Camera Work: What's Your Angle (page 3)

Don't Overdo It

Though experiencing a bit of a comeback, Dutch angles have long been out of fashion for a simple reason: a little goes a very long way.

And we could say the same of most other unusual angles: employ them sparingly and at just the right point, like the scissors example above, and they can be very effective. But hit the audience with one unexpected angle after another and you'll quickly risk overkill. Very soon, the viewer will start to think, "Enough with the artsy-craftsy stuff, already; just get on with your story."

How much variety is the right amount? There's no valid way to determine that. Instead, keep always in mind what professional directors know: for every shot there is one certain angle, one particular perspective that is the right one--the one that communicates best.

And very often, that optimal viewpoint is not from standing eye-level.

Good shooting!

Footnote: A Hiker's Monopod

In a piece on vacations that I wrote a while back, I suggested that hiking videomakers could make a camcorder monopod double as a walking staff, though most brands were not sturdy enough for serious back-country trekking.

Since then I've come across a product designed as a staff that also works well as a monopod. Four models of Tracks brand walking staffs from Cascade Designs, Inc. feature removable walnut palm knobs attached to their tops by tripod-threaded bolts. Spin off the knob, screw on your camcorder, and you're in business. For more info, call (800) 531-9531.