Day 4: Cinematic Composition & Camera Angles
Master the Art of Visual Storytelling
This video is all about composition. What is composition in terms of creating cinematic videos? Well, it covers a wide spectrum but basically it's how we arrange the elements of our scene so that the final image looks amazing.
The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts
That's exactly what our goal with composition is. We want our final image to be more than just the elements in a frame. We want things to work together in a way that really pops and jumps out of the frame at you.
Now there are literally full textbooks on image composition so it's impossible to cover everything in one video, but armed with these five rules you will be able to shoot amazing content.
Top 5 Rules of Composition
Rule #1: The Rule of Thirds (The Holy Grail)
Cut your image into thirds both horizontally and vertically.
Placing Subjects (Especially People)
We typically want to place our subjects along the vertical lines with their eye falling on the intersection of the vertical and horizontal line.
Two Critical Concepts:
Looking Room
Our subject has more space in front of them in the direction they're looking in, less space behind them.
Why it matters: It's very awkward to have a subject looking in a direction that has less space. It's almost like they're looking away from the audience which is strange.
Headspace
Giving our subject the correct amount of room both above and below their head.
- Too much room: We're not making good use of filling the space that we have
- Not enough room: We start cutting off parts of the subject's head (also not good)
💡 Exception: Dramatic Close-Up Shots
For dramatic close-up shots, it's okay to cut off parts of our subject's head. Keep in mind: It's more acceptable to chop off hair than it is to chop off part of the speaker's mouth.
It's very strange to hear a subject while not being able to actually see their mouth.
Using the Horizontal Lines
We typically use the horizontal lines for aligning our horizon.
Depending on what your subject is (the sky or the ground), you align the horizon accordingly so the subject takes up more of the frame, assuming dominance.
Rule #2: Symmetry
Our eyes naturally find symmetry pleasing. So in certain cases when possible, it's a great idea to frame your scene so that there is an element of symmetry.
Why Anthony's Setup is Symmetrical
"You might be asking yourself - Anthony, you are currently in the middle of the frame and not off to the side following the rule of thirds. Well my friends, this brings me to rule number two."
This scene is symmetrical and that's why I place myself in the center. It looks much better than if I were to align myself along one of the thirds, making the scene look much less balanced overall.
Creating Symmetry
Look for natural symmetry in everything that you shoot. Not only that, you can create symmetry.
Example: I originally only had one desk lamp but when I saw the opportunity to make this a symmetrical frame, I went and grabbed a second light and all of a sudden I had a perfectly symmetrical frame.
Wherever you can justify adding symmetry to your scene, do it.
💡 Why Symmetry Works for Educational Content
Personally I love symmetry because I think it makes it much easier for the viewer to absorb the content as they're naturally drawn to the center of the frame and there are very few distractions.
For educational content like this where we want zero distractions, center framing makes a lot of sense.
Rule #3: Create Depth in Your Scene
This is probably the most important for getting that cinematic look and personally my favorite to talk about.
What does creating depth mean? Basically do everything you can to make your scene look as immersive and three dimensional as possible. Not flat and boring.
Techniques for Creating Depth
Technique 1: Film with a Low Aperture
Getting that blurred out background emphasizing the fact that there is distance between your subject and your background.
⚠️ High Aperture Problems
Filming at a high aperture eliminates that blurred out background making the image look more flat, and it also adds a lot of unnecessary detail to the background which can distract the viewer away from the subject.
Think about all the stuff behind you - whiteboards, desk items, etc. You don't need viewers to see all that. When you have all that stuff in the background, you want a low aperture so that everything back there is blurred.
Technique 2: Physically Separate Subject from Background
A moment ago I mentioned having a blurred out background helps emphasize the fact that there is distance between the subject and the background. Well you can't emphasize distance unless there actually is distance to begin with.
Example from This Scene
I purposely pull my chair up several feet closer to the camera and away from the desk in the back. I do this to create distance between the subject (me) and the background.
If I were to place myself right up against the background, the amount of blur would go down a ton and the overall scene would have much less depth.
Rule: Always try and separate your subject by pulling them away from the background.
Technique 3: Film Against Something in the Foreground
This will help your viewer visualize the distance in your scene because now instead of just having a subject and a background, you have a foreground, a subject, and a background.
There's now an entirely new three-dimensional layer of the scene. Three layers of depth is greater than two.
Technique 4: Utilize Leading Lines
These are lines that penetrate through the three-dimensional distance in a frame - like a road starting in front of you and traveling all the way off into the sunset.
Benefits of leading lines:
- Help the viewer truly realize the depth of the scene
- Can act to draw the eyes of the viewer naturally to the subject of the frame
I always find myself looking for lines that exist naturally in a scene that I can use to my advantage.
