Camera Angles and their significance

High Angle

The significance of the high-angle shot is to show the audience that the subject feels vulnerable or is of lower status than something or someone around them. The above scene from Wayne's World (1992), does both. In this case the high-angle shot is used to signify the vulnerability of Wayne and Garth, psychically and emotionally. Psychically, it draws a comparison to their size vs the massive plane that is about to fly over them. Emotionally, it represents the vulnerability of the conversation they're having.

Wide Shot

The wide shot is a camera angle that shows the entire subject or person and the relation to their surroundings. They are often shot using a wide angle lens. In this example from A Clockwork Orange (1971), the director has decided to use this angle in conjunction with the lighting behind the subjects, to create an eerie yet overpowering scene. This works extremely well, as the shadows draw you into the subject and set the scene for what will happen next. It also gives dominance to the subjects and emphasizes their power.

Close Up

A close up shot tightly frames an object or a person. A close up tells the audience to pay close attention to what is happening. It draws attention to the character and communicates the importance of their reaction, behaviour or facial expression. In Final Destination 3 (2006) the director uses the close up shot a lot. One of my favourites is the tanning bed scene, the use of the close up here is to capture the horror and helplessness that the characters are feeling. 

Full Shot

A full shot is a type of shot in which a character's entire body reaches from the top to the bottom of the frame. As the character is framed from head to toe with little background distraction, it directs the focus of the audience to the emotions of the character as well as their body language, outfit/physique and actions. In the example of Candyman (1999) the full shot shows off his coat and his confident stance. The way he is stood with his hands behind his back is significant of his character and the shot highlights this to create suspense when Helen first sees him.

Dutch Angle

The Dutch angle is a shot where the camera has been rotated around the axis of the lens and relative to the horizon or vertical lines in the shot. The purpose of this is to make the audience feel disoriented or that something is wrong. The above picture is a scene from Bullet Train (2022). The director has used this to exaggerate and add movement to the violence.

Overhead Shot

An overhead shot is when the camera is placed directly above the subject. They are used to allow the viewer to see the action whilst still maintaining character detail. The above shot is from The Lost Boys (1987), using the overhead shot here is highlighting how tightly they are holding onto the bridge and also how high up they are.

Establishing Shot

An establishing shot shows the audience the setting of the scene that is about to take place. This shot is from the movie MEN (2022). I think that the director has used this establishing shot in a really clever way. It sets a very nice scene of a pretty house in the British countryside, so the audience get a very calm feeling. The reason I like this, is because as the film goes on, the story gets darker and so it contradicts the feeling of the original establishing shot. This would also cause a very strong reaction in the audience as the environment changes drastically, building up feelings of shock and uneasiness.

Low Angle

A low angle shot is any shot that comes from a camera angle positioned on the vertical axis. A low angle shot can vary from a few inches below a subject to all the way to the ground, directly below the subjects feet. A low angle can make the subject look powerful or angry. The example of the shot from Basketball Diaries (1995), conveys strong emotion and captures the character deep in thought, writing, instead of playing basketball with his friends.