The rule of thirds

The rule of thirds is a concept in video and film production in which the frame is divided into nine imaginary sections which creates reference points to act as guides for framing the image. The guideline proposes that an image should be imagined as divided by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections. Points of interest should occur at 1/3 or 2/3 of the way up the frame rather than in the centre in order to create a key focal point.

When filming people, it is common to line the body up to a vertical line and the person's eyes to a horizontal line. If filming a moving object, the same pattern is often followed with the majority of the extra room being in front of the person. Likewise, when filming a still subject who is not facing the camera, the majority of the extra room should be in front of the person with the vertical line running through their perceived centre.