The Dutch Angle

The Dutch Angle, otherwise known as the ‘dutch tilt’ or ‘oblique angle’, is a technique in film that involves x-axis camera tilts that increase the sense of unease or disorientation within a scene. Showing the audience a shot with the angle tilted to the side directly indicates to them that something within the scene is unsettling or that a certain character is ‘crooked’.

This effect is created because the brain naturally processes horizontal and vertical lines, like those in standard camera shots. Understanding the angled lines created with a Dutch Angle is much harder for the brain so the shift in horizon makes us naturally uneasy. When used correctly, the Dutch Angle is the perfect tool to set the tone for your viewers without the use of dialogue or setting.

History

The history of the Dutch Angle dates back to 1920s Germany with the film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari by Robert Weire. This movie experimented with shadows, light, and angles in a way that was far ahead of it’s time and brought the art of expressionism to film. This movie was the first to introduce subjective filmmaking, meaning that what we’re seeing unfold isn’t necessarily reality but rather the experience of the narrator. Although it doesn’t explicitly contain a dutch angle, the set itself is crooked and it lends itself to the same effect of uneasiness.

His work inspired that of other local filmmakers such as F.W. Murnau, Fritz Lang, and Erich Pommer. Another notable use of the technique that contributed to its rising popularity is that by Ukrainian filmmaker Dziga Vertov in the 1929 film Man With a Movie Camera. Vertov had a disdain for many movies being made at the time, calling them ‘carbon copies of novel and theater.’ He didn’t like that the camera itself was essentially being used as a boring spectator that simply watches the action of the plot unfold before it.

The documentary film challenged that notion and completely changed the way films were being made by making the camera a character in the film. It walks you through how it pulls off certain shots while simultaneously creating new innovations in so many techniques like slow motion, split screen, and double exposure. The film features no sets, actors, scripts, or title cards- relying solely on camera work to tell the story.

As German filmmakers began to come to Hollywood, the Dutch Angle technique became more popular and began to be featured in films such as The Bride of Frankenstein, Citizen Kane, and The Maltese Falcon. And some modern filmmakers, such as Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan, have utilized several German expressionist filmmaking techniques in their movies.

When to Use

Just like every filmmaking technique, there are both good and bad examples of it in action. For an example of the shot when it doesn’t work well, take a look at the film Battlefield Earth which uses a Dutch Angle for the majority of the film. This is an example that doesn’t work because the technique is specifically used to portray a sense of uneasiness, rather than simply to make a shot look more interesting. When it’s not used purposefully or when it’s used too frequently, the Dutch Angle can simply leave your viewer feeling disoriented and frustrated.

There are, however, many examples of the technique working well for filmmakers. It was used quite frequently in the Batman TV series in the 1960s to emphasize the ‘crookedness’ of Batman’s various adversaries. It was used in Citizen Kane in the campaign promises scene in order to show corrupt politician Charles Kane’s speech. It was also used in Inglourious Basterds to brace viewers for a particularly gruesome scene and in Inception to further highlight that sense of dream vs. reality.

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Origins

The Dolly Zoom technique, also known as the Hitchcock Zoom, originated in the Alfred Hitchcock film Vertigo. The visual illusion was used in this film to highlight the character’s… well, vertigo. To understand how this technique creates a unique effect that’s different from a normal zoom, imagine you’re at the end of a hallway and at the opposite end there’s a door that leads outside. The further away from the door you are, the less of the outside world you’ll be able to see. Even if you take out your camera and zoom in, the door will appear closer to you but you’ll still only be able to see the same amount of the outside world. If, however, you walk toward the door you will gradually be able to see more and more of the world outside. A zoom executed using a dolly will, therefore, look slightly different than one merely using a camera and not moving through space.

Understanding this idea is how the Dolly Zoom was created, a technique that involves simultaneously zooming in while dollying out (or vice versa) while focusing on a single point in space. Using the doorway as our example again, if you dolly in while you zoom out on it you would create the visual illusion that the archway is the same size, but that the outside world is moving closer.

