What is a Point of View Shot?
The art of filmmaking is largely surrounded around the use of various camera angles and shots that are combined, and sequenced. To create the desired emotional connections between the audience and the characters within the story. Connecting the audience to a character’s point of view, using a POV shot, is one of many ways that filmmakers employ the use of shot composition and camera angles to establish emotional connections with the audience. The POV shot shares from a perspective in which the story is told. But exactly what is a point of view shot and how is it achieved?
Point of View and Perspective
The point of view shot, or POV, shares the story from the perspective from which it is told.
Think of point of view and perspective like this:
- The point of view is the way an individual sees the events of the story.
- The perspective is how the individual sees the story.
Differing Views
Firstly, you and I can have different points of view. We may have different perspectives on a particular situation. The same holds true for a story and the characters within the story.
Moreover, just like the addition of certain pieces of information. Or changes in life can alter our perspective of a situation. So, the same is true when delivering a story through video.
What is Point of View (POV) Shot?
A point of view (POV) shot represents a particular camera angle that shows the scene through the eyes of the character. The camera in a POV shot represents the eyes of the character. And the audience essentially is seeing the story unfold EXACTLY how the character sees it.
The point of view shot will typically be included in between a shot. That shows what the character is looking at and how the character reacts to what they see.
The POV shot is used to establish diverse and incredibly personal narratives. That offer dynamic connections between the story character’s and the audience.
Also, many filmmakers enjoy using POV shots. Because, just like in real life, a story can be delivered from the eyes of more than one character or from more than one point of view.
What are the Characteristics of a POV Shot?
Point of view shots, or POV shots, are characterized by their unique ability to accentuate the subjective perspective. By connecting the audience with the character on a deeply personal level.
In order to provide the most effective POV shot, cinematographers often turn to handheld cameras for this type of shot.
The use of the POV shot also allows characters to get up close and personal with the audience. As POV shots allow the character to align himself with the audience.
And offer a glimpse into their perspective on the story. Furthermore, they often directly represent the world as the character sees it.
In Summary
Not only do POV shots provide information for the audience, allowing them to see the situation through the perspective of the character, they also provide an added means of eliciting emotion from the audience.
This became incredibly common with horror films that frequently use POV shots to draw in audience attention. Eliciting a deeply emotional reaction such as fear or deep sorry. These shots forage a connection between the audience and the characters of the story.