Line #39 Main/ShakyPOVCam


1	->''"Oh no! They're being attacked by a point-of-view shot!"''
2	-->-- ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'': ''Film/TheCreepingTerror''
3
4	Shaky P.O.V. Cam is using the camera to represent the POV of some fast moving object or creature. Also occasionally used [[ArrowCam to show the point of view of the arrow, bullet]], or knife. It is usually shot in a JitterCam or handheld style, and with a fisheye lens or distortion effect.
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6	The technique was made famous by ''Franchise/EvilDead'' director Creator/SamRaimi, who had almost no money at all for effects, and put a camera on a board strung on ropes between two people, running it through the forest, to represent the unspeakable horror terrorizing his cast. In ''Film/EvilDead2'', we finally [[TheReveal get to see the monster]], and it is appropriately horrific. Though the trope itself is played for laughs, as Ash runs away from the camera and we see scenes where the camera looks towards Ash as he runs, and reveals that he's literally running away from nothing.
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8	Not to be confused with non-Raimi-style uses of JitterCam, which is often also called "Shaky Cam" in non-Website/TVTropes contexts for similar reasons.
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10	A SubTrope of SecondPersonAttack.
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12	Compare the related tropes ImpendingDoomPOV, MurdererPOV, {{Robocam}}.
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14	----
15	!!Examples:
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17	[[foldercontrol]]
18
19	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
20	* ''Anime/{{Monster}}'' had this briefly in the opening credits.
21	* ''Anime/HaloLegends'': ''The Babysitter'' uses this trope for an enraged Brute Chieftain.
22	[[/folder]]
23
24	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
25	* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', this is used when Mei is running through a hall of her school as a giant red panda.
26	[[/folder]]
27
28	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
29	* As mentioned in the description, used extensively in both ''Film/{{The Evil Dead\|1981}}'' and ''Film/EvilDead2''.
30	* ''Film/BramStokersDracula'' uses it for the title character.
31	* ''Film/TwentyEightWeeksLater'' did this with the [[NotUsingTheZWord infected]].
32	* The final shot of ''Film/AloneInTheDark2005'' is pretty much a duplication of the final scene of ''The Evil Dead'', only this is Creator/UweBoll we're talking about here, so not nearly as good as the original.
33	* ''Film/SpiderManTrilogy'':
34	** Used in ''Film/SpiderMan2'' (also directed by Raimi) to simulate the POV of Doc Ock's tentacles in one scene. Appropriate, given that the tentacles really ''did'' have cameras in them.
35	** Also used in ''Film/SpiderMan3'', from the point of view of the symbiote.
36	* The first ''Film/TheNeverendingStory'' movie contained a wolf-like creature called the Gmork. It hunted Atreyu through most of the movie in Raimi-Vision, only shown fully later on, [[spoiler:as Fantasia falls apart]].
37	* Done in ''Film/{{Alien 3}}'', when the xenomorph chases the inmates through the prison complex.
38	* ''Film/PitchBlack'' combined this trope with a weird ghost-images-in-static effect, to simulate how its blind alien creatures perceive their surroundings via echolocation.
39	* Creator/TheCoenBrothers first movie, ''Film/BloodSimple'', uses it. The fact that they were assistant editor to Creator/SamRaimi on ''Evil Dead'' might go a long way to explain why.
40	* Used in the earlier shark attack scenes in ''Film/{{Jaws}}'' until it's finally revealed in the estuary attack.
41	* Used in the Stephen King movie ''Film/CatsEye'' when the troll travels.
42	* In the original ''Film/{{Halloween 1978}}'' when the young Michael Myers lurks through the house and murders his older sister.
43	* During the climactic shootout of ''Film/TrueGrit'', there's a brief shot from Rooster's POV while he's charging towards his enemies on horseback. The results are so shaky and nauseating it would appear they ''actually'' strapped a camera to a horse and started filming at full gallop.
44	* ''Film/HappyGilmore'' does this with the golf balls that Happy hits off of the tee, making it easy for the audience to show how far they go.
45	[[/folder]]
46
47	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
48	* Too many ''Series/DoctorWho'' episodes to count. Most famously, it was used for [[Recap/DoctorWhoS1E2TheDaleks the first shot of a Dalek ever shown]]! In the old days, this trick was often used to postpone the reveal of the monster's face until the {{Cliffhanger}} while still allowing the monster's involvement in the plot — see [[Recap/DoctorWhoS7E2DoctorWhoAndTheSilurians "The Silurians"]] and [[Recap/DoctorWhoS12E1Robot "Robot"]] for just a couple of examples of stories shot that way. It remains in common use in the revival series, including first revealing the Dalek to us in this manner in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E6Dalek "Dalek"]], as a direct ShoutOut to their previous debut — similarly, [[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E1AsylumOfTheDaleks "Asylum of the Daleks"]] has an HomageShot to the P.O.V. Cam scene in "The Daleks" in the final part of the episode when [[spoiler:Oswin]] attacks the Doctor. [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E9TheEmptyChild "The Empty Child"]]/[[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E10TheDoctorDances "The Doctor Dances"]], [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E2ToothAndClaw "Tooth and Claw"]], and [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E6TheLazarusExperiment "The Lazarus Experiment"]] are just a handful of other revival stories that use it.
49	** {{Spinoff}} ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' likes to do it too.
