Showing posts with label over-the-shoulder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label over-the-shoulder. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

SHOULD ANIMATION USE OVER THE SHOULDER SHOTS?

The answer is, no!  A thousand times, "No!" At least not the in the close way those kind of shots are served up in current films. Close like that, the actors are made to seem so sappy, so devoid of context, so self-indulgent. They kill the suspense in a scene because we know the actors aren't going anywhere. The format nails them to the floor so they can carry the scene with face acting alone.


I prefer wider over the shoulder shots like the one above. Made wide like that, there's more suspense. You never know if the actors are going to fight or not, or if one of them is going to bolt and run. The body poses are more nuanced, and the visible background lends a context to the conversation.


Live action films seem to require a variety of shots, including medium shots and close-ups. Even so, if I were a live action director I'd always be looking for opportunities to use full shots like the one above. I love whole-body acting.

Funny comics (above) were the perfect medium for that style.


I don't know why anybody would want an over the shoulder shot in a comedy. The reaction to a gag is often just as funny as the gag. You want to see both at the same time.


If you must use an over the shoulder shot, at least have the decency to dress the foreground figure in wool, as Auralynn is here.



Come to think of it, maybe there is room for an occasional OTS. Here's a video I did which contains nothing but over the shoulder. If the video has annoying stops try clicking on the hidden YouTube icon on the bottom right.