Uses

As stated previously, this shot can be accomplished in two different ways and each creates a different visual illusion. And each of those illusions can be used to highlight different aspects of plot or character. For example, when you dolly out and zooms in it creates the illusion that the world is closing in around the audience. This can be used as a visual metaphor for impending danger or character paranoia. On the opposite end, when you dolly in and zoom out, it creates the visual effect of the world pushing away from us. This can visually illustrate feelings of isolation or that one’s goal or destination is perpetually out of reach.

Execution

The Dolly Zoom has been used several times in films since Alfred Hitchcock brought the technique to life. Similar to the Dutch Tilt, this technique is visually unsettling and can immediately grab your audience’s attention when executed correctly. To pull this effect off, you will need a smooth dolly track, a slider can work but it will restrict your range of movement as the slider is likely to appear in the shot. You’ll also need a fast zoom lens as you don’t want the F-stop to be moving up or down as you zoom in or out. The zoom lens is best accompanied by servo zoom gear for precise control and a follow focus to keep your subject clear and crisp. Aside from the preferred equipment, this technique also requires practicing your movement and timing.

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Horror

For films in the horror genre, the POV shot can be used to help increase suspense and fear. For example, in the classic horror film Halloween, John Carpenter opened the film with a long POV shot from the perspective of Mike Myers. The shots utilizing this POV are dark and underscored with a scary musical theme, adding to the sense of suspense. Instead of watching Mike as he stabs his sister, the audience is watching the scene through his eyes. They even go so far as to have him pick up his mask so the audience can truly see through his POV.

In this case, opening the film with this technique not only gives us a disturbing look through the killer’s POV but also immediately cements Michael as someone mysterious and frightening. Allowing the audience to see Michael right away would be more of a comfort, at least the audience would know what they’re up against right? But Carpenter deliberately doesn’t allow us to see the killer right away, knowing the unknown is all the more frightening.

The POV shot can also be helpful in the horror genre from the victim’s POV. For example, take the films Cloverfield and The Blair Witch Project. These films utilize a documentary style of film where the entirety is filmed through a POV lens. This technique allows the audience to experience the horror and suspense as one of the characters, as opposed to an audience member looking in on a story.

Action

POV shots in action films can be used in order to further highlight the difficulty of specific action sequences. It’s one thing to see someone jump from an exploding building, but when a POV shot is used and suddenly it’s like you’re the one jumping, that fall suddenly looks a lot farther.

Additionally, the POV shot can be used to display the gravity or severity of a situation in which the protagonist finds themselves. For example, take the Omaha beach scene in the film Saving Private Ryan. The use of the POV shot allows the viewer to experience the horror of the scene through Captain Miller’s (Tom Hanks) eyes. In another very different film, Kill Bill Vol 1, the audience gets a glimpse through Beatrix’s (“The Bride”) eyes after the wedding massacre that leads to her journey of vengeance. Showing us a POV shot of her would-be killers, after the viewer has seen her brutalized, solidifies that the audience will be rooting for her to take her revenge.

Romance

The POV shot in the romance or rom-com genre allows the filmmaker to highlight particularly romantic moments or scenes. There are many classic films where, when the couple first meets (or the meet-cute), the first glimpse of the female love interest is from the male protagonist’s POV. This technique gives the audience a sense of how this first sighting of the love interest is ‘striking’ to the male protagonist. Paired with a swell of romantic music and the romantic tint and it becomes easy for the audience to see how the protagonist will fall for this character.

Additionally, as a romance grows there will be moments where we can sense that the characters are growing closer and falling in love. This can come in many forms, from learning new information about each other to one seeing the other be kind to a stranger. In those instances, however, utilizing a POV shot can separate those moments from others for the audience and showcase that the feelings between the two characters are progressing and growing.

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Low Angle

A low-angle shot involves the camera being positioned low, below eye level, and looking up at an object or subject above. This angle creates the psychological effect that the subject above is strong and powerful. It is also used in film to increase the perceived height of a subject or object. A character shot from this angle will be viewed as powerful, intimidating, or strong. So, if you’re attempting to create this feeling surrounding a certain character, shooting them with low-angle shots can be very helpful. Or even if you’re simply attempting to make one of your actors look taller.

