Plan: EXTREME Camera Angle Tutorial

Camera angles included:

• over the shoulder - over someone's shoulder
• birds eye - over the atrium or held by a person on a secure chair
• worms eye - place it on the floor face up (in a safe place)
• attached - hold like a hand bag (like it's attached to a bag)
• p.o.v - someone hold in front of eyes
• extreme close up - show eyes or mouth etc.
• high angle - point down at person
• low angle - point up at person

Ellie - camera woman

Kayleigh - actress/ voice over person

Mia - editor

SAD EVIL PANDAS GO.

Script:

K: Hello, in this video we're going to teach you how to use Extreme camera angles appropriately.

       Firstly the Over the shoulder shot. This camera angle shows an actor's perspective, similar to p.o.v, but from the subject's shoulder (it's less intrusive and more cinematic). To achieve this, the camera must be placed on a tripod that is at the appropriate height (i.e. the actor's shoulder). It's often used to show two actor's conversing. In this case you must follow the 180 degree rule, as to not confuse the audience.

       The bird's eye shot is often used as an establishing shot (specifically in Sci-Fi movies). To achieve this in a professional scenario you would need to use a crane or other similar equipment to elevate the camera. However, in a low-budget scenario you can either use a large tripod, extended to it's full length or the cameraman can hold the camera whilst standing/ sitting on a higher surface. If you choose to use the latter method, ensure the cameraman's safety before shooting.

       The worm's eye shot is the counterpart of the bird's eye shot. It's often used in dream sequences, pointed towards the sky, to relax the audience. All you need to do to achieve this is to place the camera on a dry surface and point it upwards. Make sure that others know not to walk within a certain radius of the camera so that they don't stand on it by accident!

       The "attached" shot requires a smaller, more moveable camera to be effective. Although, in some cases a larger camera can be used. In this instance, we are using a panasonic as if it is a hand bag. If you were to use a Go Pro to film this, all you would need to do is attach it to a hand bag and then carry it. Using a Go Pro would be more effective, as it provides a more realistic experience. This shot can be used in many instances. It's often used in music videos to provide an alternative view for the audience.

       Similar to the over the shoulder shot, the p.o.v shot shows the subject's p.o.v. However, this shot is far more intrusive than that of the over the shoulder shot, as it shows the direct vision of the actor. As a result, this shot is only used in appropriate circumstances, such as when you want the audience to identify with a specific character (excluding 'Peep Show', in which the entire sequence consists of p.o.v. shots, hence the name).

      Extreme close ups are appropriate for emotional situations, such as when a character is angry or upset. These shots show very minute details that may be missed when seen in wider shots. It's important to place the camera on a tripod or steady surface for this shot, as any tiny movements will be evident in the shot due to the extreme zoom. Be careful not to zoom in too much, as this looks awkward.

       The high angle is possibly one of the most used "extreme" shots in the film industry. It's used to show certain characters as inferior to their counterparts. A famous use of this angle is in Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho', when the detective is killed. The high angle effectively shows that his killer is dominant and has the power to end his life. All you need for this shot is a tripod that's almost, if not fully extended, depending on how dramatic you want the shot to be. I wouldn't recommend an overly dramatic high angle shot, as it can look awkward and in extreme cases, the camera could slip off of the tripod.

        In contrast, the low angle shot shows characters who are more dominant. If the character is looking directly at the camera during a low angle shot, it can suggest that this character is more dominant than the audience. For example, in 'The Dark Knight' there is a scene in which the Joker is pinning Batman to the floor, which is shot from a low angle, showing that he is more dominant in this scene. To achieve this angle the tripod wants to be lower than your subject, but not too low, because you don't want to be able to see all the way up your subject's nose. The camera should be tilted upwards, keeping your subject neatly within frame.

       Thank you for watching our tutorial. Happy shooting!

