Rule of Thirds — VideoKnowHow (2024)

The RULE OF THIRDS is a commonly used guideline for helping with composition in photography and videography. The basic principle is to divide your image into thirds horizontally and vertically. These lines and their intersections act as guidelines for where to position important compositional elements in your frame.

It is particularly helpful for positioning your subject correctly for an off camera interview. Position the centre of your subject's body on the left third if they are looking across the frame from left to right. Position their eyes on the top third. As you can see below, the lines draw your attention to the subject's eyes which helps us to make a connection with the person as they speak.

Rule of Thirds — VideoKnowHow (2024)

FAQs

Does rule of thirds apply to videos? ›

An offshoot of those artistic rules, used in still photography and video, is called the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds states that you should mentally divide the frame (what you see in the viewfinder) into thirds, both vertically and horizontally. What you get is like a tic-tac-toe board overlaying your screen.

What is the video rule of three? ›

The rule of thirds is the basic rule of composition in film production. Divide the frame visually into thirds horizontally and vertically, so the image is divided into nine equal parts, which creates control points. Place your main objects along or within these lines, or their intersection.

What is the #1 rule of thirds? ›

The rule of thirds in photography is a guideline that places the subject in the left or right third of an image, leaving the other two thirds more open. It divides a photo into nine equal parts, split by two equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines.

What is the 321 rule in video? ›

Every video maker includes the 321 rule. This means that you should always keep three copies of every single thing that you make in two different places.

Does the rule of thirds always apply? ›

The rule of thirds can be the wrong fit for your photo and designs at times. The rule of thirds is a general rule of thumb that can result in excellent compositions, but it doesn't always apply. In fact, many famous photographs have been taken without using the rule of thirds.

What is the rule of three answer? ›

The so-called rule of three is an educational tool utilized historically to verbalize the process of solving basic linear equations with four terms where three of the terms are known. Evidence suggests that there are two "different" rules of three: One direct and one inverse.

What is the 3 rule example? ›

Examples of the rule of three

In storytelling: “The Three Little Pigs,” “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” and “Three Billy Goats Gruff” are all classic examples of stories that use the rule of three. In speeches: “I came, I saw, I conquered” is a famous example of the rule of three used by Julius Caesar.

What is an example of the rule of thirds? ›

Here is an example of the rule of thirds for a landscape photo. The focus is on the land area rather than the sky so the bottom two-thirds of the photograph is filled with land and the top third is the sky.

What is the rule of thirds for vertical video? ›

This rule suggests dividing the image into thirds and placing your subject into one of those thirds or intersections. There are two horizontal and two vertical lines, making nine equal parts with four intersecting points. For vertical videos and portraits, place the eye of the subject in one of these intersections.

How long should video interview answers be? ›

What's the right length for video interview answers? So, how long should video answers be? Ultimately, it all depends on the type of question. Some questions will require a quick, simple answer which should last no longer than 30 seconds, while other evidence-based questions will need over 90 seconds of detail.

What is the rule of 3 in interviewing? ›

If you want to appear knowledgeable or otherwise prepared in a job interview and not embarrass yourself, try to know at least three different facts about anything that you claim to have knowledge of—whether you are the one being interviewed or doing the interviewing.

What breaks the rule of thirds? ›

Breaking the rule of thirds.

Fill the frame: “Filling the frame is really interesting — when there are parts of an image that aren't necessarily fully in the frame, or when there's a subject that's very much in the foreground of the frame,” art director and photographer Alex Tan says.

Why is rule of thirds good? ›

The rule of thirds is important because it creates a good balance between the elements in the frame. It helps you decide how much background and foreground are necessary for a visually appealing photograph. It also helps you manage the empty space, especially when your scene has plenty of it.

Is rule of thirds a technique? ›

The rule of thirds is a composition technique that guides you to place your subject on the left or right, leaving more room for the other objects. Although there are other forms of composition, the rule of thirds helps get the most well-composed shots.

What is the rule of three video editing? ›

The rule of thirds is a composition guideline that divides a frame into nine parts using two equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines. According to the rule, you should place the subject on these lines or at their intersections.

What movies follow the rule of 3? ›

Examples of the rule of thirds in film
  • “The Godfather Part II” (1974)
  • “Rear Window” (1954)
  • “Joker” (2019)
Aug 22, 2023

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