For example, if you’re making a film about a young boy in school and all of a sudden his bully shows up. Shooting the bully from a low angle will allow the audience to get a sense of how much bigger the bully feels than the young boy.

High Angle

The opposite of the low angle, the high angle is a cinematography technique where the camera points down on the subject from above eye level. There are a few different meanings that a high-angle shot can convey for a character. If the shot is a simple high angle with no point of view involved, it can act as an impartial shot allowing the viewer to get a better view of a scene. It could also, from a narrative perspective, be telling the viewer that the person in the scene is in danger or depression by portraying them as smaller than they really are.

If, on the other hand, the shot is from the point of view of a particular character, this shot can be used to highlight the formidability of this character vs. another character in a scene. The character being shot down upon will appear tiny compared to the one situated where the angle begins, thus highlighting differences between the characters and even formidable odds.

Bird’s-Eye

A more dramatic version of the high angle, the birds-eye shot is an aerial shot looking down on a character or scene. These shots are typically filmed using drones in modern-day film. This shot essentially acts as a more drastic version of the high angle. Let’s take an action movie, for example. If you see the protagonist heading into the bad guy’s headquarters from a medium shot, then all of a sudden we see a bird’s eye view, they tell completely different stories.

From the medium shot, the viewer is thinking the protagonist looks very formidable and they’re looking forward to the upcoming action sequence. However, from the bird’s eye view, you see hundreds of armed soldiers ready to take on the protagonist. You see the traps and hundreds of guns and perhaps even the bad guy in a giant tank. Suddenly this scene is looking more dangerous and the audience is feeling more suspense than they were previously.

Dutch Angle

This is a less common technique, but when utilized there are many inferences an audience can make regarding character. The dutch angle involves tilting the camera to one side, creating a frame that is not level. This angle creates a sense of unease by making the viewer feel disoriented and uneasy.

This very instinctual sense of uneasiness viewers get when witnessing a dutch angle shot can be directly used in order to show that a certain character or scene is tense or psychologically distressing. For example, perhaps this angle can be helpful to use the moment the villain in your story is revealed. Or maybe your protagonist is drugged at one point and it is used to show their disorientation. Or when your character is entering a house that we find out later is haunted.

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Long Shot vs. Extreme Long Shot

Before considering utilizing the extreme long shot in your film, one must know the difference between a long shot and an extreme long shot. A long shot is where the camera shot shows the entire subject from head to toe and places that subject in relation to their surroundings. This shot has also been called a ‘wide shot’ or ‘full shot’ and is typically used to show the relationship between a character and their environment at any given point in the film.

An extreme long shot, on the other hand, is a shot that frames the character or subject from a distance and focuses primarily on their surroundings. This shot is often used as an establishing shot for location or setting, before focusing on the character or scene. It has also been called an extreme wide shot or abbreviated as an ELS.

When to Use the Extreme Long Shot

The extreme long shot is an important tool for filmmakers when you need to ground your audience in the world in some way. For example, if you’re tackling a movie about a fantasy world, a few extreme long shots will be helpful as your character travels or enters a new town or city. A very wide angle will help highlight the differences between cities your character visits and also will show when they’re traveling through precarious or dangerous terrain.

It can also be helpful to highlight the livelihood or life circumstances of a character. For example, let’s say you open on a wide shot of a large field of corn, we see some rustling in the bottom corner of the field. Then we get a long shot where we see the protagonist picking corn in that section. This shows us immediately that our protagonist is a hard-working person since they’ve gone through this entire huge field we’ve seen. It also shows us that they possibly live a very rural lifestyle.

Examples In Film

One filmmaker who utilizes extreme long shots often is Quentin Tarantino. In the film The Hateful Eight, he utilizes extreme long shots as the characters are traveling in various circumstances to show the treacherous nature of the cold snowy terrain. This helps to highlight the nature of the cabin setting where most of the film takes place and how, despite the tense nature of the situation, the cabin is a haven in a sense from the danger and certain death that would lay outdoors.

