Dutch Angle

Dutch tilt, Dutch angle, Dutch shot, oblique angle, German angle, canted angle, Batman angle, or jaunty angle (in non-cinematic static photography) are terms used for one of many cinematic techniques often used to portray the psychological uneasiness or tension in the subject being filmed. A Dutch angle is achieved by tilting the camera off to the side so that the shot is composed with vertical lines at an angle to the side of the frame. Many Dutch angles are static shots, but in a moving Dutch angle shot the camera can pivot, pan or track along the director/cinematographer's established diagonal axis for the shot.

A special Dutch Angle is the Bavarian Angle, where the camera position is changed about 90° from the common angle. Horizontal lines become vertical.

A Dutch angle differs from a high-angle shot and low-angle shot (although Dutch angle shots are often combined with those for artistic and/or dramatic effect), in that those refer to placement of the camera in height relative to the subject (which for human subjects is mostly defined by a person's eyeline).

In non-cinematic static photography a Jaunty angle can add a new variance to otherwise vertical/horizontal framing. Obtuse and acute angles can be added to dull pictures by means of tilting the camera prior to use. This effect can make a picture appear on a slope bringing to it a feeling of creativity and making the whole aesthetic more attractive. The term 'jaunty' was popularised by use with hats being placed at an inclined angle and this term has been adopted in the early 21st century by those using their camera on a similar incline.