Shots and Angles

January 30, 2023

For my next camera angle, I chose a ground level shot. A ground level shot captures what is in the frame at ground level. My dog, Daisy, was on the floor so I took the shot from her view. This shot can help the audience grasp what the character is seeing from lower on the floor, and how they feel.  In film, this is often character's feet or even them laying on the floor. Like knee level shots, the ground level shot is also used to add detail to the movie. If the shot is following a character's feet, their shoes could reveal parts of their personality or even the way they walk. Shooting at ground level can also hide a character's identity. This can build both suspense and intrigue throughout a film. An example of this would be in “The Shining” when Danny was riding his tricycle throughout the hotel. The angle only shows Danny’s bike and the walls around him which made everything seem much bigger. This power dynamic made Danny feel more vulnerable and not in control which added to the mood and plot of the story. Since the hotel was the evil object they were staying in, the ground shot is a good angle to express how powerless and small he seemed going down the hallways. The ground level shot can make the viewer more active in questioning the plot if a character is not revealed yet. This uses the actor's performance to build an idea. Ultimately, this builds suspense and gets the viewer more involved in the story because they are thinking of different ways for it to play out.