Camera Angles

High angle:

       For this angle the camera is positioned above the subject with a crane or other piece of suitable equipment. It is often used to show that the subject is inferior to another person or thing. For example, in 'Psycho' by Alfred Hitchcock a high angle shot is used to show that the detective is inferior to the killer, as he is stabbed and then pushed down the stairs. It's also foreshadowing, as the audience can't see his point of view, which makes them suspicious as to what is about to happen.

Upside down angle:

       In this angle the camera often starts with the subject being upside down and the shot being right side up. As the shot progresses the camera rotates so that the subject is right side up, instead of the shot (or sometimes the other way around). In 'The Dark Knight' this is used to show how the audience are slowly becoming acclimatised to the Joker's logic. It also presents the Joker in a strange way, making his mental condition apparent on the outside. However, in 'The Girl with the Dragoon Tattoo' this angle is used to show the twisted mental state of one of the main characters (by moving from the character being right side up to upside down).

Canted angle (Dutch Tilt):

       This camera angle is often used in MTV music videos to create an interesting and dramatic effect. This angle was used extensively in the film 'The Third Man' to show the main character's alienation from a foreign environment. With the horizon of the shot being tilted the audience feels slightly disorientated, possibly as the character would, so that they can empathise with them.

Worm's eye view:

       The worm's eye view is the counterpart to the bird's eye view shot. It's often used during a dream sequence or a character's thought track, as it's a relaxing thing to look up at the sky. In James Cameron's 'Avatar' this shot is used to show the point of view of Grace, who is dying. The shot symbolises her soul leaving her body and joining the other souls in the tree of life.

Noddy shot:

       A Noddy shot usually shows an interviewer reacting to the interviewee. Although this isn't commonly used in films, the 'Scream' franchise use this to show how the media play a key part in the films (particularly in 'Scream 4').

Zolly shot:

       The zolly shot (dolly zoom) requires the camera to be rigged to some kind of dolly track. As the camera moves forwards on the track, you zoom out, creating this weird separation extending effect. To make an effective zolly shot you must zoom out at the same speed as the camera tracks in. In 'Vertigo' by Alfred Hitchcock, this shot is used to portray how Scottie (the main character) is afraid of heights. It looks as if the stairs are extending, making him seem higher up than he actually is.

"Attached" angle:

       I'm not 100% sure what the official name for a shot like this is, but I'm referring to when a camera is attached to a moving object to create a strange sense of movement. In this picture above it shows a man playing a brass instrument. He has attached a camera to the end of his instrument so that when he plays it the camera moves dramatically forwards and backwards. This is more often used in music videos than films, however.

The Basics of Post-Production Workflow

       The very first thing that you should do in the post-production process is decide where all of your media will be stored. It's important that everything is stored in the same place so that if you ever need to transfer the project to another device, you don't lose anything. It also makes the job 100 times easier.  You should make a new folder and name it appropriately.

       I've named my folder 'The Project' and I've placed it on the desktop, making it easy to find. You can choose to save your work on an internal or external hard drive, depending on what is best for you (if you plan on working on several different machines, saving everything on an external hard drive would save time).

       Now it's time to set up Scratch Disks on Final Cut Pro. These are very important, because they dictate where autosaves, log and transfer footage and other files are saved. Firstly, navigate to the "Final Cut Pro" tab at the top of the page and then click "System settings".

       A window will pop up entitled "Scratch Disks". You'll see that there are four boxes that are all ticked. Next to them there will be a button that says "Set". Click that and navigate to the folder you created earlier. By doing this, you will tell Final Cut Pro to save all files in said folder and so nothing will be lost.

       Your project can consist of as many or as little sequences as you want. Sequences relate to the timeline in which you are working with. If you double click on the sequence you want to work with you are able to add or change footage within that timeline.

       When it comes to exporting the finished product, you may want or need to have the file in a specific format. If you're producing work for a client they may need the format to be DVD/ internet friendly etc. Final Cut Pro has two main methods when it comes to exporting: Quicktime movie (a high quality compressed version of your project in a .MOV file - an Apple developed format) 

OR Quicktime conversion (this allows the user to choose the format of the finished project, as well as the resolution and the quality).

