Kubrick broke this rule to great effect in the movie “The Shining.” Top commercial car directors take viewers on wild cinematic journeys as they often break this rule. But break this rule in your next storyboard and you can leave the viewer feeling confused with a collection of disconnected scenes.
What is this rule called that film directors know yet many novice storyboard artists and even professional “creative types” are blissfully unaware? Let me explain. Names have been changed to protect the innocent.
July 23rd, 2013– 2:03 pm Los Angeles. During the briefing call between an internationally known advertising agency and my creative team (Animatic Media) the agency producer explained that their client was so happy with the storyboards, they didn’t want to change anything in the animatic. “It’s perfect- just use those frames for the animatic, don’t change a thing!”
There was a problem. A big one. And the agency didn’t have a clue that one of the most basic film rules was being broken in their storyboard. And not just a few times, but so many times If a misdemeanor was issued for its occurrence, we would be spending time locked up with Bernie Madoff pondering– “Why, why did we let that spot go into testing!”
Before I continue, let me digress. I have spent half of my adult life as a storyboard artist–working for top commercial directors in Hollywood including David Kellogg, Leslie Dektor and the half other founding and operating a full-service animatics production company-Animatic Media. I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked with the leading creative talent at advertising agencies across the globe and learned from the best the “rules” of film.
When we review scripts in briefing calls that have “story” issues, its my job to point out potential problems and make positive suggestions to fix them.
Back to the briefing.
“Taking a look at your storyboard, I see in frame 3 you have the people walking from left to right, but in frame 4 they are walking right to left.” I continued, “ Instead of flopping the action I suggest we move the camera for the reverse shot…” interrupted by the agency producer, “No, lets’ just keep to the board.”
Still determined to make it work I continued, “Well what if we add a shot in between, a buffer shot to better orientate the viewer?”
Agency producer now getting a bit testy- “No like I said, don’t change a thing!”
I knew at this point pushing it further was pointless. I resolved myself to the fact we had all gotten into the proverbial speeding car that’s heading straight towards a wall. Except this wall is known is known as the barricade of testing doom.
The brand was a luxury consumer product and the concept was solid but the storyboard was broken and displayed an oblivious disregard for the “180 rule” sometimes referred to “Crossing the line.”
The 180 rule is a very important concept in video and film production. It refers to an imaginary line which cuts through the middle of the scene, from side to side with respect to the camera. Once the camera is placed on one side of the line you shouldn’t cross it unless the story calls for a shot to disorientate or confuse the viewer.
The attached infographic is a much easier way to grasp the concept.
Click here for a hi-res version of the infographic.