Another film that utilizes extreme long shots quite often is Mad Max: Fury Road, which tells the story of a post-apocalyptic civilization and a fight against a tyrannical ruler that has emerged. The film is set in this vast desert landscape but also features extreme car chases and fight scenes. The use of extreme long shots in this case is used in two different senses. Firstly, it highlights for the viewer the dangerous nature of the desert terrain and the world itself in which the characters inhabit. In addition, when it comes to the action and fight scenes, using extreme wide shots highlights the perilousness of certain stunts and action sequences.

We even see these shots used often throughout the Lord of the Rings film trilogy. From Frodo and Gandalf entering The Shire to Gandalf riding into battle, the use of extreme long shots in a fantasy setting such as Lord of the Rings is incredibly useful in multiple ways. On one hand, it helps the audience gain a larger sense of the scale and overall look of each new location the characters visit. On the other, when it comes to battles and climactic moments, showing the scale of the character and scenery can show the difficult odds that they are up against and make their inevitable triumph even more epic.

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1) What is the tone?

When writing and filming a scene about family, one needs to first decide on the tone. Does the scene match the tone of the rest of your film or does it starkly contrast it? For example, if your film is a rom-com and is generally more upbeat, does it take a dark turn during this family scene? Or does the opposite occur and a darker movie has a nice uplifting and hopeful moment in this setting? If that is the case, then the tone would be more ‘hopeful’ than an outright ‘happy’ tone you may find in a more fun and lighthearted film. Figure out what the scene will contain, what the tone will be, and make sure it doesn’t feel out of place with the rest of your film.

2) Use lighting, filters, and colors

Now that you have a general idea of what the tone will be, you’ll use your camerawork, lighting, and colors to signal to the audience how they should be feeling in this scene. For example, let’s take our earlier example of a film that is a darker or sad story, but contains a hopeful moment within this familial scene. Having it become suddenly brightly colors and filtered akin to a hallmark movie will be too striking a contrast and may take the edge off of the audience too much.

However, having a movie that is mostly gray or darkly colored and then having a scene where we can see a pop of color like a blue wallpaper in the background or a little red stuffed animal in the corner will give the correct impression of the tone. And, if we’re meant to anticipate something bad happening in the scene, darkening the colors or making the colors look off making the characters look paler, using dutch angles, etc. can help alert the audience that this scene will be more disturbing.

3) Individual moments

When writing a scene with a myriad of different familial characters, it’s important that we gain all of the important insights we need to for the plot to move forward. Your film has a time limit so you likely won’t need to dive into every single familial relationship in this scene unless the family is the crux of the whole script. Instead, choose one or two family members or groupings for the audience to see individual conversations between two people. Make sure these conversations are important and give the audience crucial information that will move the plot forward.

For example, perhaps we overhear two family members talking about how silly it is that our protagonist is going to art school, shortly after they complimented and encouraged him to do so. Then, in the next shot, we are shown that he has overheard them. This not only gives us some insight into the protagonist’s family dynamic and how they aren’t always honest with one another, but it also adds to their dilemma over the choices they’re making in their life.

4) Group moments

In addition to little individual moments, you’ll want to create a few moments with the larger group as well. This is where you can give lines to some of the family members that aren’t as crucial to the plot, while also highlighting the family dynamic in a group vs. individually. If you’re writing a familial scene that brews conflict, you could have the group get into a heated fight- highlighting the different relationships at strain within the family. If you’re creating a more picturesque moment, you can have them talk about some part of the protagonist’s past or the family’s past that the viewer will need to be aware of in order to understand the protagonist’s current circumstances.

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1) Hereditary

Aside from being a horror film, Hereditary is also unbearably uncomfortable as it depicts a family struggling with loss. Although most of the actual horror is saved for the very end of the film, the darkness and sadness that the family radiates make it a very emotionally draining experience- in the best possible way. Also, as could be predicted by the title, the film deals heavily with themes of family and legacy.

