What is a Neutral Shot?

A neutral shot is often used to produce little to no psychological effect on the audience while capturing the scene. We see the neutral shot used to provide a specific point of view for the audience. But what is the neutral shot anyway and how is a neutral shot taken?

Also called an eye-level shot, the neutral shot involves the direct placement of the camera, at the subject’s eye-level, so that it will capture the face of the actor head on as if you were sitting directly across from or standing directly across from the subject.

This shot is used to show the audience a neutral position and should be taken with a focus in which the head of the subject is level with the camera.

Why Use a Neutral Shot?

A neutral shot is used to bring the viewer directly into the story. To bring the viewer into the story and help them to feel like they are part of what’s about to happen, you use a neutral shot. This is also sometimes referred to as a POV shot or the eye-level shot.

When a character is first introduced, a neutral shot can be used to add a sense of humanization to the character. This shot is also used to show the audience a specific object within the frame, especially when the object has importance later on.

Eye-level or neutral shots generally don’t give the audience an impression of weakness or strength of the character. They are “neutral,” in the sense that they don’t designate any level of status or distinction or lack thereof for the character in the scene.

The Power of Neutral Shots

Neutral shots are powerful because they are one-shot that actually doesn’t make the audience feel something towards the character.

In a world where the camera shot can make a powerful connection with the audience and help them to feel like a character is somehow emotionally unbalanced, a neutral shot makes the character appear similar to someone we would look across from in real life.

A neutral shot may be incorporated into the film production to help the audience feel safe, scared, or amazed. We sense what the character’s emotion is with the neutral shot.

Neutral shots sometimes help us to connect with the character. Humanizing the subject and making us feel as if we are standing there, in the situation with the subject, the neutral shot helps us to connect with more than just the subject but with the scene itself.

Neutral Level Shot Emotions

While neutral level shots are not generally used to capture strong emotions, they can have an emotional impact on the audience. Depending on the surroundings, the eye level shot can connect the emotions of the character with those of the audience so that the audience can sense the way the character feels.

A neutral shot on a character that is uncomfortable will make us question the comfort of the scene. Likewise, a neutral shot of a hopeful character will have us feeling hopeful too.

Want to learn more about the use of camera shots and angles to produce emotions and connections with your audience? Contact Beverly Boy Productions today to get started with a film production crew that knows how to make powerful use of neutral shots and camera angles that will captivate your audience.