History Main / LowAngleEmptyWorldShot

Compare with DutchAngle (the camera is sometimes aiming upwards, and must be canted/tilted to create an uneasy atmosphere), HitlerCam (the camera is aimed upwards to make one or more figures taller/physically imposing), KneeHighPerspective (where the camera isn't angled, but is still close to the ground, creating the impression of a small perspective), and PanUpToTheSkyEnding (the camera aims upward at the end).

Of course, it can be jarring when used too much or from too low an angle, making it feel like everything is being recorded from the point of view of a child - but when used with proper planning, you barely even notice. Competent directors simply make sure the characters in the foreground or the tall objects in the background are interesting enough and the audience will be distracted.

Compare with DutchAngle (the camera is sometimes aiming upwards, and must be canted/tilted to create an uneasy atmosphere), HitlerCam (the camera is aimed upwards to make one or more figures taller/physically imposing), and KneeHighPerspective (where the camera isn't angled, but is still close to the ground, creating the impression of a small perspective).

* An InUniverse version in the propaganda movie being shown in ''Film/NineteenEightyFour'' in a futile attempt to hide the [[ForeverWar bombed-out rubble of London]] the [[MillionMookMarch troops are marching through]].

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''Series/TheWalkingDead'': Often goes on roads out in the country, but still shoots from low so they don't have to dress the ground.

* In the ''Series/BlakesSeven'' episode "Aftermath", location filming was on a beach in Northumberland instead of the usual BBCQuarry. Unfortunately a large crowd of gawkers turned up as the day wore on, so there was an excess of shots like this.

* In the propaganda movie being shown in ''Film/NineteenEightyFour'' in a futile attempt to hide the [[ForeverWar bombed-out rubble of London]] the [[MillionMookMarch troops are marching through]].

You use a lot of shots from below the actors![[note]]It doesn't have to be from below either. Low is most common, but shots from up high pointing down are used, too - it's just easier to keep the camera low than rent a crane. [[RealityEnsues Gravity and all]].[[/note]] This way you don't have to worry about the busy street behind the actors or the neatly-mown lawns (that should have been untouched for years) on the side of the road. All the audience will see is the tops of buildings (which would probably still be in okay shape), and treetops. You remove the sounds of traffic in editing and replace it with silence. As camera tricks go, you can't get much more simple.

[[caption-width-right:344:Far cheaper than clearing the busy [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity Manhattan]] Street behind them -- [[TropesAreTools and looks good]], too!]]

Different from HitlerCam, which is just to magnify a character's height, not to hide something.

* In the ''Series/BlakesSeven'' episode "Aftermath", location filming was on a beach instead of the usual BBCQuarry. Unfortunately a large crowd of gawkers turned up as the day wore on, so there was an excess of shots like this.

[[AC:Film]]

[[AC:Live Action TV]]

* ''Film/IAmLegend'' has a high angle view of an abandoned Manhattan. The city is empty with vegetation overgrowing and wild animals who escaped the zoo are roaming the streets.

* ''Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined'': When the folks back on Caprica are going through the empty city.

* ''Film/{{Godspell}}'', with its empty Manhattan uses this often, only it's non-apocalyptic.

Of course depending on the angle and how often this is used it can be jarring when used too much or too low an angle, making it feel like everything is being recorded from the point of view of a child - but when used with proper planning you barely even notice. Competent directors simply make sure the characters in the foreground or the tall objects in the background are interesting enough and the audience will be distracted.

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/{{Godspell}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1973_godspell_body_5250.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Far cheaper than clearing the busy [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity Manhattan]] Street behind them -- [[TropesAreTools and looks good]], too!]]

* ''Series/TheWalkingDead''

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1973_godspell_body_5250.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Far cheaper than clearing the busy [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity Manhattan]] Street behind them - [[TropesAreTools and looks good]], too!]]You're shooting an AfterTheEnd movie where almost everyone is gone, and the world has fallen into disrepair. You're telling the story of TheAloner or the last few people, so when you have to shoot in the city you can't have streets full of cars and people in the background. The thing is, clearing the streets of people, making sure lawns look unkempt, and other set dressing for the apocalypse can be expensive and takes a lot of time. How do you get around this but still film the characters outside?

* ''Main/{{Godspell}}'', with its empty Manhattan uses this often, only it's non-apocalyptic.

You use a lot of shots from below the actors![[note]]It doesn't have to be from below either. Low is most common, but shots from up high pointing down are used, too - it's just easier to keep the camera low than rent a crane. Gravity and all.[[/note]] This way you don't have to worry about the busy street behind the actors or the neatly-mown lawns (that should have been untouched for years) on the side of the road. All the audience will see is the tops of buildings (which would probably still be in okay shape), and treetops. You remove the sounds of traffic in editing and replace it with silence. As camera tricks go, you can't get much more simple.

You use a lot of shots from below the actors![[note]]It doesn't have to be from below either. Low is most common, but shots from up high pointing down are used, too - it's just easier to keep the camera low than rent a crane. Gravity and all.[[/note]] This way you don't have to worry about the busy street behind the actors or the neatly-mown lawns (that should have been untouched for years) on the side of the road. All the audience will see is the tops of buildings (which would probably still be in okay shape), and treetops. You remove the sounds of traffic in editing and replace it with silence.

* The only outside shot of ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'' was the scene where the proto-human smashes the skull and bones, shot in a field on a raised platform from down low to get the sky in the shot and to avoid the cars and trucks in the background.