Learning how to use a Dutch angle

Hi and welcome back to media fix! In our film we will use multiple shots and angles to add meaning. Because of this I will be learning angles I have not used in the past to see if we should consider them for our production. I want to first learn the Dutch angle because it is associated with the feeling of tension, and that is a common feeling in our film. 

The Dutch angle is often referred to as a Dutch tilt, canted angle, oblique angle, or German angle. It is when a camera is angled so the horizon line isn't parallel with the bottom of the frame and the vertical lines are at an angle to the side of the frame. 

From an article I read, which can be found here, I learned that Dutch angles are a way to portray feelings of tension, uneasiness, or abnormality. The article goes on to explain when to use this angle. The misuse or overuse of the canted angle will diminish its impact on your audience. 

Dutch angles should be used when you are trying to make your audience feel a sense of abnormality. The article breaks down a scene from Mission Impossible, explaining that the choice made by Brain De Palma (director) to use this angle was to enhance and signal a major plot twist in the movie to the audience. Ethan’s view of the meeting he is in changes when he realizes something is wrong. When the power shifts, so does the angle. 

Still from Mission Impossible, May 22, 1996

De Palma combines the Dutch angle with shots of standard composition for multiple reasons. One, switching between the two compositions creates an even larger shift in the scene. And two, avoiding the overuse of the extreme angle. 

Still from Mission Impossible, May 22, 1996

I’ve learned to do three things before choosing to include a Dutch angle in a storyboard. ‘Identify the moment in your script’, ‘consider the entire scene’, and ‘enhance’ (Studio binder).