Every media products include the visual factors inside it. What you see on the screen such as the color, the camera angle they use or the camera movement always convey a meaning behind it. This blog post is a analyzing on how different camera angles convey different meaning and some example.
CAMERA ANGLE
Low angle: This angle is usually used to show the relationship in power. To be specific, they show a character in a low angle to show their dominance in power, to show who is holding the handle in the conversation. Sometime the low angle is not that clear for the viewers, the camera just being slightly tilt up but it still convey the same message.
example:
High angle: Similar to the low angle, high angle also used to convey message about power. With high angle, it show that the character on the screen is being dominance by another characters, objects or events. In addition, it shows that the character is hopeless, vulnerable and weak. This angle is usually used to diminish a character.
example:
=> Low and high angle are often used with each other to shows the imbalance in power of the characters on scene
Ground level angle/Knee angle: These angle are usually used in special situation. For instance, ground level angle camera angle is when you put the camera on the ground to show only the character's feet or shoes without showing their face.
Shoulder level angle: This angle is a standard camera angle that appears in every movie. The good things about this angle is that it put the camera the same level with character shoulder, let their head touch the border of the screen, which create a felling that it is look like a low angle.
Over the shoulder (OTS): This is a camera angle that put the camera behind a character's shoulder, creating a felling of connection, involvement into the story for the viewers. This angle is mostly used in conversation scene.
CAMERA MOVEMENT
Static shot: Is a shot that record the scene in a fixed position without rotate, move during that scene
Pan movement: A pan movement is a rotation horizontally of the camera to follow character's action or to reveal information in the room but not currently on the screen
Whip pan: a pan movement but with faster speed
Tilt movement: A tilt movement is a rotation vertically of the camera. It can be used with low angle and high angle to show the change in power in the scene and also used to reveal information like setting or how big the scenario/background is
Push in/out: A push in movement move the camera horizontally either toward or far away from the object to either give focus into the object or to disconnect them from the scene.
Zoom: A zoom movement is a technical zoom with your camera however your eyes can't zoom so this movement create a quite unnatural feeling
Crash zoom: Faster zoom:)
Dolly zoom: This is a special movement that need a combination of a dolly movement and a zoom in/out. That's being said, it has 2 ways, dolly in + zoom out or dolly out + zoom in.
CLICK AT THE PICTURE BELOW TO SEE A YOUTUBE VIDEO THAT WOULD HELP YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT CAMERA MOVEMENT BETTER:
REFERENCE LIST:
Hellerman, J. (2019) High angle shot definition and usage with excellent examples, No Film School. No Film School. Available at: https://nofilmschool.com/high-angle-shot-definition-examples (Accessed: February 28, 2023).
Paul, J. (2015) How to frame a low-angle shot like a master cinematographer, The Beat: A Blog by PremiumBeat. Available at: https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/how-to-frame-a-low-angle-shot-like-a-master-cinematographer/ (Accessed: February 28, 2023).
Lannom, S.C. (2021) Creative uses of over-the-shoulder shots, StudioBinder. Over-the-Shoulder Shot: Examples of Camera Movements & Angles. Available at: https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/over-the-shoulder-shot/ (Accessed: February 28, 2023).
Studio Binder (2020) Ultimate Guide to Camera Movement - every camera movement technique explained [The shot list ep6], Ultimate Guide to Camera Movement — Every Camera Movement Technique Explained [The Shot List Ep6]. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiyBo-qLDeM&t=803s (Accessed: February 28, 2023).
Yahoo Movies UK (2015) Forrest Gump: 15 amazing facts you might not know, Forrest Gump: 15 Amazing Facts You Might Not Know. Yahoo! Available at: https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/forrest-gump-15-amazing-facts-it-won-tom-hanks-112216203471.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMJJGN33Ai_0fVDk_AKLNf4XmOj9pOxlFel74ZDLGKbAsGUrHYnFg-SM1hwm8nDPPHEmp3mX8NQbnEvIfJboafjlxTVytY4D40fAjSMMZVvAXZ3WfMI6IWbvlL5UgihoktUKKtD9qLzCj2CeD_7Cxi0qBHXibZ8Gi0fxzOSXpFUl (Accessed: February 28, 2023).
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