The Spider World

Posts Tagged ‘You Tube marketing’

When you listen to a critique of a Hollywood movie, the choice of the director’s camera angles is always part of the discussion..

Unique and unusual camera angles make far more interesting visuals. Compelling visuals are the heart of a great video.

So how do you develop an eye for great camera angles?

First, be observant and look for unusual perspectives. Anything other than standard height from a standard vantage point will be perceived as unique by viewers.

Now, having said that, let’s not go overboard. Unless you are doing something off-the-wall, most of your video will be made from standard angles. Standard height, normal perspective. The unusual angles should be like spices in a stew, used for a dash of flavor not an overload.

Whenever I shoot video, I concentrate first on standard angels. Wide shots, medium shots and close ups from logical and natural looking angles. Once I have an adequate amount of standard stuff, THEN, I go for some unusual angles.

The height of the camera is an easy way to get an unusual angle. People are used to seeing the world from a height of 5 to 6 feet. So anything other than that will be an unusual perspective.

Sit on the floor and shoot from there. Get up on a table or roof and shoot from there. Looking up at somebody with a camera makes them look huge and powerful. Looking down on someone makes them look small and weak. How extreme of an angle you choose depends on how much you want this affect. Just a touch of a high angle will make someone look a bit small (and a bit thinner!), but taping them from thirty feet above their head can make them look utterly powerless.