Visual interest is essential for engaging your viewers and telling a compelling story with your videos. One of the ways you can create visual interest is by using different shots and angles to vary the perspective, mood, and focus of your scenes. In this article, you will learn how to use shots and angles effectively to enhance your videography skills.
Shots are the basic units of visual storytelling and can be classified according to the distance between the camera and subject, the amount of the scene that is visible, and the number of subjects in the frame. A wide shot reveals the entire scene and establishes context and location, while a medium shot shows the subject from the waist up and creates a sense of intimacy. A close-up emphasizes emotion, reaction, or importance of the subject and can create tension or drama. Each of these shots has its unique functions that contribute to visual storytelling.
The most important aspect of a shot is if able to tell our story in very clearly, and help the story is great shot how u shoot does not not matter, but try ad things without disturbing story line,
Without a shot list, it is very hard to create a flowing story of images. You must prepare and most of that preparation is in giving the angle, the framing and the movement of the shot meaning helping the story/characters/action unfold. The shot list is a very good marriage of director, dop and editor. If you respect this trinity, you have a good film to make.
You don’t always have control of your surroundings, and sometimes we hold “the shoot” to be too precious, too delicate. In that moment I try to break the rules. For the longest time I avoided shots in front of windows, or verticle shapes behind a subject. In those moments when you don’t have control, I like to say ‘eff it’ and break all the rules. I’d rather do that than protrate in front of the film gods and ask for divine intervention. Rock that shit out.
In visual storytelling, shots serve as fundamental building blocks, categorized by factors like camera-to-subject distance, scene visibility, and the number of subjects in the frame. A wide shot unveils the entire scene, setting context and location. In contrast, a medium shot captures the subject from the waist up, fostering a sense of intimacy. The close-up, on the other hand, hones in on emotion, reaction, or subject significance, often intensifying tension or drama. These distinct shot types play crucial roles in conveying narrative elements, enriching the storytelling experience.
Angles are the camera positions relative to the subject and horizon, which can influence the perception and power dynamics of the scene. Eye-level angles are the most natural and neutral, creating a sense of realism and balance. Low-angle shots place the camera below the subject and look up at them, creating feelings of dominance or vulnerability. High-angle shots place the camera above the subject and look down at them, creating feelings of power or inferiority.
Angles in cinematography refer to the camera's positioning relative to the subject and horizon, significantly impacting the scene's perception and power dynamics. An eye-level angle, positioned at the subject's eye level, offers a neutral and realistic perspective, maintaining balance in the scene. Conversely, low-angle shots place the camera beneath the subject, looking upward, evoking sensations of dominance or vulnerability. In contrast, high-angle shots position the camera above the subject, looking downward, instigating feelings of power or inferiority. These angle types play a pivotal role in shaping the emotional and narrative nuances of visual storytelling.
Camera angles are very necessary in visual story telling. Stories need to be told well. Apart from the visual aesthetics, How we choose camera angles tells the audience about the world around us and make the audience have a certain feeling about a subject in frame.
By combining different shots and angles, you can create more visual interest and variety in your videos, plus convey different meanings, moods, and effects. For instance, a wide shot with a low angle can emphasize the magnitude and grandeur of a landscape or building, or the insignificance and isolation of a character. Meanwhile, a medium shot with a high angle can emphasize the vulnerability and emotion of a character, or the intimacy of a conversation. Additionally, a close-up with an eye-level angle can emphasize the intensity and focus of a character, or the tension of a situation.
?? Wide Shot + Low Angle: This combination can highlight the vastness or grandeur of a setting, or contrastingly, underscore a character's isolation or insignificance within a large space. ?? Medium Shot + High Angle: Useful for showcasing a character's emotional vulnerability or the intimacy of a dialogue, this pairing can create a sense of closeness while also implying a power dynamic. ?? Close-Up + Eye-Level Angle: Ideal for capturing the intensity or focus of a character's emotions or actions, this combination brings the viewer into the immediate personal space of the character, heightening engagement and tension.
?? Close-Up + Low Angle: Magnifies the subject's features or expressions, adding drama or intensity. ?? Close-Up + High Angle: Personalizes the subject, highlighting emotional states like contemplation or sorrow. ?? Wide Shot + Dutch Angle: Creates a sense of disorientation or tension in a broader scene. ?? Medium Shot + Dutch Angle: Focuses on the subject while adding a sense of instability or unease. ?? Close-Up + Oblique Angle: Enhances emotional impact, suggesting internal turmoil or a skewed perspective.
Transitions refer to the changes between shots and angles in your videos, which can help you create smooth and coherent visual narratives and highlight different elements of your story. To use transitions effectively, consider using cuts for fast and abrupt changes to create continuity, or fades for slow and gradual changes to imply time passing. Additionally, pans are useful for horizontal camera movements to follow the action, while tilts can be used for vertical movements to emphasize the height or depth of the scene.
One thing I've found helpful is considering transitions when shooting not just in post. Match pan or tilt out of a shot to the in of the next shot in your edit.
When creating videos, certain guidelines and principles can help you avoid mistakes and improve visual quality. The rule of thirds divides the frame into nine equal parts and places the subject or point of interest at the intersections of the lines, creating a more balanced composition. The 180-degree rule establishes an imaginary line between the main characters or elements of the scene and keeps the camera on one side of it, maintaining a consistent spatial orientation. And the 30-degree rule requires that each successive shot or angle change by at least 30 degrees, avoiding jump cuts and creating more visual diversity.
The golden rule is to keep the audience in a hypnotic trance, where they become the protagonist, and everything is happening to them. This calls for restraint in creativity when it comes to shot angles. The exception is when the story calls for POV to reveal to the audience something that the protagonist does not know. The risk of momentarily jarring them out of trance is offset by the production value of introducing suspense. In my opinion, a good compromise would be a POV that emulates the protagonist's peripheral vision.
Rules are important, but any of them can be broken in an interesting or creative way. The visual grammar that you envision for each project is unique to that project.
To illustrate how shots and angles can create visual interest in your videos, let's look at some popular movies and shows. The opening scene of "The Shining" uses wide shots with low angles to emphasize the vastness and isolation of the mountain road and the hotel, creating an atmosphere of foreboding and mystery. The interrogation scene in "The Dark Knight" utilizes medium shots with high angles to reflect the power imbalance and tension between Batman and the Joker, producing an intense feeling of drama and conflict. Lastly, the final scene of "Breaking Bad" features close-ups with eye-level angles to convey Walter White's emotions and reactions, evoking a sense of closure and catharsis.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! I say this to say that you should study your favorites, directors, cinematographers, photographers. When you see something that just is undeniable and draws you in… try it. What you make will never be exactly what they created but this will expand your knowledge of what works and what doesn't from your perspective.
Watch everything twice. If something hooks you in, watch it again, why did it hook you in? What stood out compared to the other 100 videos you scrolled past that day? Analysing why videos are so engaging, and taking these learnings into your work can be a great way of creating visual interest in your videos.
Make the first second really, really count! Keep in mind to: - Make the hook visually pleasing (using props or tools to simplify the topic) - Create a no-brainer 1st sentence for instant context
Get crazy! If you're reading this you've already learned how to properly frame things in the traditional ways. Everybody who owns a phone already knows this for the most part. As a professional shooter, do anything and everything it takes to get a unique shot. Don't be afraid to lay on the ground, climb on top of something, shoot through one thing to get to the thing you're actually shooting. Be creative, and take it to a crazy level! This is what will get you attention.