2) The Strangers: Prey at Night

A follow up to the original Strangers movie that premiered in 2008, this film follows much of the same plot as the first one. Mike and his wife, Cindy, take their son and daughter on a road trip, only to find themselves being terrorized and tortured by masked strangers. These films take the phrase ‘stranger danger’ to the next level, preying on the audience’s fear of the unknown and the possible depravity it could hold.

3) Train to Busan

An indie film turned cult classic, Train to Busan is likely on every horror film buff’s top ten list. The combination of the contained setting and the camera work create the ultimate zombie apocalypse movie complete with characters to root for, blood and guts, and a high sense of suspense that carries throughout the entire film.

4) The Witch

Director Robert Egger’s directorial debut, The Witch, is set in 1630 New England following a family that has been outcast to live in the woods. When their youngest child vanishes, a series of increasingly dark events ensue. It is not only good for its period authenticity, but the audience is submerged in this dreary and dark atmosphere that feels inescapable as one watches. It also creates some truly haunting visuals that are sure to keep viewers up late into the night.

5) It Follows

Utilizing symbolism to stand out, the monster in It Follows directly parallels the fear of STD’s. After teenager Jay sleeps with her boyfriend, Hugh, he reveals she is now the victim of a curse that is passed through intercourse. She is now doomed to be killed by a creature that will be disguised as either a friend or stranger who will follow her from now on until it catches her. The combination of the lore and the scare sequences creates a very unique horror experience.

6) Bone Tomahawk

If you’re in the mood for something a little different, try this indie film which is a combination of a horror and a western. It has both the elements of a western and a horror film as it’s packed with some gruesome and gory deaths as well as some good jump scares.

7) The Lodge

The Lodge centers around a soon-to-be stepmom who winds up trapped in a cabin with her fiance’s children. When they become snowed in, some strange happenings start to cause past traumas to reawaken in Grace’s mind. At first, it doesn’t appear to be anything new, but a few twists in this movie cause it to really stand out.

8) The Invisible Man

Elizabeth Moss stars in this indie film that combines themes of abuse with a fascinating sci-fi concept. Protagonist Cecilia escapes her abusive ex-boyfriend, who was a pioneer in the field of optics, only to find out that he has discovered a way to make himself invisible. It’s a unique kind of horror film in the way it uses the lack of visuals to keep the viewer in suspense, as well as how it handles the idea of abusive relationships.

9) Come to Daddy

Come to Daddy involves a man in his thirties, played by Elijah Wood, who arrives at a remote cabin to reconnect with his estranged father. Little by little, Wood begins to realize things aren’t all that they appear to be. This is definitely one of the stranger horror films, but the haunting scene work between Wood and Stephen McHattie really make it worth the watch.

10) Midsommar

Directed by Ari Aster, who also directed Hereditary, this movie centers around a couple who have traveled to Sweden to a friend’s hometown for their midsummer festival- only to find themselves at the hands of a pagan cult. The spiritual traditions, combined with the neverending daylight setting, lend to one of the more visually interesting horror films out there.

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Fall

Fall is a contemplative time because it’s nature’s ‘last hoorah’ before the cold winter season. However, from a directorial point of view, it’s also one of the most beautiful seasons to shoot in. The gorgeous hues of the leaves that tumble down from the trees and the much-earlier golden hour can create some amazing cinematography. How you utilize this season will depend on the nature of your film. For example, if you’re creating a horror movie you can utilize the orange tones to reinforce the ‘spooky season’ vibes. If you’re creating a romance movie, the fall season can give your whole movie a very Hygge feel complete with sweaters, hats, nature, blankets, etc. All of these cozy accessories can accent the couple falling into a love that makes them both feel ‘at home’.

Winter

Winter is the time when all aspects of nature (plants, animals, etc.) go into a sort of hibernation. And visually, winter could either be a very harsh, biting, cold and dark time or it could be a bright and stark-white beautiful oasis. Once again, this depends on the type of film you’re making. If you’re cycling through the seasons, this season could be the time that your protagonist goes through their hardest trek. Perhaps they’re going through a breakup or their family has stopped talking to one another. Lots of shots of them walking alone, the only piece of color against a white backdrop, the sound of a harsh wind in the background. On the other hand… you’ve all seen Hallmark Christmas movies. What could be a desolate wasteland in darker films becomes a magical wonderland in others, one need only to consider their tone and movie arc.

