Camera Angles in a Movie

        

            For this assignment, I chose to watch the movie, Spencer, starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana. It follows Princess Diana through mental struggles and eating disorders that she faced with the pressures of being part of the royal family and being married to Prince Charles, who had been having an affair. 

        For emphasis and comparison, the movie uses many interesting camera angles and shots. These angles and shots show the reality of the psychological trauma Princess Diana went through behind closed doors.

 To start off, the establishing shot sets the mood by using a quiet field of trees. This empty field reflects how Princess Diana feels. She feels desolate and alone living as a royal. However, the trees may represent power. Perhaps, this is to show the power the royal family and public media had over her.

       Another scene I found to contain interesting camera work was when cars drive by in front of the grand Buckingham Palace. The camera follows the cars from left to right as a panning shot. This scene is also a very wide shot. It shows the cars in relation to the ginormous palace. Additionally, the palace's vast size is emphasized through the pan and size relation to the cars.

     A third scene showing a fascinating angle is when Queen Elizabeth II walks up the steps to Buckingham Palace with her husband, Prince Phillip, and her many Corgi dogs. It is shot in a low-angle setting. This low-angle setting shows the Queen's regality and superiority.

    The next scene shows a major contrast to the last. This scene shows Princess Diana walking up the steps of Buckingham Palace. However, this scene is not shot at a low angle, rather it is shot at a handheld eye-level angle. By using this rough filming technique, the director adds a sense of reality. Princess Diana is not seen with the same professionalism as the Queen.

  A fifth interesting scene takes place at Christmas dinner with the royal family. We see an extreme close-up of Princess Diana imagining ripping off her pearl necklace. Earlier in the movie, it is explained that her husband, Prince Charles had gifted her and another woman the same necklace. By using this imaginary close-up we see the symbolism of Princess Diana's desire to break away from the royal family and their harsh expectations.

   Last but not least, I chose a scene of Princess Diana frantically walking the halls of Buckingham Palace before a party with the royal family. The camera action used here is a dolly-in shot. the camera follows her as she walks toward it. By using this camera angle, we see just how nervous the Princess truly is. We see her struggles and her pain of being tied down to the royals. She must make a happy face for the crowds but deep inside she holds a lot of pain.