Rule #4: Framing
There can be a lot that goes into this. Here are the key principles:
Keep Lines Straight
You want to always ensure that your lines are straight up and down or straight side to side. Having tilted frames can disorient your audience which is almost always really bad.
⚠️ Exception: Dutch Angle Shot
The only exception would be if your goal was to have a dutch angle shot, which is when you purposely tilt the camera to disorient the audience. Shots like these are typically used in horror films to show that something is off.
Common Beginner Mistake: One of the biggest things I see is improper framing caused by the horizon of the scene to be off and tilted, which no one is used to seeing.
For instance, I can always spot a rookie drone pilot when I look at their pictures or videos and their horizon is just completely off to one side - you just can't unsee it.
Fill the Frame
Basically don't let dead space take over your scene. Make sure that the subject fills as much of the frame as possible.
Viewers want to be up close and personal with the subject of the videos they're watching. Help them accomplish that goal by filling the frame with the subject.
💡 Two Ways to Fill the Frame
- Zoom in
- Move yourself and your camera closer to the subject
Use Natural Shapes to Frame Your Subject
Look for shapes and position your subjects so they fall within those shapes and limit the amount of overlapping lines which make the image look confusing.
Example from This Scene
Drawing back to the scene you're looking at right now, I try very hard to keep my head within the black square of my computer behind it, minimizing the total number of overlapping lines and helping to keep the scene as balanced as possible.
I know I move my head a ton when I talk so I shift out of the box every now and again, but for the main part I keep my head inside this box which helps keep the scene look very organized.
You can find natural framing everywhere when you start looking for it, and if you pay attention to what you watch on TV, you'll probably start noticing it a lot there too.
Rule #5: Compose with Purpose
Always ensure you think about what you are doing and have reasoning behind why you're doing it.
Don't just throw your subject down, pop up the camera and hit record. Just a few minutes of forethought can lead to an eventual scene that looks so much better.
I can't tell you how many different iterations I ran through before finally deciding on this setup that you're looking at right now as my go-to for filming this training style content.
When to Break the Rules
There are always reasons to break the rules that I've outlined, but you're only allowed to do that if you do it with a purpose.
Example: Breaking the "Fill the Frame" Rule
Earlier in this video I outlined you should always fill your frame. Don't let the subject be a very small portion of the scene.
But what if... you want to portray the subject as being alone and distant and sad, as if the world around them is consuming them?
Well, placing them as a very small portion of the scene will help accomplish that goal. A lot of dramatic movies will do that - they'll have the subject take up only a very small portion of the scene, making them look small compared to the overall surroundings.
That's a good example of when you can break the rules. So think about what you're doing and act with a very distinct vision.
💡 Bonus Tip: Clean Up Your Frame
Always make sure to remove unnecessary junk from your scene that will only distract your viewer and make you look unprofessional as the production specialist.
Anthony's Secret
The desk in the background never looks as clean as it does when I'm filming these training videos. I normally have three coffee mugs, a seltzer can, a bowl that I was eating from, and like 10 stacks of paper.
But whenever I'm filming, I make sure I clean those things - or basically I just take them and throw them somewhere else. But it makes the scene look so much better because it's so much more clean and organized.
Key Takeaways: The 5 Rules of Composition
- Rule #1 - Rule of Thirds: Cut image into thirds; place subjects on vertical lines with proper looking room and headspace
- Rule #2 - Symmetry: Our eyes find symmetry pleasing; create or find symmetrical elements
- Rule #3 - Create Depth: Use low aperture, separate subject from background, add foreground elements, utilize leading lines
- Rule #4 - Framing: Keep lines straight, fill the frame, use natural shapes to frame subjects
- Rule #5 - Compose with Purpose: Think about what you're doing and why; you can break rules if done purposefully
- Bonus: Clean up your frame - remove distracting junk from your scene
That does it for this video on ideal image composition.
Thank you all for watching and I'll see you in the next one.
We're about to cover one of the absolute coolest aspects of creating cinematic commercials and that is camera angles!
What Are Camera Angles?
Camera angles are simply how we decide to position our camera and what lens we use to capture our scene.
You could film the same exact scene and place your camera in a hundred different spots and use a hundred different focal lengths, and each shot would look slightly different conveying a slightly different feeling and message.
So yeah, there are technically hundreds and hundreds of different creative camera angles, but today I want to go over the 10 primary camera angles we use to produce creative, cinematic, and engaging content.
The 10 Essential Camera Angles
- Wide Shot
- Tight Shot
- Extreme Close-Up
- Medium Shot
- Long Shot
- High Angle
- Low Angle
- Over the Shoulder
- POV Shot
- Cutaway Shot
1. Wide Shot
This is typically filmed on a wide angle lens and captures a lot of content in one shot.
