The Narrator

Physical Position

The narrator’s physical position determines what they can see and, therefore, what the reader can see. This is especially relevant when a narrative is presented as a film. The camera lens position, or focalization, is critical to viewers' interpretation of a scene.

Focalization

Focalization presents a scene through a character’s subjective perception. The term can refer to the focalizer, the person doing the seeing, or the object being perceived. In literature, focalization is established through first-person narration. In film, camera positions such as point-of-view shots, subjective shots, and over-the-shoulder shots are combined with the presentation of shots in specific sequences.

Point-of-view Shot

A point-of-view shot is a scene in a film that shows what a character sees. It is usually 'established' by positioning the point-of-view shot between a shot of a character looking at something and a shot showing the character's reaction (a reverse shot).

Subjective Treatment

In film, subjective treatment shots show events as if we see through the 'mind's eye' of the character. These shots may portray a vision, a memory, or a hallucination.

Objective Treatment

An objective treatment of a scene presents what is in front of the camera within the narrative diegesis. Objective treatment corresponds to third-person narration in literature.

Over-the-shoulder

An over-the-shoulder shot includes part of the character’s shoulder or the side of their head while showing the scene from the character's point of view. This establishes the conversational positions of the characters.