Spring

Spring is the season where everything is coming back to life and typically symbolizes a form of rebirth. If you’re cycling through the seasons in your film, perhaps this is the time when your character experiences a ray of hope coming out of the dark winter season. Perhaps they begin to recover from their breakup and start to go out on new dates or maybe their family starts to reconnect. Either way, visually you’ll want to shoot a lot of colorful flowers and have a lot of greenery in your shots (trees, grass, etc).

In more nuanced takes it can even be used to serve as a contrast to your character and their emotional stage. For example, picture a lush green meadow in the spring. Little droplets of dew are dripping off of the flowers, tiny ladybugs are poking their heads out… and then you have your protagonist who plows through stomping on all of the flowers. They’re dressed in all black, a hood over their head, and deep bags under their eyes. Showing how much your protagonist looks out of place in a season that’s otherwise so beautiful and life-giving is one way to highlight a bad emotional point of your film.

Summer

Finally there’s summer, which is typically associated with warmth and the sun. This is a very interesting time cinematically because it symbolizes several different things, even varying depending on location. For example, summer in a small upper-east-coast town will be an idyllic time. The sun is shining, kids are running around playing, people are going to the pool and going to parties and getting tan and having a blast. On the other hand, take a typical summer day in a location like Arizona. Temperatures can get so high that even going to the pool doesn’t provide respite. It even gets so hot that it’s hard to sustain some forms of plant life, so this becomes more of a desert wasteland season as opposed to one of fun in the sun.

While location is important to consider, it’s also important to consider the tone and genre of your film. You’ve likely heard the term ‘summer romance’ at some point in your life. There is a romanticized idea of the summer time and how fleeting it is. This doesn’t just apply to the romance genre either, perhaps you create a film where for one summer a typically shy kid goes on a convenient store robbing spree, almost gets caught, and then assimilates back into normal high school life once fall comes around. If you’re attempting to write an arc where the character starts and ends at a similar place, this season is the perfect setting for it.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpBLtXduh_k

1) Palm Springs

You may be sick of the whole Groundhog Day phenomenon in movies, but Palm Springs has found a way to give it a really fresh take. Starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti, the movie involves two wedding guests getting stuck in the same day over and over on a time loop. With two comedic actors as the stars, this movie involves hilarious stunts and proves itself to be original and unique despite starting with a concept with which you’re already familiar.

2) How to Build a Girl

Starring Beanie Feldstein, from the critically acclaimed Booksmart, How to Build a Girl is the story of a 16-year old girl who is on a journey to reinvent herself and propel herself to the top of the 90’s rock music scene. It includes both humor and touching coming-of-age details that make it a must-watch for the summer, though it came out toward the earlier summer months.

3) The King of Staten Island

The King of Staten Island comes to you from director Judd Apatow, who brought you many comedy classics including 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Pineapple Express, and many more. Loosely based on actor Pete Davidson’s life, who plays the main character Scott, the movie involves a man who lost his firefighter father at age seven. When his mother starts dating another firefighter, played by comedian Bill Burr, Scott is forced to reexamine his grief and find a way to move on and grow up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5RDTPfsLAI

4) Da 5 Bloods

This film (starring Delroy Lindo, Clark Peters, Norm Lewis, and Isiah Whitlock) tells the story of four African American Vietnam War Vets who return to Vietnam to collect a buried treasure and the buried remains of their Squad Leader. Brought to you by award-winning director Spike Lee who also brought you Malcolm X, Blackkklansman, and many more. This film is not only action-packed, but also tackles heavy themes and includes superb acting performances.

