180 Degree Rule

180 Degree Rule

The 180 degree shot is a rule that is used to show the left and right relationship between characters on screen. For example if two people are talking the 180 degree line would go in a line through them and then a side shot should always be taken from the same side of the line. This shows that the characters are facing the right way to be talking to each other.

Image from Google of a 180 Degree Rule 

The image at the top is a diagram of the 180 degree rule. The line of action goes straight through the two characters and the camera will have to stay on one chosen side of the line. Following the diagram the line is on the bottom half of box meaning it's on actor 1's right side and actor 2's left side. The different cameras are there to show different angles to follow the conversation between the 2 characters. However the camera on the other side is red to show that if it was used it wouldn't be following the rule and so when the scenes shot are added to it, the shots from the red camera will show that both actors are looking at the same side and not at each other.