Cables

Composite Video (analogue)

The analogue transmission carries standard definition - 480i (interlaced) or 576i signal. It's used for standard formats such as SECAM, PAL and NTSC. The cable only carries one signal, unlike S-Video or Component, meaning the quality of the signal can be quite poor. In addition, once the signal is lost, it can't be brought back. These cables can be used for most home analogue video equipment, such as a TV. However, this cable doesn't transmit audio, making it inappropriate for DVD players etc.

S-Video (analogue)

This cable carries a standard definition signal, just like Composite video (480i and 576i). However, S-Video is a higher quality cable, as it separates black and white colour signals. Two signals are better than one. However, it doesn't support as high a resolution as the component cable. The cable has 5 pins, four of which have their own ground pin. The bottom pin is simply for holding purposes. This makes it more appropriate for analogue equipment that may need to move (e.g. if you're using a TV on a movable stand the wire is less likely to fall out). Again, this cable doesn't transmit audio.

Component Video (analogue)

Component Video is separated into three different signals - red, green and blue (RGB). This allows for a higher quality colour image. Component is capable of full HD resolution, but the nature of digital TVs means that extra conversion must take place, which can create artefacts. Not all HD sources support progressive output, so the signal may be limited to 1080i. Although component isn't as impressive as HDMI, it's the cable you'd use if a HDMI was unavailable. You may use it for a games console etc. This cable also doesn't transmit audio, making it appropriate for store use (in the display area you can see the images on screen, but you can't hear anything).

VGA (analogue)

VGA is often used for computer monitors and can connect to an array of equipment including: HDTVs, netbooks, video cards and laptops. Similarly to the component video cable, it splits the signals into three different colours - red, green and blue. These cables can allow for any resolutions between 640x400 and 2048x1536, but the higher resolution cables often require coaxial wiring and insulation for a higher quality. VGA doesn't support audio, making this cable appropriate for showing presentations etc.

DVI Cable (digital)

DVI is considered to be a better cable than VGA, because it's a digital cable, meaning no loss in quality. There are three main types of DVI cables, all made  for different uses. These are DVI-D, DVI-A and DVI-I. It can be used for HDTVs and video cards and the cable comes in single and dual link. DVI cables are capable of a higher resolution than VGA (3840x2400), making them the preferred option. Despite how high quality these cables are, they still can't transmit audio.

HDMI (digital)

HDMI can be used on a wide range of devices including: cameras, blu-ray players, monitors and computers. It is a single cable that transmits both video and audio, making it a preferable cable. The fact that it's digital also makes it preferable, as there's no loss of signal. There are three versions of HDMI cable; version 1.0 supports 1920x1080p; version 1.4 supports ethernet, 3D and 3840x2160 at 30fps and version 2.0 supports 3840x2160 at 60fps.

RCA Connector (analogue)

Similar to HDMI, RCA cables are used to transmit audio and video signals. The cables are considered to be consumer grade, as they are very common and often come with most electronics (e.g. consoles). However, they are primarily used for stereo equipment. They can be used for many devices before and after the digital switchover (VHS, DVD players, TVs). Despite their usefulness, they are susceptible to hum and noise and they lose quality over distance.

1/4 and 1/8 (3.5mm) jack (analogue)

The smaller jack (3.5mm) is mainly used in phones and DSLR's, as these cables are intended for short runs. The larger jack (1/4) is for audio recording equipment, stereo equipment, guitar and bass leads. Generally, the bigger the equipment, the bigger the jack needed. Also the larger jacks are of a higher quality, but they wouldn't be appropriate for phones, because phones are too small.

XLR Connector (digital)

This is the most common cable used for microphones, as the switch allows for a large amount of movement without letting the microphone fall out of the back of the camera. There are 3 pins, similar to the balanced connection on a 3.5mm or 1/4mm jack. The female end is usually the source and the male end is the input. Using a 1/4 jack on a set to record audio would be a bad idea, as the cable could easily fall out of the camera without anyone knowing and so the footage would be audio-less and unusable.