Great for:
- Establishing a location
- Giving the viewer insight as to where this is all taking place
- Getting right up in the action of a scene and making the viewer feel the raw energy of a certain action as if they were really there
2. Tight Shot (Close-Up Shot)
Opposed to the wide shot, these are typically filmed on tighter focal lengths and focus on just one part of the subject.
I use these all the time in interviews.
3. Extreme Close-Up
Similarly filmed on a tighter focal length but right up and close with literally one minute focus showcasing practically nothing else in the scene.
Extreme close-up shots draw the viewer's eyes to one very specific subject giving them absolutely no excuse for distraction.
💡 Usage Tip
These are really dramatic shots and serve as great opportunities to quickly cut from a wider shot, focusing in briefly on one particular thing, and then cutting back to a wide shot.
4. Medium Shot
Typically capture just half of your subject. In the case of people, this would mean from the waist up.
These focus the viewer more specifically on what the subject is doing in that one moment. Slightly more personal than wide shots.
Medium shots are normally filmed on standard focal lengths like 35 millimeters but can also be captured from wide angle lenses and tighter focal lengths depending on where you position the camera in reference to the subject.
5. Long Shot
Typically filmed on a tighter more zoomed in focal length but from a distance - hence the name "long shot".
When filming people, their full body is still captured because the camera is so far away. Much less of the surroundings are captured though, and the focus is much more on just one subject rather than the scene as a whole.
6. High Angle Shot
Pretty straightforward. You film from a high angle looking down at your subject.
Emotional Effect: This conveys an emotional response of feeling like you're above the subject in a position of more power. This can work to belittle the subject.
7. Low Angle Shot
In contrast, we have low angle shots which are filmed looking up at the subject.
Emotional Effect: This angle makes the subject seem powerful and above us, doing the exact opposite of the high angle shot.
8. Over the Shoulder Shot
Great for conversations between two characters where you film over the shoulder of one person indicating what we're focusing on.
In the case of a conversation, this would be the other person in the scene - the actual subject.
9. POV Shot (Point of View)
These help the viewer literally get in the shoes of the subject seeing what they see firsthand.
This gives viewers a massive degree of perspective and can really immerse them in the action of a scene as if they're right there.
💡 Equipment Tip
GoPros and other wide angle cameras are great for accomplishing POV shots.
10. Cutaway Shot
This technically isn't one specific camera angle - it's more of a category of shots that we still absolutely need to cover.
The function of a cutaway shot is to literally cut away from the main scene to focus on a secondary thing.
This can be:
- A secondary plot or action
- A quick break from the main sequence which helps transition into a new sequence
- Almost like a happy medium between two contrasting forces
Connection to Extreme Close-Ups: You can be in a wide shot and quickly cut away to one specific aspect of the scene, drawing the viewer's eyes to what's really important before cutting back to potentially a new action sequence.
⚠️ The Power of Variation
The key here is to use variation in your camera angles when filming specific sequences. This will make your videos so much more dynamic and engaging to watch.
Variation in camera angles can make something that may seem boring - like making coffee - actually seem really exciting.
Example Comparison
I'll show you two different versions of the same scene:
- Version 1: Featuring only one camera angle
- Version 2: Utilizing all 10 camera angles
You tell me which is more exciting. Granted, I also used different music, added sound effects, and color graded the second video different, but hopefully you can see just how powerful camera angles can be.
💡 Important Balance
With that being said, you don't want to unnecessarily go overboard with using camera angles. Always make sure to film with purpose and have reasoning behind the angle you're using.
Practical Application: Commercial Filmmaking
Why Multiple Angles Are Essential for Interviews
One of the most common things I film in business are interviews. I almost always get two angles for interviews so that I can cut between them in the editing room.
This gives me the ability to easily cut out the "ums" and "ahs" seamlessly without the viewer realizing I actually cut out content.
How It Works
When I'm editing one angle and hear an "um" or the subject says "ah" or they pause briefly or even mess up, I can simply cut between one angle to another angle.
No one would ever notice that I actually cut stuff out. It just looks like a natural transition from one camera angle to another camera angle.
Having multiple angles allows you much more creative control in the editing room, which translates to a much easier job on your end.
Working with Only One Camera
The last point I want to make in this video applies to those with only one camera who can't film the same event from multiple angles all at once.
The answer: Film the same event multiple times, each time with a different camera angle.
So long as your subject performs the action in a relatively similar way each time, no viewer will ever know that you actually did multiple takes of the same sequence.
Example: Pest Control Commercial
I did that when I filmed the pest control commercial. I had the inspector walk through the kitchen twice:
- Take 1: Filmed from a wide angle
- Take 2: Filmed up close tight on the action
Cutting between these two angles made for a much more dynamic scene.
