Camera Height for Dramatic Effect

Camera height can give a subtle yet dramatic feeling to the viewer. Since our perspective is from that of the camera, we automatically associate ourselves with it.  A higher camera than the subject means we are looking down on that person, and we will feel more powerful as a result. A lower camera puts the viewer in a vulnerable position and looking up will usually show the subject as being more powerful. However, if the context is suspenseful, we will also see less far and our perspective will be unnervingly skewed.

In these examples, from the Alien franchise, a high camera will give a sense that we (the Alien) are bigger and watching them, and that the subject is powerless and/or unaware of our presence. It's quite unnerving for the subject (who we hopefully care about). A higher camera will also have the effect of limiting the view around the subject, which in itself is suspenseful.

Conversely, here's some examples where the camera is low. Usually this gives the impression the subject is in control, but in Alien it is meant to feel unnerving, to hide the view around the subject and to make the viewer feel more vulnerable.

Creating a simple Camera Rig

One of the first things that should be done when starting a production is to create a good camera rig. A good camera rig will make it easier to animate and compose shots, as well as save time, make the camera feel more realistic and can increase creativity.

The basis of this simple camera rig is using the Aim Constraint to control the camera rotation. For me, the Aim is the best way to control the camera, because counter rotating is not necessary and it works as composing does in reality. Think about this; if our subject is our hero , and we crane from a rooftop to be right in front of the hero, our aim will still be the same... the hero. In many productions, you need to constantly key and rotate the camera, but I feel that's not intuitive.

The first thing I like to do is scale the default camera  to the dimensions of a real camera. This is better for real-world Previs, but also makes you closely adhere to reality. I find that scaling to 26 matches a 35mm film camera.

I like to set the Film Back to "35mm Full Aperture" and then controlling the film size through the Render Settings.

 Now, create a locator and put it where the Tripod would connect to the camera and then put the Pivot Point of the camera away where the locator is. This small change can make the camera look more realistic during Tilts and Pans, since this is where real cameras rotate from.

 Now, create a Locator a few feet from the camera and constrain the aim of the camera to it, while maintaining the offset.

 Now, to control that Locator, I set up 2 NURBS circles, a GLOBAL and LOCAL with the locator grouped under them as "Aim_Ctrl". Now we have two controllers controlling the aim. I usually constrain the Global to the subject or leave it stationary and then animate the Local to recompose and give a "human" feel to. We can think of this as the Subject being the Global aim and any re-composition or movement being added to that.

 Then create 3 more NURBS circles, a UNIVERSAL, GLOBAL and LOCAL that will control the camera body. Put the Aim_Ctrl group under the UNIVERAL NURBS circle. Freeze the transforms on all NURBS controllers and Delete the History. Hide the Locators so they don't get in the way.

On one of the Controllers, create a new Attribute called "Aim_Ctrl" and key the aim constrain at 0 and 1. This will allow you to easily turn off the aim as needed. Sometimes, in environmental or locked off shots, it's easier to keep the camera without an aim.

Now that this simple rig is finished, you can see that the UNIVERSAL control will move both the aim position and the camera. Moving the GLOBAL or LOCAL will move the camera separately from the aim. You can constrain the GLOBAL aim controller to the subject, and move the LOCAL to recompose as needed.

This is just a start, the more controls you can add to make shooting fun and quick, the better!

Orbit camera for change

 One great way to signify a big change has happened to the characters is by orbiting the camera around the character. Because it's such a dramatic and apparent move, the audience clearly understands that there is a shift in our or the characters perspective. The move can also move us from one place to the other as a more dynamic establishing shot.

In the following example from ParaNorman, our perspective is that of the townsfolk, in which Norman is crazily talking to himself. Once the camera orbits around, showing a closeup of Normans eyes, it ends up the same view as before, but now we see what Norman sees. A big change in perspective that allows us to see both the views of the normal people, and that of Norman.  

 In this example from Mission Impossible 3, the camera orbits 180 degrees to move us away from the story of the girl and Ethan Hunt's relationship and progresses us into doing something about the villan. What's great about this, is that we also show one set and then orbit into another. For one, this helps sell that we are moving on and also serves as a more interesting establishing shot than a simple wide Master. The motivation of the camera move is from the background characters, otherwise the move could seem forced.

I've included the video to see the movement and the shift in perspective.