ABSTRACT
Canted shots are created by tilting the camera laterally to varying degrees, producing horizons that are not level and making what should be vertical lines run diagonally across the frame. These shots were originally introduced to the cinematic vocabulary in the early 1900s, in German Expression-ist films that incorporated distorted set designs and stylized acting to visualize a character’s subjective inner turmoil as well as the collective anxiety that gripped Germany following the end of World War I. Since canted shots are made apparent by showing subjects and/or aspects of the mise-en-scène slanted to various degrees, it is essential to create compositions that include visual elements that are easily identifiable to an audience as not being perfectly vertical. Creating most types of canted shots is relatively easy, since they require no specialized hardware other than a tripod or a handheld rig.
