The 180- degree rule is a critical concept in cinematography that ensures proper camera coverage of characters in a scene. According to the rule, when a camera is positioned on one side of the horizontal line, it preserves the left/right relationship to bring consistency to the viewers. The 180-degree rule has been used to ensure proper camera sitting and coverage of characters in the 1:05:12—1:06:47 scene in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”.

The 180-degree rule facilitates taking single shots from a fixed camera position. The position creates a zone to help monitor characters’ movement. In the scene, before the Goblet through the professor chooses those who will participate in the championship; viewers are shown the set through a fixed camera view. Even though the camera zooms in, it does so from a single view (Kaaba, 2016, 01). This shows everyone in the set, from the students to Alastor Moody and Igor Karkaroff as well as the professor.

One of the concepts in the 180-degree rule calls for attention to the eye line. According to this rule, it is vital that when cutting between single shots in a scene, especially when it is a dialogue, the characters appear as if they face the camera. The character on the right faces the camera –left while the other character on the left faces the camera-right. The result is the eye line will match as it is the requirement. In the scene, Alastor Moody and Igor Karkaroff face off in a debate of whether Harry Potter could have manipulated his way into the championship. The face-off demonstrates how the eye-line matches such that when the professor joins the argument, the viewer can quickly tell the position of each character.

Another element to consider in the 180-degree rule is the focal length, which influences the size and angle of coverage in a scene. When the professor comes in between Alastor and Igor, the camera immediately cuts and then widens the view. It allows the viewer to see where everyone else in the scene is positioned. When the professor moves, every other person moves, thus reorienting the viewer on the actors’ new position in the end.

It is worth noting that the camera setting can break the 180-degree rule. This is achieved by moving the camera to cross the line while through the shot in the middle. However, the rule is broken without disorienting the audience to signal that there has been an emotional shift in the scene. For example, when Harry Potter, against all the traditions, has been selected to compete and join other competitors, the camera shot goes uninterrupted and crosses the line to show him walk through the students who shout that he is a cheat.

In conclusion, the 180 rule has been applied in the scene to ensure proper sitting of the camera and coverage of the characters. It facilitates single shots from a fixed position and creates attention for the eye line and focal length.

Reference

Kaaba. (2016, Dec 24). Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire (Harry Picked from The Goblet) 4K [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8szpId3oWlE