If your professor isn't too tired/frazzled/hungover to just toss a syllabus on your desk and call it good, your first day of film school is most likely going to include a lesson on the 180-degree rule. This filmmaking fundamental is key in keeping the spacial continuity of your film clear and concise, which will in turn keep your audience from being confused about what's happening on-screen. In this short video from Fandor, you get to learn all the basics of the 180-degree rule, how to follow it, and how to break it for dramatic effect.


The thing about the 180-degree rule is that it's pretty simple in theory: draw an imaginary line down the center of the action and then only shoot from one side. Bam! Easy! However, in practice it's a little more difficult than that, because it's easy for things to get confusing once all of the cameras, tripods, lights, actors, and crew members are buzzing around on set.

To help maintain your spacial continuity (and personal sanity), mapping out each of your shots is a must. Whether you do that with detailed storyboards or basic sketches of shot setups is up to you, but having something clear and easy to follow to look at before you start shooting will not only help you get the right shot, but it'll help you notice any mistakes before you make them.

Source: Fandor