Do you think the camera angles for the Olympics are good or bad?

Question

They get so close, it's like a dental training film. Is it just me or has anyone else noticed this? Is there a reason? You know the camera operators have to be more competent than those frames.

We seem to get head shots with the top of the head cut off

instead of portrait shots, chest up.

Anyone have an answer?

Answer 1

I always felt kinda bad for them becuase they're just sitting there, or taping their hands, and the camera men are all like "Oooh looky-looky"

Or when that Jamaican woman won a sprint and went crazy celebrating and the camera men were right in her face taking a million pictures.

Answer 2

Portrait shots are relatively wide... extreme close-ups build much more tension. The closer the shot (within reason), the more intensity that is built. That is probably why they opt for these very close shots that cut off the tops of heads. The viewer doesn't really need to know what the top of a competitor's head looks like.

I think as far as shots go, the camera work has been exceptional.

Answer 3

I like seeing the underwater shots of the divers and the swimmers.  It shows a completely different view then the ones you usually see.  Also they need to STOP showing the shots of the women gymnasts asses.

Answer 4

I was just saying the same thing to my dad today when they were filming the gymnast shaun! they get right up in their business, but thats just the chanel getting as close as they can so its like your right there with them. they want you to see the emotion and facial expressions, but they do go a little overboard. too close is better than too far to me though

Answer 5

Olympics has 28 sports and so each sporting venue will have many different camera operators and each venue a different editor but I guess it may not be so easy finding a camera operator who maybe trained sufficiently or have great interest in that particular sport, hence resulting in some unsightly framing. Sorry no proof or stats on this but some thot on yr question.