The Hidden, Incredible Influence of the POV
The POV, or Point of View, shot puts audiences into films by showcasing the cinematic world behind a character’s eyes. Despite being a well-known and popular camera shot, its usage is limited in most films due to the POV shot having the potential to make or break the emotion of a scene. Certain cinematic events designed for third-person viewing don’t work with for a character’s point of view, so directors must decide which scenes would excel for a first-person experience. It’s often a difficult decision because if there is too much POV, it spoils the significance of actually using that shot. POV shots are challenging camera shots to pull off for those reasons.
Audiences don’t want to see behind the eyes of a boring character. A POV shot needs to be used to set up mystery and intrigue. Looking at some cinematic examples, both 1987’s Predator and 1984’s Terminator use these first-person camera angles to build upon their fictional worlds. Revealing to audiences that the Predator uses thermal vision makes the creature more mysterious and foreign. It further acts as a plot device once Dutch covers himself in mud and allows him to hide from the Predator. The Predator can’t see him, and neither can the audience. In Terminator, shots from the eyes of the Terminator provide character development and background information by having his eyes see the world through a red tint and offer various pop-up interactions like a computer. These things could only fall to viewer speculation if not for POV shots.
Some filmmakers shoot their films using only POV shots. 2015’s Hardcore Henry does this and advertises itself to make audiences feel like they are playing a video game. The plot is action-heavy and uses a variety of choreography that makes its POV content feel unique compared to the POV shots in other films. The protagonist does not have a voice, which adds to the idea of this type of filmmaking trying to not only make viewers see through a character’s eyes but rather that they are the character. 2005’s Doom only finds itself in modern film discourse because it contains a five-minute POV action segment. Like Hardcore Henry, this POV content tries to make viewers feel like they are playing a video game. It succeeds in getting the audience to care for this specific character because POV shots add levels of empathy and understanding to even the most fictional worlds. No one wants to see themself fail, and attributing that same mindset to a POV character is the same.
Another famous use of the POV shot is in Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith. The first two films in the prequel trilogy don’t have POV usage at all. Yet, Revenge of the Sith does with Anakin seeing the Darth Vader mask placed over his burned face. The whole trilogy allows the audience to learn about Anakin’s character. Once he becomes Darth Vader, Anakin is gone. This unique shot lets viewers experience the same fear that Anakin feels, and offers a way to say goodbye to the character.
POV shots put more focus on supporting characters. The first film to utilize POV is 1946’s Lady in the Lake. While Robert Montgomery is the leading actor, all focus is on Audrey Totter’s performance. Since the film is from Montgomery’s POV, he showcases Totter’s acting because she interacts with him the most. It’s easier to be critical of an acting performance while watching POV shots because everyone in the audience has personal experience with that shot in their day-to-day life. You know how the world looks from your own eyes. This is why believable performances by actors in POV shots are so impressive. They’re working hard to ensure the audience believes the performed interaction is as real as what others are used to seeing outside the theater.
Another type of POV shot has been growing in popularity since 1999 with Blair Witch Project. Instead of the camera portraying what a character is seeing, it instead acts as a literal handheld camera. Hence its name, Found Footage. The idea is that the events of the film are recorded and later discovered by people who turn it into movie format. While this adds a level of realism, Found Footage POV is also known to cause more motion sickness. 2008’s Cloverfield is about a giant monster rampaging through New York City while people record the events. All the running around and chaos is sure to give some viewers a queasy stomach. Filmmakers have been experimenting with using POV in a variety of untraditional ways, and Found Footage is their latest success.
Don’t expect to go to the theater and see POV usage in any random film you choose. Again, the shot is used very sparingly. It’s also easier for an actor to do their job with other actors while a camera off to the side records, instead of one that stares directly in their face. These unique shots require a complete change in the way actors have to perform and can greatly affect the tone of the story being told. They can ruin a film and they can save one’s legacy. Since it’s easier to avoid using the POV shot, it’s also easier to tell which filmmakers are truly confident in their abilities.
Ethan Norris is a writer/editor for film and television articles. He has a degree in Film Studies and a background in videography that is used to make his knowledgeable content stand out. He may love horror movies, but he enjoys writing about them even more.
You can find out more about Ethan’s work at: www.ethannorris.com