Dan the "rule of thirds" concerns proper frameing of a subject, and it applys to both still photogrphy and video, unless your just talking about head and shoulder photo shots or group shots.
Basicaly you slice your picture into 3 slices, both horizontal and vertical, lets see if I can do it here.
Now useing the "rule of thirds" you would want to place your subject, in the viewscreen, centered on the "X". Roughly where I have the rhino on the first three pics. The reason for this is if the rhino was centered there would be no background and the shot would have no depth. Look at the pic where he is nehind the tree and imagine how poorly it would look if all I had was the rhino centered behind some branches. With the rule of thirds used I have the full tree, with the rhino behind it, and the shot is much more dramatic.
There are exception to the rule, if only to provide a bit of variety, or if theres only one way to get a shot, like with momma and her calf. Even then I had the cam centered properly I was just to far away, and they were to far away from each other, to give the shot any depth.
Cit, my qoute is from the movie "Shane". When shane is telling Marian, the ranchers wife, that guns arent evil. Only people are.......................J