I was reading up on the different types of filming techniques for this course and I came across one that really fascinated me.

And that is the : The Point of view (POV) shot.

I’ve realised that I’ve always been drawn towards scenes with POV shots when I’m watching films or television series. To me, it gives me a sense of involvement within the film itself. Instead of just watching it as an audience in front of the screen, I’m able to participate in the film, and I get really engrossed with that sometimes. There is also that element of fun in the film, whereby I get to try and figure out what’s happening in the different scenarios.

Typically, a POV shot is when a character is represented by a camera. The POV shot blurs the distinction between those on the screen and those in the audience. The camera is no longer just something that’s presenting a shot, but it allows the audience to experience what the character is going through at that moment. Famously quoted by the COEN brothers, they state that they

“tend to utilize the POV shot to better submerse us in a scene, but the (POV) shot is often used to simply give us a unique perspective that can only be created through cinema.”

I found it hard to exactly pin point when the POV shot started in the world of cinema, but I remember certain scenes that I’ve watched years ago, way before I was interested in films. One of them would be Steven Spielberg’s JAWS.  I remember the scenes when the kids would be playing in the waters and something would be lurking below. Looking back, I realised that it was a perfectly executed POV shot (by the shark). What I didn’t realise back then was that Steven Spielberg did not plan it that way. The mechanical shark that was used in  JAWS was not functioning properly and thus with such limitations, Steven Spielberg had no choice but to adapt and think of a new way to portray that particular scene. Had there been no such limitations, would that scene be as iconic as it is now?

I also thought it was really interesting how the television series “Breaking Bad” used the traditional POV shots on inanimate objects. Instead of doing the usual POV shots for characters, they did different “up-shots” throughout the entire series on pots, duffel bags, etc.  This really got me thinking about how I can challenge whatever knowledge I had before to explore new boundaries in filmmaking.

While exploring the different type of shots in filmmaking, I realised that a lot of thought and planning goes into every single scene that is seen in the films. Understanding the basics shots isn’t enough to make a good film. A great film is when it’s able to bring forth what the director is trying to convey to their audience. This has really inspired me to brush up on my own techniques and to not rush to take any random shots.

Check out this awesome compilation of POV shots by Leigh Singer!