How a Director’s Intention Informs Camera Placement

Filmmaker Tony Zhou and co-writer illustrator Taylor Ramos of the incredibly insightful cinematic series Every Frame a Painting look at how the director’s intention informs the placement of the camera in films.

So that raises the question: when we’re placing the camera, what are the choices we need to make? Every scene has an intention, a reason to be in the movie. And it’s our job to figure out that intention.

The design and placement of a shot is a personal decision that carries the director’s vision for the film.

But deciding where to put the camera is not just about story or blocking or theory… or practicality. It’s about something more personal. “What do we want to say?” informs everything from the intention of the scene, to the actors’ performances, to the behavior of the camera. And this question is the most difficult because it’s the most personal. No one else can answer it.