The Bird's Eye View Shot - Framing

Classically used in a number of films, especially by Mr Hitchcock in the film ‘Birds’, the bird’s eye view shot is great if you get it right. But you need to be different. You need to use it to really show of your cinematography skills. Follow the examples below to get some tips and ideas for when to use those beloved bird’s eye view shots.

Bird’s Eye View shots cannot just be used here and there. They have to be used carefully and they must be used with great thought. Not only because they can cause the audience to become disorientated but they do cost quite a bit of money. They may look great but is there a need for it. some of the examples below show how perfectly they can in fact be used.

This shot is loved by many because of the contrast used. This bird’s eye view shot is used to contrast with the background. By placing the camera above the subject and the boat, it is clear to the audience the contrast between the clear clean water and dirty and old boat. This shot is also cleverly used to show the content of the boat. From most other shots, it would be impossible to look into this boat without hiding the face of the subjects, therefore, using a bird’s eye view shot has allowed the audience to see both the subject and the contents of the boat. This suggests that the content of the boat is important to the story of the film.

It has got to be another classic shot, widely used in Rom-Coms and Romance movies. Using a bird’s eye view shot suggests that someone (eg GOD) is looking over this happy couple and that they are to be together forever. Also, like the boat shot, when you do a you can often isolate the characters from other objects in the shot and have them on a simple plain background, in this case, the grass and the flowers. It is simple. The flowers are also symbolic of the romance between the two.

Often followed with a zoom into a specific location, this is another commonly used bird’s eye view shot. However, this is only for the people with millions and millions to spend on camera technology. You’ll require a helicopter, a specialist camera operator who can operator in the sky, you’ll also need permission to fly over the city for x amount of time. There is a lot of logistics to be thought about before even considering this sort of shot. But if you do manage to get to have this shot in your movie then you’re very lucky but it will make your movie look even more professional.

NOTE: Don’t think you can do this shot on the cheap. If you’re going to do it, then you need to… DO IT FOR REAL. There is no point trying to cheat and trying to do it at half the price because that will greatly effect the quality of your shot.

Bird’s eye view shots , beautiful if you get them right but can be a real pain in the backside for the camera crew, producers and anyone dealing with the logistics of your production. Don’t attempt these shots until you have the money to spend setting them up and completing them.

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