What Is Forced Perspective In Filmmaking?

In filmmaking, forced perspective is a visual effects technique that makes things appear to be farther away or closer than they actually are. It can also be used to make things look larger or smaller than they really are.

In movies and television shows, forced perspective is often used to save production costs by using small props in place of real ones. For example, cars that would otherwise be expensive to rent for filming can be replaced with tiny scale models. Forced perspective for this purpose is achieved through the use of miniature objects carefully placed in the frame along with life-sized objects. The miniature objects are placed closer to the camera so that they appear to be larger than they really are and more realistic in scale compared to the life-sized object.

Watch this video below to learn how using miniature objects to scale works with the forced perspective technique:

“Forced Perspective: A Rebel’s Guide to Camera Trickery” by Joke and Biagio – TV Producers, Filmmakers

Camera angles are extremely important to maintain in using forced perspective. A slight shift in the wrong direction can give away the illusion created by forced perspective. In The Lord of the Rings, a dynamic approach to forced perspective was used to achieve the illusion of different sized characters interacting with each other as cameras panned around. By using custom tracks for props and cameras, the production team for The Lord of the Rings was able to create these incredible illusions without the use of computer graphics.

Learn more about how The Lord of the Rings used forced perspective:

“How Lord of the Rings used forced perspective shots with a moving camera VIDEO” by TXFilmProfessor

If you are wanting to integrate the forced perspective technique into your film and are looking for props to use for your next production, check out our online Nevada Production Directory to find prop masters and prop assistants in Nevada or drop by our office and pick up a free printed directory!

If you are a prop master or prop assistant and are not yet listed in our Nevada Production Directory, you can learn more about how to sign up for the NPD here.

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