Camera shots and angles come in all shapes and sizes. The "over the shoulder" shot is no different.It's one of the most versatile and common shots in all of cinema, but can you define it? Today, we're going to look at a few examples of the shot, look at a definition, and talk about why you would use it in your film and television shows. So, let's roll!Over the Shoulder Shot (OTS) DefinitionIn film or television, an over the shoulder shot is when the camera is positioned behind one character and facing another, so the shoulder and back of the one character are facing the audience.Some abbreviation of the over the shoulder shot: OTS, or Third Person Shot Why use an Over the Shoulder Shot?OTS shots establish an eye line for the audience and can drop us into an intimate point of view. Over the Shoulder Shot RulesThere are never any "clear" rules for the OTS shot, but I wanted to go over some of the best practices you can incorporate with your own work.Our first rule is that you always want to keep the eye line of the actor relevant. That makes holding the camera around shoulder level unless you want to raise it and shoot from a high angle to intimidate. Or a low angle to show power. Check out these stills from Back to the Future to catch my drift. Next, try to avoid any angle that reveals too much of the actor who is facing away...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday