Camera angles are an essential part of visual storytelling. They impose a psychological effect on the viewer, altering how an event, action or person is perceived. You must understand the effect a camera angle has on communicating your vision so you can select the appropriate one to communicate your intended message. As shown in StudioBinder's video, you have many options to use perspective to help tell the story – choose wisely and create a shot list before shooting and/or filming.
Films are made up of sequences. Sequences are made of scenes. Scenes are made up of shots. Framing your subjects isolates individual characters or creates relationships. As shot size and framing are decided, you must consider camera height. Specifically, the angle of the camera.
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. This adds yet another layer of meaning to every camera shot. We'll be looking at nine different types of camera angles.
Low Angle
Any shot that finds itself below a subject's eyeline 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 the film 2001, but the effect is the same. For example, in The Lion King, the low-angle shot of Scar in the cave spells everything of villainy. The color, the smoke, the darkness, the expression; but it is the low-angle shot that brings it all together.
High Angle
A complimentary angle that is often paired with low angles is the high-angle shot. While low-angle shots can pump a character up, high-angle shots can beat them down. High and low-angle shots are often paired in the same scene to heighten the imbalance of power between subjects. High angles are 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. 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 the muscle-bound protagonists than a threat that dwarfs them.
Overhead Shot
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. For example, in a scene from The Master, Freddie lies 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.
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, terror or bewilderment. A Dutch angle can also be used to magnify tension. For example, in Do the Right Thing, director Spike Lee uses Dutch angles to intensify the vitriol between embittered characters. As the racial tensions rise, so does the angle of the tilt. There are nuances for properly setting up Dutch angles for maximum impact.
Eye Level
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. For example, in The Wolf of Wall Street, Jordan Belfort delivers a monologue straight into the camera at eye-level. The eye-level shot, along with breaking the fourth wall, creates an instant rapport between Jordan and his scheme.
Shoulder Level
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. In a romantic situation, the barely upturned eyeline can enhance an affectionate glance. In our OTS video, we break down a scene from Westworld to illustrate how camera placement can connect or disconnect your characters.
Hip Level
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. The principal reason for this is because gun holsters rest at hip height. For example, in Sergio Leone's, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Leone jumps between various hip-level holster shots and eye-level extreme closeups to create an iconic sequence that is as exciting as it is tense.
Knee Level
The knee-level shot sees the camera placed at a subject's knee height. Knee-high shots often find themselves doubling as low angles. 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. For example, in Forest Gump, a perfectly chosen knee-level shot gives us a front-row seat to his personal triumph, "Run, Forest! Run!"
Ground Level
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. For example, 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.
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. Mix and match. Try different combinations of shot sizes, framing and angles. It's time to take your shots to new heights.