I have a word doc that I can email anyone to show them the 30 degree rule and I can explain it in simpler terms if you want. This is from my filmmaking book "Just Shoot It! email me at curtis@filmschoolnow.com This rule is in regards to camera position in relation to your subject. The basics are that as you move from your long shot to your medium shot to your CU you change the vertical and horizontal angles of the camera with the eyeline of the subject. Watch any film. Most long shots are shot mostly from the side and above the subject...then the medium shot would be more in line with their eyeline and lower in hieght than the long shot, but still above their head...then the CU would be most in line with their eyeline...both in the horizontal angle (Almost directly in front of the subject) and the vertical angle (same height as the subject). You rarely want to be directly in front of the subject...shoot at angles to add depth to your shots. Watch any film with the sound off so you notice the angles and lighting.
rule of thirds question
- Thread starter HenryDee
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Kess, I would enjoy understanding your view of this rule better. I have never heard it put that way.
30% rule is simply moving the camera position left or right by 30% from where it was, keeping same distance from subject and same lens size. Think of a 180 degree circle surrounding the subject. Moving at least 30 % or more will make the footage cuttable. If you try less it may not look to well when cut together.
The 20% rule is the main rule, it's simply, The camera must change be at least 20% different in position than any other position, this includes lens length. All of this makes it so the footage is cuttable with out introducing jump cuts. Say you want to shoot a long shot and then stay on axis and cut to a closer shot. Increase the shot size by roughly 20% or more and you're safe.
Also: It's best to have movement somewhere inside the shot at the beginning and the end of where the cut occurs, why? because cuts work best when there is a motion blur that attracks the eye. Melding the two blurs of the outgoing and incoming shots together helps to create the illussion of smooth cuts. All of this comes from cinema's next cousin --- The magician and his Magic.
30% rule is simply moving the camera position left or right by 30% from where it was, keeping same distance from subject and same lens size. Think of a 180 degree circle surrounding the subject. Moving at least 30 % or more will make the footage cuttable. If you try less it may not look to well when cut together.
The 20% rule is the main rule, it's simply, The camera must change be at least 20% different in position than any other position, this includes lens length. All of this makes it so the footage is cuttable with out introducing jump cuts. Say you want to shoot a long shot and then stay on axis and cut to a closer shot. Increase the shot size by roughly 20% or more and you're safe.
Also: It's best to have movement somewhere inside the shot at the beginning and the end of where the cut occurs, why? because cuts work best when there is a motion blur that attracks the eye. Melding the two blurs of the outgoing and incoming shots together helps to create the illussion of smooth cuts. All of this comes from cinema's next cousin --- The magician and his Magic.
The 30 degree rule doesn't take into consideration the lens changes nor distance from the camera to the subject. Those will most likely change as well. I am only talking about the horizontal and vertical angles from camera to subject. Simply drawing a line from the subject to the camera for each shot then measuring that angle between shot lines. Jumping from a long shot to a CU can be close to the same line and not look like a jump cut as you noted. It is all experimentation, but simply watch any good film and the camera angles become obvious. It is called angle plus angle, because you are not only changing the horizontal angle but the vertical angle/height of the camera between shots as well. Here are the 7 questions to ask yourself for each shot:
Each shot requires at least 7 decisions involving the camera besides whether the subject will be moving or not.
1. What lens will you use? This refers to the focal length of the lens.
2. How far will you place the camera from your subject? Most shots are done within a 4-14 foot range.
3. What will be the Vertical Camera Angle in relation to the subject? This means the height of the camera? Will the camera be below the subject, above the subject or even with the subject?
4. What will be the Horizontal Camera Angle? Will the camera be straight on in regards to the subject or at an angle? How much of an angle?
5. Will the camera be moving (dynamic) or not (static)? What kind of movement? One moving shot might be able to cover what would take several static shots.
6. What will be in focus and what will be out of focus? Will you use soft focus, hard focus, etc?
7. How will you expose your shots? Normal, underexposed or overexposed?
Each shot requires at least 7 decisions involving the camera besides whether the subject will be moving or not.
1. What lens will you use? This refers to the focal length of the lens.
2. How far will you place the camera from your subject? Most shots are done within a 4-14 foot range.
3. What will be the Vertical Camera Angle in relation to the subject? This means the height of the camera? Will the camera be below the subject, above the subject or even with the subject?
4. What will be the Horizontal Camera Angle? Will the camera be straight on in regards to the subject or at an angle? How much of an angle?
5. Will the camera be moving (dynamic) or not (static)? What kind of movement? One moving shot might be able to cover what would take several static shots.
6. What will be in focus and what will be out of focus? Will you use soft focus, hard focus, etc?
7. How will you expose your shots? Normal, underexposed or overexposed?
Warren Foster
Active member
Psynema
Well-known member
Draw an X from Corner to Corner, the Diagonal lines will always intersect where the thirds intersect - and just align your subject towards the diagonals - ie a subject seated right but looking left would have the "Your left" shoulder line up with a diagonal, and that same diagonal intersects the eyeball on "your right" -
Ok sounds confusing and is just my subjective way, but find it very intuitive - it's just easier to imagine an X from corner to corner than a perfectly proportional tic tac toe board while also taking action safe cropping into account.
Yeah, this post really needs pics lol.
Ok sounds confusing and is just my subjective way, but find it very intuitive - it's just easier to imagine an X from corner to corner than a perfectly proportional tic tac toe board while also taking action safe cropping into account.
Yeah, this post really needs pics lol.