Perfection. We all – consciously or unconsciously, one way or another – strive for it. And what a wonderful feeling it is to sit in a dark cinema and enjoy a perfect, eye-pleasing visual composition! There are various ways to create this effect on the audience, with symmetrical shots being the most obvious. Does symmetry always equal harmony, though? Not at all. Let’s take a look at some classic and modern film examples and find out how they work!
When we talk about symmetry in shot composition, we mean that different elements of the mise-en-scene have balanced proportions on the opposite sides of a dividing line or axis. Of course, they are not exactly the same – it’s not a mirror reflection after all – but fairly close. Symmetrical shots can be created in various cinematic spaces, either by using leading lines to emphasize depth or by arranging characters in a balanced composition within a flat space. (Head over here to read more about spaces). The possibilities are endless, and the question is: How do we create a shot that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also powerful story-wise?
Symmetrical shots: balance and imbalance
One way to create a visual story is to work with balance and imbalance. Imagine a shot with intentional symmetry, for instance, this one from the coming-of-age crime drama “Disco Pigs,” based on the play of the same name (at 02:49):
It’s a top shot, which, at the beginning, appears to be perfectly balanced. We see two identical cribs side by side. Yet the left one is empty, destroying the seeming symmetry, underlining that something is off. Fortunately, not for long: we hear a howl, and a baby boy now occupies the second crib. Newborns exchange glances, and the scene ends with a sweet, symmetrical shot of their hands clasped together.
Using balance and imbalance, the director Kirsten Sheridan immediately establishes the main topic and the so-called promise for the premise. Later, the symbolic relationship between the two characters (which at first appears as a solution) becomes the central conflict of the story. In the beginning, though, there is harmony all around.
Harmony of symmetrical shots
In the MZed course “Fundamentals of Directing,” independent screenwriter and director Kyle Wilamowski articulates this visual tool in the following way:
We are surrounded by symmetry and patterns. They make for eye-catching visuals that really grab our attention by focusing us on a subject or away from it. You can also break symmetry or a pattern to also draw attention.
To give us a prominent example, Kyle Wilamowski takes the works of Wes Anderson – a director who uses symmetry and patterns to a great extent. In fact, they are key compositional elements that make Wes’s visual style stand out. Even if you’re not a film buff, you can imagine a frame or two from his movies. But just for the joy of it, let’s rewatch the trailer to “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and count all the symmetrical shots.
What feelings do these balanced images evoke? It’s hard to explain, right? Yet, as Kyle puts it, they make Wes Anderson’s films visually captivating, drawing us effortlessly into his imagined worlds.
Crafting otherworldly experience
“Imaginary.” This is an interesting point. Wes Anderson’s worlds do not feel real to us. Of course, he uses a whole array of visual tools to achieve this effect (smooth parallel tracking shots, wide lenses, curious color combinations, acting, special editing techniques, and so on), but perfect symmetry definitely contributes to the final result.
Let me show you another piece of evidence – from the Apple TV+ show “Severance,” which is currently airing its second season.
That’s some striking symmetry, isn’t it? Through the extensive use of this image composition, the creators of the sci-fi thriller construct an ideal world with perfect balance (work-life balance, naturally, if you know what I mean). However, even by just looking at the stills, this world puts me off. It is neither real nor harmonic. Instead, it is scary. Why?
My guess is we don’t experience much perfect geometrical symmetry in real life. Trees in a wild forest don’t grow in perfect rows; one eyebrow might sit higher than the other, and a spotless white office where everything is precisely aligned rarely feels inviting. Thus, once we experience it in visuals, it unconsciously intimidates us. Too constructed. Too perfect. Too clean.
Achieving tension through symmetrical shots
Sometimes, creating tension in a shot doesn’t require establishing balance and then disrupting it, as seen in our first example. Perfect symmetry can work just as well when you push it to the limit. For instance, renowned cinematographer Jarin Blaschke loves visual symmetry and often uses it not for the sake of harmony but to achieve the opposite effect. If you watched “The Lighthouse,” you can recall the feeling of pressure and isolation created by tight, symmetrical frames (we touch on it here). This effect is even more apparent in his latest collaboration with Robert Eggers on “Nosferatu,” which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography.
Eerie, isn’t it? In the interview with Panavision below, Jarin Blaschke explains that if you really push the symmetry, it can get oppressive. Which, in his words, “isn’t right for everything, but in a horror movie, you can lean into that and make it work.”
And yes. It indeed does work. By the way, the film visuals are absolutely stunning, so if you haven’t watched it, consider it my sincere recommendation.
Conclusion
To sum up, symmetry can create a pleasing harmonic sensation dear to our hearts and our eyes. At the same time, it may feel somewhat artificial, the opposite of “natural” and “authentic.” And if you really push it, symmetry becomes oppressive and throws us back to the hallway scene in “The Shining” with the twin girls at the conjunction point of the leading lines. What a powerful tool!
Naturally, in this short article, we can only look at a few examples of how to construct and use symmetrical shots. So, let’s turn the tables! Do you have interesting examples from movies or your own work? Please share them with us in the comments below.
Feature image source: a film still from “Nosferatu” by Robert Eggers, 2024.
Full disclosure: MZed is owned by CineD.
Additional source: “Cinematic Storytelling” by Jennifer Van Sijll, 2005.
