AXIS — 180° Line of Action

Coordinate Category: Geometric Line of Action & Screen Direction
Status: Specialized Geometric Coordinate

1. Purpose & Functional Role

[AXIS] explicitly declares the camera’s spatial relationship to the 180-degree line of action between interacting characters. It prevents eyeline mismatches, reverse-angle confusion, and accidental axis flipping across coverage cuts.

2. Formatting & Syntax Standards

  • Header / Tag: [AXIS] placed alongside or immediately following [CAM].
  • Syntax Standards:
    • [AXIS] camera-right of axis
    • [AXIS] screen-left to screen-right linear line
    • [AXIS] Fireplace frame-left to window frame-right
    • [AXIS] Center axis anchored on lecturer desk

3. The 180-Degree Screen Direction Rule

  • Consistent Eyelines: Characters positioned on frame-left must look screen-right across all coverage shots. Characters positioned on frame-right must look screen-left.
  • Stable Geography: By keeping all camera setups on one side of the line of action, the audience and the AI maintain an unambiguous mental map of the room.

4. Motivated Axis Crossing Protocols

If a scene requires the camera to cross the line of action, declare the motivated mechanism:

  1. Continuous In-Shot Camera Move: [CAM] MS -> [ACT] ... -> [CAM] Camera arcs smoothly across axis to OTS reverse -> [ACT] ...
  2. Neutral Buffer Shot: Inserting a direct frontal CU (on-axis) or a character POV between opposite coverage setups.
  3. Character Physical Cross: A character physically walks across the room, shifting the line of action naturally.

5. Placement in Macro-States

Place [AXIS] right next to [CAM] at the start of the line: [CAM 03] OTS MS, EYE-LEVEL, STATIC [AXIS] Over Arthur shoulder facing Evan frame-right -> Arthur: "Be straight with us."

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