God’s eye view, one of the most well-known filmmaking shots, captures an overhead angle by placing the camera directly above the subject. But what are the pros and cons of this shot, and how can you best use it in your videos? Below, we overview the basics, then turn it over to a filmmaker to glean some expert advice.
When you use God’s eye view, you allow the audience to see the movement of a scene all at once in a way that the characters cannot necessarily see themselves, giving viewers a more omniscient perspective. But this vantage point is often disorienting; it can seem jarring or unnatural to the audience as objects in the frame may be unrecognizable at first (maybe that’s why classic creepster Alfred Hitchcock used it so much). However, once the audience has acclimated to the new point of view, the God’s eye view can have a crazy significant effect on the narrative and add symbolic meaning to a scene.
This device was used in the entirety of the Staff Pick favorite ‘Me & You’ from London-based filmmaker Jack Tew, and it seriously impacted the tone in an amazing way. I touched base with our friend across the pond and picked his brain as to how God’s eye view influenced and shaped the film — and the best ways you can use it in your next video. Get some advice straight from Jack below:
Connect with viewers in an unexpected way
‘I felt shooting the whole film from a God’s-view perspective would be a great way to visually show how a relationship can change over time — yet how so much of our time is spent in the same place. Looking down on these moments gives the audience a sense of looking back at their own relationships, which was one of my main reasons for creating this film. I had seen this technique used in other films such as ‘God View’, and felt it was a great way to capture an audience’s attention, as we’re not used to seeing life from this perspective.’
[author’s note: before hitting play, please know the video below is very mature in nature and contains themes and graphic violence that may be disturbing to some viewers]
Be mindful of limits
‘Being unable to move in for a close-up meant I had to find a way of showing everything from the same distance. So small details were hard to put across sometimes. And only having one wide angle meant I had to give [each moment] enough time on screen so the audience could make sense of what was going on. But I always try and put limitations on my ideas, so I get to focus in and be creative with what I have.’
Choose shots that serve your story
‘It’s not cheap to shoot from this perspective. Only use this if the story works for it. There are advantages and disadvantages to [it]: disadvantages being [that you’re] unable to see reactions on faces or show small details. Be super safe shooting from this perspective. No one wants a camera falling on their head.’
With this overview in mind and Joe’s helpful tips in tow, we hope you’re inspired to get out there, aim for the skies, and spice up your shots with a change in vantage point. Who knows, maybe your marvelous God’s-eye masterpiece will be the next Staff Pick. Upwards Uploads and onwards!
