solved by inserting low-angle
reaction close-ups without matching a studio set, or returning to outdoor location site.
 LEFT - WITH JUMP CUT
BELOW CLOSE UP INSERT IN BETWEEN

Excellent for cheating a cut-away reaction close-up against the sky, or other nondescript background.
Dropping the horizon out of the frame removes all background identity and permits filming such close-ups
almost anywhere at any time.
Problem of jump-cuts discovered while assembling shots, may be easily solved by inserting low-angle
reaction close-ups without matching a studio set, or returning to outdoor location site.
Both natural and man-made structures may be given increased height and dominance by shooting up at
them. Skyscrapers, trees, monuments may all benefit from such treatment.
Distortion inherent in such shots are acceptable - We Are conditioned to seeing tilted photographic
perspectives, and realize that the converging lines are parallel.
In reality, a person looking up from close to the base of a tall structure gets an impression similar to that
produced by the camera.
Low-angle studio interiors are rarely filmed for theatrical pictures, because sets are generally constructed
minus ceilings, to allow overhead lighting.
However, location interiors of actual buildings may utilize ceilings if they provide additional dramatic effect to
setting or story.
Players may be treated in this manner with a low angle either as an introduction, or during a sequence when
they must approach another player in a dominating manner.
Players may travel in diagonal line, not straight across screen.
The background should be filmed at an angle, rather than flat on, to produce diminishing compositional lines.
Flat-on angles, presenting subject travel and background square to lens, should be avoided unless showing a
neutral shot.
 Camera1 records background with gradually diminishing lines; and
running player with gradually increasing image. Camera 2 records flat
square-on background and player with same size image

Side three quarter angling, plus the low viewpoint produce converging lines, which are made more
interesting by gradually increasing image size of the player
Angle- Plus-Angle
Shot is angled in relation to the subject and tilted either upward or downward.
The front and sides depicted, along with the underside or top of the subject
Such double angling
- record more subject facets
- result in the finest modeling
- deliver the most forceful linear perspective
- produce a three dimensional effect
- Eliminates the 2D flatness of straight on angling
- Eliminates dullness of filming with a level camera.
Dutch angle
In Hollywood studio parlance a "Dutch" angle is a crazily-tilted camera angle, in which the vertical axis of the
camera is at an angle to the vertical axis of the subject

This results in tilting of the screen image, so that it slopes diagonally, off-balance.

Tilt should be deliberate/ most effective if filmed from a low camera setup.

Such slanted images must be used with discretion and at appropriate place or they may detract from the
story-telling.

Must be reserved for sequences when weird, violent, unstable, impressionistic or other novel effects are
required.
Cameras should never be tilted just a little off level, so that the slightly slanted image seems accidental.
A tilt should be deliberate, with a definite slant of sufficient angle to throw the image off balance, but not so
steep as to appear on its side. The actual angle will vary with subject matter and action.
The camera need not be tilted throughout the shot.
It may start level, and then abruptly tilt to depict a change in events, change in direction or introduce
sudden unbalance in player involved. A tilted shot may return to level when events return to normal.
The camera may, on rare occasions, rock back and forth during the shot, tilting from one side to the other.
The angle of tilt is very important.
An image that slants to the right is active, forceful, while one that slants to the left is weak, static.
A slanted horizon, running from lower left to upper right, suggests ascent; while one that slants from upper
left to lower right suggests descent.
Adjusting lens angle
Wide lens angle -
Everything appear smaller and further away than usual
Size diminishes rapidly with distance from camera
Even items relatively close to the lens appear further away than normal
Adjusting lens angle
Narrow lens angle -
Everything looks much nearer than usual
Relative sizes do not seem to change much with distance
Things far off appear to be closer
Depth is reduced
Adjusting the camera's distance
Closer things are to the camera, larger they appear in the frame. In Narrow angle shots, even a
slight change in the camera's distance affect the apparent size of foreground items, while
background remains about the same size. The Wide angle shot emphasizes distance and depth;
distorts subjects in the foreground.
Remember
Deliberately change the shot characteristics, camera angle, onscreen subject placement, scale and
proportions to avoid jump cuts.