The Dutch Angle

As student filmmakers, a large part of our development process involves breaking free of the conventional methods of approaching film production. When setting up your camera for a scene it is quite easy to spread your tripod legs, make sure the bubble is level, mount the camera and shoot. We’ve got to learn to take the time to assess the shot beforehand; what are we trying to say here, what emotion should come across to the audience, because even a subtle nudge of the camera to the right or left can make a world of difference to the dynamic of the shot.

We should be studying more in-depth the various components that make a moving image great and for that I refer to Joseph V. Mascelli’s book The Five C’s of Cinematography which covers; Camera Angles, Continuity, Cutting, Close-Ups and Composition. Though the writing is slightly dated now and the reference of certain obsolete pieces of equipment offers up little more than nostalgia, just as the reading of John Alton’s Painting With Light was, one can still gain an insightful knowledge for the principles behind the capturing of visually stunning Cinematography.

One such principle of Cinematography which can alter this dynamic is known as the Dutch angle. The Dutch angle tilts the camera slightly so that the shot looks purposely off balance which results in the action taking place within the frame not running parallel to the horizon of the scene. This unusual perspective that we put before our audience heightens tension and is creates a feeling of disorientation and can make viewers feel uneasy, intimidated or in some cases otherworldly often to mimic an emotion taking place in the scene. It’s an interesting technique that when mastered can be used terrifying effects.

This video by Jacob T. Swinney shows how different films throughout the ages of cinema have implemented the use of the Dutch angle technique and discusses the effect of each choice by the filmmaker.

“Being that the tilted camera angles lines that are straight in reality, we become disoriented as our eyes try to adjust to the tilted environment. When a character makes a devastating realization, a slight tilt of the camera can make the moment all the more uncomfortable for us as a viewer (even on a subconscious level).”
– Jacob T. Swinney