Dutch angles

When integrated into a film during a sequence of emotional intensity, the audience won't even realize the geometry of the shot is uncentered. They will just sense that the world feels "off". In this sense a dutch angle can be a very powerful device.

But the storytelling techniques come first and foremost.
 
Ryan Patrick O'Hara said:
Dutch is something that is very easy to get wrong and very hard to get right.

My favorite dutch angle use, from the top of my head... the opening from Natural Born Killers. Amazing.

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I AGREE
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That's one of the more uncomfortable things I've watched.

Dutch Angles can make you sick...
 
Knoxworth said:
When integrated into a film during a sequence of emotional intensity, the audience won't even realize the geometry of the shot is uncentered. They will just sense that the world feels "off". In this sense a dutch angle can be a very powerful device.

But the storytelling techniques come first and foremost.
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+1, absolutely. Camera technique must serve the storytelling, not the other way around.

Dutch angles are the Tabasco Sauce of camera technique. Used well it can elevate a dish. Usually a little goes a long way but how much you want depends on your taste. And if that's your only spice the meal will likely bore you after the first few bites.
 
I saw a good one in Casino when Ace is talking to Ginger and she's on the bed. The camera stays aligned with his back rather than the rest of the room and the bed. It does a great job of maintaining focus on Ace and helps contrast his steadfast demeanor with her wild emotion.
 
I was watching the special features for "Live Free, or Die Hard"(2007), and in the scene where there's a semitractor going up a 'steep' freeway ramp, the special features showed, the set ramp did have a slope, and by 'dutching' the camera, they were able to give the impression of a much steeper slope, giving a more 'exciting' look to 'will he make it... no he wont'... but you are not really aware that the angle has been 'dutched'.

The 'Batman' TV series dutching is done to be so very obvious... and along with the big on screen text for sound effects, is why that TV series has been put into cold storage relative to Bluray versions... wouldn't want to 'cheapen' the franchise after spending so much money to reboot it...
 
I use a "Bavarian angle", i.e. 90°, for green screen work with talent that is mostly vertical and staying in one spot.

That way I have more resolution for nice edges. I pull the key, then rotate to composite.
 
MatthewC said:
Thoughts on this? I was thinking about plunking a few in when they are hiking in the woods (just for better composition, going up hills, etc.), or there's some subtext in the scene that things aren't quite right but we don't know why. What are the general rules on it? I figure I'll play with it a bit and see how it feels, but I'd hate to shoot em and have it not work. Then again, I'm only doing scenic shots dutched, no dialogue etc so I'm sure I'll have the time to pump a couple of each shot off and play it safe.
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What a horribly wishy-washy way to think about this. You're a director-- make some firm decisions about your style...get some backbone! ;)

There's no "guarantees" about these things, brother. Its art, not science.

Dutch angles are gonna be all over my feature length horror film. Also lots of wacky, kinetic handheld (yeah you heard me) I'm going for a wild, kinetic, expressionist style...

Either Dutch or Don't!

:D

But yeah, Anthony Dod Mantle rocks em well.
 
Tilt is bad enough. Dutch is horrid. The lens should stay perpendicular to the planet.

Too many tilt down instead of setting the camera at the right height - which is hard - and why a proper dolly makes a movie look truly pro.

i use shift lenses in occasion to keep the lens flat but get the right vertical fov. A proper flat lens is so under rated.

All rules should be broken.
 
I believe it is more properly called: "A Dutch Tilt". A Dutch angle has more to do with pornography . . . doesn't it?
 
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Well Dutch Angles only good when used well, have to have Thor there were too many Dutch angles even moments when its not needed. The way to use it is to show the world is not normal and something bad is going to happen. You can also indicate it in a long shot and changing the angle from normal to angled. For example you have a guy walking around all the angle is normal then suddenly sees a group of zombies and you capture a closeup of his head while turning into Dutch and change his pov still tuning into dutch and he runs away from this moment you can change between Dutch and non Dutch as your liking. Then he bumps into a normal person and you can either add the going from angled to normal or have it on normal to indicate he is safe while he talks to the that person. When zombie turns up you can go to Dutched again.
 
Some nice Dutch angles in 28 Days Latter. The one I remember the most is a wide shot showing a block of flats, on the roof are loads of different coloured containers, for catching rain water. Nice shot, stuck in my mind for some reason, as do many shots from that film.
 
I rarely use them, but they absolutely can be used to great effect.

This was years ago, but it stuck in my memory as a shot i liked getting, i would explain what's going on in the shot, but if you have to explain it, then it really wouldn't be an effective shot to begin with :)

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