CAMERA ANGLES: the Art of Manipulation

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CAMERA ANGLES: the

Art of Manipulation
PUBLISHED BY GABE MOURA, ON JUNE 3, 2014

Whereas shot
sizes direct who and
what we see, camera
angles affect how we
perceive it. Is a
character going to
appear dominant and
tall? Or short and weak?
A strong weapon in the

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CAMERA ANGLES: the Art of Manipulation

cinematographer’s
arsenal is the ability to position the camera in
relation to the subject or scenery.
Eyelevel Angle
An eyelevel angle is the one in which the camera is placed at the subject’s height, so if
the actor is looking at the lens, he wouldn’t have to look up or down. Eyelevel shots are
incredibly common because they are neutral. They often have no dramatic power
whatsoever, thus they are ideal for romantic comedies and news casting.

    

Low Angle
Low angles are captured from a camera placed below the actor’s eyes, looking up at
them. Low angles make characters look dominant, aggressive, or ominous.

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CAMERA ANGLES: the Art of Manipulation

High Angle
In a high angle, the camera is above the subject, looking down. This position makes
characters look weak, submissive, or frightened. They are also good POVs of an adult
looking at a child:

Dutch Tilt
Also called canted angle, a Dutch tilt has the camera leaning sideways, transforming the
horizon into a slope. A Dutch tilt changes horizontal and vertical lines into diagonals and
creates a more dynamic composition. Though rare, canted angles can be employed with

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CAMERA ANGLES: the Art of Manipulation

great artistic effect to disorient and disturb the viewer.

Point-of-View (POV)
As the name suggests, point-of-view shots are angles in which the camera incorporates a
character’s eyes. POVs are usually preceded by a close-up of the character’s eyes.

Needless to say, cinematographers will choose different angles for different

scenes within the same movie depending of the scene goal or purpose. When

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CAMERA ANGLES: the Art of Manipulation

analyzing the camera angles used in a movie, it is wise to note how different
angles are used in each scene.

Sometimes different angles will be chosen to emphasize different elements in the

screen. For example, if an airplane flying overhead is of importance to the story,
then filmmakers may choose to use a low-angle shot to show the sky and the
plane.

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FILED UNDER: CINEMATOGRAPHY

COMMENTS

Janet Deaver says

October 8, 2015 at 12:07 am

Without it being a true shot, how does the writer show an action that is a shot.
The first line of my opening page has clothes that cover the lens, blocking the
audience view then it pulls back to show the scene. I don’t use SHOTS in
anything I write but try to incorporate it into an action. Help?

Reply

Gabe Moura says

October 9, 2015 at 6:47 am

Hi Janet, thank you for your question. It’s always tricky when you want to
direct the scene in the screenplay, as is this case. Here’s just one
suggestion of how maybe you can incorporate the camerawork instructions

http://www.elementsofcinema.com/cinematography/camera-angles-and-composition/[3/10/21, 10:44:32 PM]