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 Empire Strikes Back, 1980, showing how angle is used to convey conflict, character, or development.

The angle used in this frame was a high angle shot. The tension between the two characters is depicted in the still rather well, as they each keep a certain distance from one another. The difference in their clothes is also significant since it conveys the idea that they are rivals or, at the very least, come from distinct backgrounds and viewpoints.

b. Still image from The Shining, 1980, showing how level is used to convey conflict, character, or development.

This still was eye level. The still shows how the child struggles with him being loss. This eye level establishes a link with the spectator and helps illustrate how the child perceives his surroundings. The level choice makes it very evident that the child is lost and that his uncomfortable feelings may be the source of the conflict.

c. Still image from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, 2001, showing how height is used to convey conflict, character, or development.

The still shows how high height is participating. Saruman's position standing atop of the rock, with his head tilted downward toward the group, is a clear indication of his power and superiority. Saruman's head angled slightly to the left, drawing the viewer's attention to the group, while they're clearly place on the left line of the Rule of Thirds. 

d. Still image from No Country for Old Men, 2007, showing how distance is used to convey conflict, character, or development.

The distance between the car and man attracts the attention mainly to him (although the picture I took is of low quality so we can't really tell apart both subjects) as he's in the middle of the scene and has a gun on his hand.

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.

I attempted to portray the girl as going through an internal conflict in this still by using a high angle shot.

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

I've used a dutch level shot in this still to show the tension between the two dolls. Despite this, I positioned the male doll at the very top right of the tilt to heighten the tension and emphasize his supremacy. 

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

Here, I've tried to capture the sense of suspended through a ground level shot. Also, it draws the viewer's attention to the man and the weapon in his hand and prompts them to speculate as to whether or not he is following someone. 

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

I used the girl's distance in this still to highlight her character development as she sits and looks outdoors. The girl's choice of pink and purple clothing contributes to drawing viewers in. 

3) Reflection

I struggled with color selection and deciding on what I wanted to portray in my stills. Because internal tension in a character may be shown as long as the viewpoint and subject are suitable, 2a wasn't as difficult as I had anticipated. For 2b, it took a lot of work to find a situation that the viewer could understand immediately. It was also difficult because I had no subjects that could help me. In the end, I tried to arrange the dolls in a conflict between them, with the baby doll at the center. However, looking back, I realize that neither of the subjects really conveyed the Dutch level shot I was aiming for. The still for 2c was perfect because I aligned the character with the Rule of Thirds, and the repetitive background—which doesn't often have any visually appealing figures—helped me draw the spectator in. The image of the man walking with his weapon gives the impression that he is either heading to deal with an issue or start a conflict. The girl's colors are meant to draw attention to her, but it was difficult to do so because of the lighting and other elements like the pull-down alarm and the exit sign. The viewer's attention seems to be drawn to both things more so than the girl herself. But in the end, color, focus, and lighting were the key factors in my struggles. I will try to work more in color and lighting which will be necessary for the next blog post.