Workshop 2: 180-degree rule

180-degree rule or “crossing the line”

• Used by filmmakers to treasure the audience members that they know where every character is and where all the actions are happening in the scene
• Helps the audience to know which of the characters is speaking (if the characters look the same) and when and why
• For the first times, to help you can put something in between the characters (toys)
• The easiest way to do so is to figure out which way is character is looking and to keep them facing that way throughout the rest of the scene

In order to learn better the technique, I decided to do it myself. Here are a few examples of it. I put a pencil in between toys (characters) in order to have a better idea of where about 180-degree should be.




That is an example of a wide-angle using a 180-degree rule.

 
                                                                                   
 

That is an example of a Close Up using a 180-degree rule

    




And finally, that is an Over Shoulder using a 180-degree rule.