180 Degree Rule

 

180 Degree Rule:

The 180 Degree Rule is the cinematography rule that, when filming sequences such as conversations and travel, the camera should always be positioned such that the angle that the subject is facing remains is always within the same 180 degree range to remain consistent. This is because if the angle of the subject abruptly changes it feels jarring and confusing to the audience, even if they don't realise why.

The 180 Degree Rule has been maintained in the short video that my friends and I made in each shot. 

The video opens with a shot of me walking down stairs, moving and facing to the right of the frame. Then, in each subsequent shot of the video I am always facing more to the right than left of the frame. 

This is also true of my friend in the video who is always facing to the left of the frame.

Keeping the angle that the characters are facing consistent makes the video easier to interpret for the audience; for example during the conversation sequence, the angle that we are facing reflects how we are facing each other throughout. This helps to convey our position within the space that we're filming in.

The 180 Degree Rule can also be deliberately broken when a jarring, confusing effect is desired. It disorients the audience by disrupting the consistently of the subject's position in the sequence.