Man vs. Alien
What does it look like?
It’s any shot that shows a human being in a way that dwarfs him compared to the alien threat he is confronted with in a scene. It could be a fleet of invading spacecraft (using landmarks for scale) or a direct confrontation with a character.
How’s it done?
It’s usually a series of shots starting with a wide, then progressing to a high angle looking down on the human, then a low angle looking up at the alien threat.
When should I use it?
Use this shot to sell the threat and to show the scale of the action.
Independence Day (1996)
Synopsis: When aliens in enormous spacecraft suddenly arrive in Earth’s atmosphere and start blowing things up, it falls to a cocky pilot (Will Smith) and a goofy scientist ...
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