Presentation for 180 Degree Rule

1. The 180° Rule The 180 Degree Rule is a cinematographic technique which states that the camera must remain on the same side of an imaginary horizontal line, perpendicular to the camera's viewpoint, from which the shot is taken. The main example of this is in conversations. If the first shot has one person addressing the other from left to right, the following shots must also keep this perspective by staying the same side of the imaginary horizontal line. If this rule is not followed, the characters will not appear to be addressing each other anymore and the effect of the conversation will end, as the viewer's sense of perspective is disrupted. It may also make the viewer feel as if the new shot is filmed in a different location to the previous one. The 180 degree rule also applies to other shots, for example, in a chase scene, if a car exits the frame to the left, it must enter the next shot from the right, even if this would not actually be the case in real life. Sports broadcasting also follows the 180 degree rule, as the spectator would quickly become disoriented if the camera moved from one side of the field to the other because it would seem as though the teams had swapped sides. In conclusion, the 180 degree rule’s most important element is creating a sense of continuity for the viewer. Sources: Wikipedia, YouTube for instructional videos, Wikimedia for image