180 Degree Rule

Continuity is a big part of filmmaking. If you're shooting a short film or interview,

it's important to set the scene and establish your characters in space and time in

order for the viewer to follow the action. One of the most basic continuity rules is

the 180 Degree Rule.

The 180 Degree Rule states that two characters in a scene should always have the

same left/right relationship to each other. If you don't follow the 180 Degree Rule,

or break it intentionally, it disrupts the scene disorients the audience. When you

break the 180 line, a person who was originally facing left in a scene is all of the

sudden facing right. Wait , when did they switch places?

Whether there are two people or more in the scene, there is an “Action Line” or “180

Degree Line” that divides the space around them in half. (One half of a circle is 180

degrees).