Rule Of Thirds

You may have come across the rule of thirds in everyday life but you might not have realised it. This is usually on your cameras and phones while taking pictures or recording a video. Most people (usually younger children) believe that the center of a picture or frame is the most important bit, so they place everything in the middle of the page or picture. However in the world of film and photography it is quite the contrary.

This grid is what you often see on camera screens, and is used as a guideline of placement of objects and people in the frame. The composition of theses things in a frame is very important for the viewers brains and eyes. The more center something is the more intense for our eyes it becomes, (and it's also not the first place we look). A recent music video of a band demonstrates the rule of thirds perfectly. Here is the video and some screenshots explaining the Rule Of Thirds:

If you notice while the guitar is being played, the main body of the instrument is to the left of the frame there is nothing of any significance in the center of the frame. 

As the camera focus' on the singer of the band, Luke, notice he is placed in to the right of the frame and not the center, making the framing less intense to the viewer. 

Even when there is more than one person in the frame, neither are in the center of the frame. Micheal is placed to the very left of the frame meanwhile Luke is just of center to the right. This may be because he is the 'lead' of the band.

As the camera cuts to Calum singing, he is positioned level with the microphone in being just of center. Leaving dead space in the direct center.

Ashton the drummer is also placed to the very left of the frame when he is seen playing drums. The drums are alot more in the center than him. Showing the importance of the instrument.

Even when the whole band is visible in the frame, none of them are in the center of the frame, the bass head is in the center. However it not exactly significant to the shot.

In summary the rule of thirds are an important technique in film making, that is quite subliminal to us as viewers and has integrated into a part of our everyday lives. For more deeper explanations here is a useful website explaining the rule of thirds from a photography point of view http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/rule-of-thirds.htm

Lucy