Camera Degree Rules

There are two rules within film making which I have focussed on: 180° Rule, 30° Rule.

180° Rule

This rule states that it is best to avoid crossing the '180° Line' as the image will appear flipped and thus confuse the audience. Below I have constructed an example of this rule in practise:

As you can see, from the example drawn, the camera shot from the opposite side of the '180° Line' does not fit with the other shots. This is because the audience's perception of the scene has been rotated by 180° and thus flipped.

30° Rule

The 30° Rule appears to be the agreed upon norm of angle change between shots in a continuous sequence; however some film makers rather an 'anything more than a 10 degree change in angle', and others settle for no less than 25 degrees. This is to avoid creating jarring transitions, also known as jump cuts, creating a seamless flow of shots. Below is a diagram of this rule in practise:

As you can see the cameras are positioned around the action at 30° intervals to create the harmonious sequence of shots.