Angle, Level, Height, and Distance in Cinematography

1) Stills from existing media using angle, level, height, and distance to convey meaning

a. Still image from The Maze Runner, 2014, showing how angle is used to convey conflict, character, or development.

The angle used in this frame was a low angle shot. Usually, it can be inferred that the characters in the low-angle are intended to convey authority, but with the story's context, it does quite the opposite. The group of boy's memory has been wiped and placed in an experiment unknowingly, never having received much change in several years until recently. In the scene, a woman makes her way up to the boys from a pit that is used to send in new people on these rare occasions. A low angle shot is used here to develop the movie, capturing the group's obvious shared trait; all members of the male sex and also the bewilderment they share as they look down and process seeing a woman for the first time they can remember.

b. Still image from Twilight, 2008 showing how level is used to convey conflict, character, or development.

In this Dutch level shot, the camera is tilted dramatically to convey the intense, chaotic attack happening to the movie's protagonist Bella Swan. She is on the floor at the lower left half of this tilt, conveying a sense of vulnerability to the antagonist, James, who appears to be advancing threateningly at the highest right part of the tilt toward Bella. The combination of a Dutch level and the low angle of Bella, makes her look helpless, while the high tilt in James's direction conveys his power over her.

c. Still image from The Money Pit, 1986, showing how height is used to convey conflict, character, or development.

In this shot, the camera is positioned at ground level to draw attention to the white shoes stepping over the fingers of the man in the shot, Walter. At this height, Walter can be seen looking up at his wife in distress as he holds onto the wood floor. The way the shot is composed furthers the storyline's development by giving context as to what causes Walter to scream and let go of the ledge where the stairs once were.

d. Still image from The Watcher, 2022, showing how distance is used to convey conflict, character, or development.

The distance of the camera to the focus of the house creates suspense. To the right of the image, the back of a figure can be seen in the dark, facing the house very far from it. The house is lit with warm colors versus the dark and eerie unknown figure which adds uneasiness to the scene, as the people in the house cannot see they are being watched from such a far distance.

2) Stills I created using angle, level, height, or distance to convey meaning

a. A still showing how angle is used to convey conflict, character, or development.

A high angle shot is used in the image to show the boy's inferiority to the person, who we only see a hand of, holding a weapon above him. He can be seen in a crouched position on the floor at this angle, making him appear weak and in danger to the threat who is looking down at him, providing them leverage and a suspense of conflict to the image.

b. A still showing how level is used to convey conflict, character, or development. 

Dutch shots are often used to dramatize the chaos and confusion of a moment. Here, this level is used to align with the emotions that can be inferred from the image. The boy appears to be in distress along the lower tilt of the frame, placing both of his hands on either side of his head. The dramatic tilt in which he is on the low end of, communicates that he is feeling down and under pressure by the figure appearing on the high end of the tilt. The boy looks to the other boy upset, with a crossed facial expression. It can be inferred that there is an argument taking place and the boy is overwhelmed by the expression of chaos portrayed alongside the leveling being distorted in this image.

c. A still showing how height is used to convey conflict, character, or development. 

In this image, a ground level shot is taken, with the camera positioned below the knee level to draw attention and curiosity to the bag being held by the person walking in front of it. A piece of paper is attached to the bag labeled with various insults. The height of the camera allows viewers to see what is written on the figure's bag, further developing the inferences that can be made about the figure and situation. It is likely the person has no idea this is on their bag and will feel poorly about themselves when discovering it. Using a ground level shot from behind the figure gives information to viewers that the figure is not aware of and also ties into the anticipated reaction of the figure, hence, 'feeling low.'

d. A still showing how distance is used to convey conflict, character, or development.

The camera is positioned in extremely close proximity to the figure, portraying a sense of invaded personal space and threat. The figure appears to be expressing reluctance and uncomfortableness based on her facial expressions in relation to the camera's closeness near the face.

3) Reflection

When creating my still photo experiment, I found it challenging to have my intentions for the shot easily conveyed. I can utilize techniques with height by positioning the camera at eye, knee, or ground level to focus on something, but I wanted it to convey more meaning than a simple visual. At first when composing my height still, I captured a photo with the same figure holding a bag in one hand below the knee at ground level to draw attention and curiosity to the bag being held. But, the height did not add significance to my image. It was a shot of a plain bag and with just this alone, not much can be taken from it. I realized I had to connect camera placements in relation to the story desired to be told by adding more context clues in my photos. I added a piece of paper onto the bag labeled with insults to portray the cluelessness of the figure, as they are walking around with a bag pasted with mean comments toward them. The purpose was to make the height more purposeful to this individual image. By using a ground level shot from behind the figure, it creates anticipation — as viewers know something now that the figure does not because it is not in their sight yet. It also parallels how the figure may feel after seeing the image; a feeling of sadness, bringing their mood ‘down’ metaphorically to the shot’s proximity to the ground. I also pondered whether the message of uneasiness and conflict associated with extreme closeness in someone’s personal space still applies when it is the camera invading that space. To ensure this connection, I had my actress imitate uncomfortable facial expressions and appear in distress facing the camera to convey its ‘threatening presence.’