Crane, Aerial & Bird's Eye View

The Sound Of Music opening involves Crane, Aerial and Birds eye view camera movements. They are all often used but are only slightly different. They are different because a Birds eye view shows a scene from directly overhead, a very unnatural and strange angle. This shot does, however, put the audience in a godlike position, looking down on the action. Whereas a Crane shot is taken from a crane where it can move up, down, left, right, swooping in on action or moving diagonally out of it. Aerial camera movement is very similar to Crane camera movement just Aerial shot is usually taken from a helicopter. This is often used at the beginning of a film, in order to establish setting and movement (like shown in the clip above). By being filmed on a helicopter makes it a lot more easier for the audience to see what is happening, it makes it visually interesting for them.