5) New Mutants

Filmed years ago and finally being released this summer, this movie is an extension of the X-Men universe for anyone out there missing superhero movies this year. A dark take on an already dark universe, this movie takes place in a mental hospital as a group of young mutants attempt to get a hold of their powers while being terrorized by hallucinations and flashbacks. Categorized as a blend between horror and fantasy, this long-anticipated movie will give viewers a different take on a world they know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRwqw_npPJI

6) Tenet

The highly anticipated Christopher Nolan movie, Tenet, involves a hero embarking on a time-bending mission to stop a future war. This movie comes from the all-star director of movies like Inception, Prestige, The Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar, Dunkirk, and more. It also includes an all-star cast such as Robert Pattinson, Clemence Poesy, John David Washington, and Kenneth Branagh. Although it’s possibly the most highly anticipated movie of the summer, the release date has been pushed back several times because they’re planning a theatrical release. The latest release date for the action thriller is September 3rd.

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1) Film On Location

One of the easiest ways to make your film feel instantly more romantic is to choose a romantic setting and film on-location. Paris, London, New York- choose a setting for your movie that you find particularly romantic (provided that you have the budget for it). If it’s Paris, use wide shots of your characters walking along the Senne at night, how the water reflects the lights off of the surrounding buildings so it looks like there is a sky of stars above and below you. Utilizing wide aerial shots to display the setting in all of its glory really helps to set the mood for an iconic romance. And, let’s face it, there’s nothing less romantic than a green screen.

2) Romanticize Setting

If you’re unable to film in one of the world’s most iconically romantic locations, there are still ways to make your setting work in your favor. If you’re filming in a small rural setting, take some wide shots of the open fields or find a very lush green woods to film. If there’s a particularly scenic river or lake, have a scene where the characters are boating. If there’s a barn, have the town hold an annual party and decorate the rustic barn with string lights. Have the protagonist take their love interest to a pond that meant a lot to them growing up.

The best way to figure out how to bring the romance here is to really get to know the setting you’re filming in so that you can find those specific romantic elements that only locals would know. If you’re choosing an area you’ve lived in then make a list of spots that are particularly meaningful or special in your eyes. This way, you can allow the viewer to see those spots through your lens. If you’re filming in an area you’ve never been to, it may be helpful to interview some local people to see if they have any insight on these types of more symbolic or meaningful settings.

3) Use Close-ups

Just as you should use wide aerial shots to set the moods, you’ll need to utilize a lot of close-ups in a romance movie. This is because one major part of building a romance is showing moments where the characters learn something new about each other or start to think of one another in a new way. As with many romances, they’ll likely meet and make all kinds of initial judgments about one another. But then, little by little, they’ll start to realize the person is completely different than they thought.

So, for example, perhaps the story is girl meets boy and girl thinks boy is an arrogant player. Then one day she notices him running toward a family to give a little girl back her stuffed animal. Another day maybe he takes the blame for defacing a sign, but she notices another boy put a can of spray paint in his bag. We need closeups of these little moments so that not only the audience notices these instances, but also that they are alerted that our ‘girl’ noticed these things.

4) The Declaration

Every iconic indie romance has the iconic ‘declaration’ moment. This could either be a good or bad thing, it could be the moment where they realize their love for one another or they realize the relationship can’t be sustained for long (that’s just summer love). Either way, you’ll need to set the mood and do it in a unique way. No one wants to see the rain scene from The Notebook over and over again in every romance they see. When you’re making a declaration scene of your own, try to make it both unique and emblematic of the relationship you’ve build. For example, if you’ve crafted a quirky dorky couple, give them an equally quirky and dorky declaration of their love. Perhaps they both show up to the same Halloween party dressed as Spock, get mad at each other, but the anger quickly dissolves into kissing.

5) How do they change?

Thematically, although the romance is crucial to a romance film, you must keep in mind that the two characters are individuals as well. Regardless of whether or not they end up together at the end of your film, you must keep in mind the question- how do they change one another? The romance aside, these two people are important in one another’s lives and are crucial in shaping each other into the people they will become. For example, in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind going through the experience of losing his relationship makes Joel change his mind about wanting it to be over. And, watching the relationship back, makes him view himself differently and changes the things that he holds as important.

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