Published: November 21, 2024 | Last Updated: November 25, 2024
DIRTY SHOT Definition & Meaning
To “shoot dirty” means deliberately including foreground elements (like parts of props, set pieces, or other characters) to partially obstruct or frame the main subject, creating visual depth and compositional interest. The opposite of a dirty shot is called a clean shot.
Reasons for shooting dirty
A director has many reasons to include foreground obstructions in a scene. Below, I’ve summarized the most common ones in a list.
Filmmakers “shoot dirty” to:
- Guide viewers’ orientation of a scene
- Connect foreground elements with the middle ground – for example, to establish a relationship/connection between characters
- To create a frame-within-the-frame
- Create visual depth by forcing perspective with multiple planes
- Generate subtle tension through partial visual barriers
- Make compositions more dynamic and less “staged-looking.”
- Draw viewer attention to specific areas through framing and composition
- Add production value by making simple locations feel more layered and complex
- Enhance the voyeuristic quality of a scene (like you are a “Peeping Tom”)
Now, let’s examine some scenes that were shot “dirty” in movies and explain the possible reasons for doing so.
“Dirty shot” movie examples
One of the most commonly used dirty shots is the over-the-shoulder shot (OTS). It’s used to orient viewers and establish a connection or intimate relationship between characters. Take a look at this frame from No Country for Old Men:
Image Source: Film-Grab
In this famous “coin toss” scene, the over-the-shoulder dirty shot connects two characters who otherwise have no relationship to each other. The blameless gas station clerk suddenly and unknowingly finds himself at the mercy of a ruthless killer, who decides the clerk’s fate by a coin toss. By shooting dirty, the Coen Brothers tie strangers together and create psychological tension in a scene where everything is at stake for the clerk.
The next example is from Pulp Fiction; Vincent (John Travolta) and Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) have been ordered by cleaner Winston Wolfe (Harvey Kartel) to clean the car after Vincent accidentally blows Marvin’s (Phil LaMarr) brains out with a gun:
Image Source: Film-Grab
I suspect director Quentin Tarantino uses a dirty shot for two reasons:
First, it’s a dirty job in a dirty business, and Vincent and Jules are no strangers to getting their hands dirty. With Tarantino’s knowledge of film history and cinematography, I wouldn’t be surprised if using a dirty shot was a fun way to emphasize this. Second, by framing the shot so that the windshield frame separates the two thugs, Tarantino emphasizes the conflict Vincent and Jules have in the scene.
Now, look at the example below from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005):
Image Source: Film-Grab
This frame is a flashback to Willy Wonka’s (Johnny Depp) youth when he lived with his father, a dentist who strictly forbade him from eating candy. In the foreground, we have Willy’s teeth, which, together with his lips, create a frame within the frame for his father.
By shooting dirty and using Willy’s potentially dirty teeth, director Tim Burton emphasizes the helplessness and invasiveness of Willy’s father’s obsession with clean teeth. The invasive nature is stressed by the mouth mirror, which reaches into Willy’s mouth and signifies that his father’s control reaches far into Willy’s future.
Speaking of a frame-within-a-frame, here’s a famous example from cinema history:
Image Source: Film-Grab
In this dirty shot from The Graduate, Mrs. Robinson’s (Anne Bancroft) leg creates a frame within the frame, trapping Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman).
Again, shooting dirty has a double meaning: as a compositional tool to create an interesting point of view, but also as a way to emphasize that Mrs. Robinson is a dirty woman who uses her sexuality to trap Benjamin.
Summing Up
When you shoot dirty, you deliberately include foreground elements that partially obstruct your main subject. You might choose to do so for multiple reasons, but the most important is that it has to be motivated by the story. Shooting dirty is especially useful for thrillers, surveillance scenes, or moments requiring heightened dramatic tension. Still, as we have seen, it can also add deeper meaning and subtext to a scene.
