Size & Scale: Playing with Unexpected Proportions Creatively

Introduction

The human brain relies on familiar proportions to make sense of the world. When those proportions are altered—when something looks too big, too small, too far, or too close—it disrupts expectations and creates instant curiosity.

By playing with scale, perspective, and depth, content can become more visually engaging, surreal, and eye-catching. These techniques don’t require fancy editing—simple tricks with angles, placement, and props can create powerful optical illusions that make people stop scrolling.

This guide breaks down four key techniques that use size and scale to hook attention and offers easy content ideas that are visually impactful and simple to create.

Gigantic vs. Tiny Objects

Why it works: When objects appear way too big or too small, it triggers curiosity and makes people rethink what they’re seeing.

Brainstorming Questions:

1. How can I use an oversized object to create an exaggerated or comedic effect?
2. What everyday item would look strange if it were much larger or smaller?
3. How can I make something tiny seem powerful or important?
4. What objects can I place together to create an extreme size contrast?
5. How can I make a small item the focus by zooming in until it dominates the frame?
6. What’s a creative way to swap normal proportions (e.g., a giant cup with a tiny book)?
7. How can I make a person appear tiny compared to everyday objects?
8. What extreme size contrast would emphasize a key message or transformation?
9. How can I create a “shrink vs. growth” visual story using objects?
10. How can I make a common item look unrecognizable just by changing its scale?

Content Ideas:

1. Holding an oversized version of an everyday item (e.g., a giant pencil, an extra-large coffee mug).
2. Using miniature props to create a tiny scene that contrasts with real life.
3. Editing an object to appear larger than the person holding it.
4. Placing a tiny book in a setting where it looks completely out of place.
5. Holding a huge stack of journals or notebooks, making them look overwhelming.
6. Using a small cup for a large drink (e.g., pouring coffee into a thimble).
7. Sitting at a desk with objects that look comically oversized (a giant notepad, pen, or lamp).
8. Filming a tiny figure “walking” across a book (stop motion or careful framing).
9. Zooming in on a small object until it fills the entire screen like it’s massive.
10. Holding a normal-sized item close to the camera to make it look gigantic in comparison.

Forced Perspective Tricks

Why it works: Playing with distance and angles can make small things look big and big things look small, creating optical illusions that confuse and intrigue.

Brainstorming Questions:

1. How can I use perspective to make a small object look massive?
2. What camera angles will make a person appear larger or smaller than normal?
3. How can I create an illusion where a distant object seems within reach?
4. What objects can I align in a way that makes them look the same size, even when they’re not?
5. How can I create a visual trick where two people seem vastly different in height?
6. How can I make a notebook or book appear bigger than the person using it?
7. What’s a fun way to use distance to make an object look like it’s floating or misplaced?
8. How can I blend objects in the foreground and background to make an impossible scene?
9. What’s a clever way to use mirrors to create unexpected depth?
10. How can I use an extreme close-up to make something look surreal?

Content Ideas:

1. Making a person appear to “hold” a distant building in their hand.
2. Filming someone standing far away but appearing tiny next to an object in the foreground.
3. Using a mirror reflection to create a strange depth illusion.
4. Positioning two objects close together to make them look like they’re the same size.
5. Standing next to a tiny object held close to the camera to make it look human-sized.
6. A subject “stepping on” a faraway person or object through perspective.
7. Making a book appear larger than the person holding it by placing it in the foreground.
8. Pouring liquid into a faraway object as if it’s in the same space.
9. Using a hand to “squish” or “pinch” a distant object.
10. Positioning a notebook in front of the camera so it looks like a giant doorway.

Distorted Body Parts & Object Sizes

Why it works: When a person’s body or everyday objects look stretched, shrunken, or warped, it creates an unnerving or comedic effect.

Brainstorming Questions:

1. How can I exaggerate facial features using camera angles?
2. What object can I hold up close to the camera to make it look unnaturally large?
3. How can I use mirrors to create warped body distortions?
4. What lens or camera settings would stretch or shrink body proportions?
5. How can I make my hands or feet appear way too big for my body?
6. What object can I hold at an angle to make it look comically oversized?
7. How can I use clothing or accessories to exaggerate body size differences?
8. What’s a creative way to make one eye or one arm look massive?
9. How can I use a reflective surface to bend and distort my features?
10. How can I use shadows to make a body part appear stretched out?

Content Ideas:

1. Filming with a wide-angle lens to exaggerate hand or face size.
2. Holding a book very close to the camera so it looks disproportionately large.
3. Using a distorted mirror to stretch or shrink facial features.
4. Editing hands to look extra long while flipping through pages.
5. Making a single eye look huge by placing a magnifying glass in front of it.
6. Using a fisheye lens to make a small space seem massive.
7. Wearing extra-large or extra-small clothing to exaggerate body proportions.
8. Holding a normal object at an angle that makes it appear weirdly shaped.
9. Filming feet close to the camera to make legs appear tiny.
10. Using an elongated shadow effect to make a person look stretched out.

Layering Depth & Distance Play

Why it works: The brain processes foreground, midground, and background to make sense of depth—playing with these layers creates illusions and movement.

Brainstorming Questions:

1. How can I position objects at different distances to create a layered, three-dimensional effect?
2. What objects can I place in the foreground to partially obscure the subject and create mystery?
3. How can I make a background element appear closer or larger than it really is?
4. What’s a creative way to make a subject disappear or reappear by moving between different depth layers?
5. How can I use shifting focus between the foreground and background to draw attention?
6. What’s an interesting way to use reflections or glass surfaces to distort depth?
7. How can I use lighting or shadows to enhance the illusion of multiple layers?
8. How can I shoot through a clear object (e.g., a magnifying glass, water, fabric) to create depth distortion?
9. What techniques can I use to create a “floating” or “hovering” object effect?
10. How can I make a subject shrink or grow visually by walking toward or away from the camera?

Content Ideas:

1. Standing in front of a mirror but delaying the reflection’s movement slightly for a surreal effect.
2. Positioning multiple objects at different distances to create a layered, cinematic look.
3. Walking into the background while appearing to shrink in size.
4. Making a journal appear to “float” in space by placing it on a hidden ledge.
5. Filming a person in the foreground while blurred movement happens behind them.
6. Switching focus between background and foreground rapidly for an eye-catching contrast.
7. Creating a split-screen where two different depths seem to merge.
8. Holding up a faraway person or object so it appears to “fit” into a small item in the foreground.
9. Shooting through a transparent object (like a glass bottle or plastic sheet) to distort depth perception.
10. Using shadows to create an illusion of depth or false layering in a scene.

Final Thoughts

Playing with size, scale, and perspective disrupts visual expectations and forces viewers to process what they’re seeing. These techniques are simple but highly effective in making content stand out, feel engaging, and spark curiosity.