Key Takeaways: The 10 Camera Angles
- Wide Shot: Establishes location, captures raw energy
- Tight Shot: Focuses on one part of subject (great for interviews)
- Extreme Close-Up: Dramatic focus eliminating distractions
- Medium Shot: Half of subject (waist up), more personal
- Long Shot: Full body from distance, tight focal length
- High Angle: Looking down = position of power (belittles subject)
- Low Angle: Looking up = makes subject powerful
- Over the Shoulder: Great for conversations between two people
- POV Shot: Viewer sees through subject's eyes (immersive)
- Cutaway Shot: Cuts away from main scene to secondary element
- Use variation to make videos dynamic and engaging
- Film with purpose - have reasoning behind each angle
- Multiple angles give editing flexibility for interviews
- One camera? Film same event multiple times with different angles
That does it for today's video on camera angles.
Thank you all for watching and I'll see you in the next one.
Time for another practice exercise, and this is a really fun one! I would say it's probably the most iconic exercise in the 14 Day Filmmaker program, mainly because over the past two years we've had tons of students have a ton of fun doing exactly what we talk about in this module.
What is the Making Coffee Challenge?
I like to call it the making coffee challenge, but you don't need to film yourself making coffee like I did.
Maybe you're from Europe and you make tea instead of coffee - we've had tons of people film themselves making tea.
The idea of this practice exercise is you need to pick a specific action sequence.
Choosing Your Action Sequence
For me, I always think that cooking food or making something is an easy action sequence to complete on your first take because the story's already there:
- You have a beginning
- You have a middle
- You have an end
But It Doesn't Have to Be Cooking!
It could be:
- Walking your dog (I talk about that all the time)
- Going on a hike
- Doing anything that you find interesting and that excites you
So come up with that action sequence.
The Two-Part Challenge
Part 1: The Boring Version
Film a boring version where you have one camera angle and you do that for the entire video.
You can kind of cut it up like I did in my montage so it doesn't actually take up two minutes of time.
Part 2: The Dynamic Version
Go back and re-film the action sequence, but focusing on all 10 camera angles.
This is going to make a super dynamic video. You're going to have a ton of fun doing it.
⚠️ Don't Just Focus on Camera Angles!
One thing I commonly see with this exercise is people really love to focus on the camera angles (which is great!), but you haven't just learned about camera angles in this course.
The idea here is to stack all of the things that you've been learning and use each exercise as an opportunity to practice all of those things.
Quick Refresher: What You've Learned So Far
Up to this point in the program, we've gone over:
- Camera Settings
- Lighting
- Composition
- Movement
- All these things that are going to enhance your videos
And now is probably what I would say your biggest test to put all that knowledge into practice.
What About Editing?
I know it can be intimidating. I know we also haven't gone over that much when it comes to editing training. Maybe you do have experience, maybe you don't have experience with editing.
It's okay - you don't need to turn this into a finished project just yet.
If you do have experience with some editing program and you want to piece this together into a final video, definitely go for it!
But later on in the program as we start to train you on editing videos together, you can take this footage, turn it into a final piece, and you see everything kind of ties in together here.
It's why we designed this program to flow in the sequence that it already does.
Your Mission (If You Choose to Accept It)
Which I hope you do! Here's what you need to do:
- Pick your action sequence
- Film it, taking into account every single thing that you learned in this program
- If you feel comfortable trying to edit, do that
- Post it in the community, ask for feedback
It's going to be a ton of fun!
💡 Get Inspired by Past Students
We'll include some links to fun ones that have been shared in the group in the past. Check them out for inspiration!
What to Focus On During This Exercise
- All 10 Camera Angles: Wide, tight, extreme close-up, medium, long, high angle, low angle, over the shoulder, POV, cutaway
- Composition: Rule of thirds, symmetry, depth, framing, purpose
- Camera Settings: Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, frame rate
- Lighting: Natural light, practical lights, or professional lights
- Movement: Stable shots, smooth transitions
- Sound: Ambient audio, Foley, or sound effects
- Story: Beginning, middle, and end
Key Takeaways: The Coffee Challenge
- Most iconic exercise in the 14 Day Filmmaker program
- Pick any action sequence (making coffee/tea, walking dog, cooking, hiking, etc.)
- Film two versions: boring (one angle) vs dynamic (all 10 angles)
- Don't just focus on angles - apply ALL learned concepts
- This is your biggest test to put all knowledge into practice
- Don't worry about editing perfection - you can refine later
- Post in community for feedback and inspiration
- Have fun with it - creativity is the goal!
This is Your Moment to Shine!
Take everything you've learned - camera settings, lighting, composition, camera angles, movement - and put it all together in one creative project. This exercise will show you just how far you've come and how much you've learned.
Make it fun. Make it yours. Make it amazing.
You have your mission if you choose to accept it, which I hope you do.
Thanks for watching this video and I'll see you in the next one.