50	* Used for the smoke monster on ''Series/{{Lost}}'' as it approaches Eko in "[[https://youtu.be/r-Y64_GWpHw?t=1m57s The 23rd Psalm]]." It appears again for a POV of the Monster crossing the Island in "The Substitute".
51	* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' uses this kind of shot and a special lens to represent the hell hounds, who are always invisible. Mostly used in "No Rest for the Wicked" (the Season 3 finale) and "Abandon All Hope" (Season 5).
52	* It shows up in the first season finale of ''Series/TrueBlood'', when Lafayette is [[spoiler: kidnapped]].
53	* The Fox series ''Werewolf'' opened with a surreal monster's-point-of-view stalk through a nightclub parking lot, with "Silent Running" playing in the background. Very 80s.
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
57	* Wrestling/SamiCallihan is infamous for his self admitted "weird videos". And yes, these have included "point of view" assaults, such as in the International Wrestling Cartel when he went so far as to trespass on Wrestling/RingOfHonor's facility grounds in order to attack their dojo students for getting close to Wrestling/DaizeeHaze, one of ROH's then head trainers and then focus of Callihan's obsessions. Haze was initially fearful and {{p\|roperlyparanoid}}aranoid until Callihan left a camera behind in an effort not to be caught by other head trainer [[Wrestling/HunterJohnston Delirious]]. On seeing it Haze instantly realized Callihan was who they were dealing with.
58	* Wrestling/TheYoungBucks have attempted to wrestle matches with cameras strapped to their bodies in order to let the fans see the action from their point of view. The results have been mixed but a [=GoPro=] and feed managed to stay intact during four way TagTeam match for the California based Alpha Omega Wrestling promotion.[[/folder]]
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60	[[folder:Video Games]]
61	* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
62	** This is the key to finding an invisible boss monster in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass''; the top screen shows the boss's point of view.
63	** Also, ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' did this with Morpha, the boss of The Water Temple.
64	** Gyorg, the fishy boss of the Great Bay Temple in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' also used this during its intro.
65	* Likewise in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', in the boss fight against Psycho Mantis entering First-Person View mode would show you ''his'' POV rather than yours, helpful for finding him after he'd turned invisible. That is, of course, unless you're on the PSX or PC version and [[spoiler:are not using the joystick (or first controller port)]].
66	* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil'' and it's remake do it twice. The first is the POV of a zombie as it shambles slowly down the stairs toward the room ''[[NightmareFuel you just entered a moment ago]]''. Later on when you enter the corridor to the garden you experience the POV of a hunter as it tears straight toward you in a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome.
67	* The second time you fall in the water while fighting Del Lago in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'', you get to see what it sees ([[ShoutOut complete with]] [[Film/{{Jaws}} Jaws-like music]]) as it swims towards Leon's frantically kicking legs. Later you get to see what Salazar's right hand, Verdugo sees as it moves at a pace [[GameplayAndStorySegregation significantly faster than he moves in the actual boss battle]].
68	* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheUmbrellaChronicles'' and ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheDarksideChronicles'' both use this to great effect. Most notably when playing as [[BigBad Wesker]] and he starts jumping around [[Film/TheMatrix Matrix-Style]], and to make the [[ImplacableMan Tyrant T-103]] downright terrifying as it relentlessly pursues a panicked Claire and Leon.
69	* The ''VideoGame/SirenGames'' actually use this as a mechanic: Most of the playable cast have the capacity to 'Sightjack' the Shibito around them, allowing them to see where they are and what they're doing from the Shibito's perspective. It's also used to [[NightmareFuel scare the bejeezus out of you]], since you'll sometimes activate it and catch a glimpse of ''yourself'' from the [[ParanoiaFuel Shibito that you didn't realize was stalking you]]. In the second game this is expanded by granting different characters unique secondary powers linked to Sightjacking, from being able to Sightjack people from the past in important places, down to fully possessing the Shibito in question.
70	* Used in the intro for ''Literature/{{Discworld}} Noir'', complete with ScareChord and all. Noticeable due to the fact that the main character is actually caught and killed.
71	* In ''VideoGame/CallOfCthulhuDarkCornersOfTheEarth'', this is employed repeatedly, for several enemies. [[spoiler: This is justified. The main character is gradually achieving Total Synchronization with the EldritchAbomination that controls the monsters.]]
72	* In the Beginning of ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' there's a scene shot from the POV of a hunter pouncing on poor Louis.
73	* The turn-based strategy game ''{{Incubation}}'' features this during the alien monsters' turns.
74	* ''VideoGame/GodOfWarIII'' has a fun twist on Raimi vision, as you get to watch Kratos massacre Poseidon in first person. The twist? You get to watch from Poseidon's Point of view. The sequence ends when Kratos gouges out his eyes. And yes, you get to see that from first person.
75	** Wouldn't that [[GrammarNazi technically be second-person perspective]]?
76	* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep'' uses this for the secret boss of [[UpdatedRerelease the Final Mix]]. It happens during the cutscene and at regular intervals in the actual battle.
77	* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' has the Clairvoyance power do this for you. Useful for telling how other people perceive you, as well as dodging an invisible boss's attacks.
78	** An earlier stage has the player running an obstacle course while the boss (providing the camera for this stage of the encounter) pushes a "safe zone" (or, at least, a "don't die instantly zone") along the course.
79	[[/folder]]
80
81	[[folder:Web Original]]
82	* ''WebVideo/LoadingReadyRun'' likes playing with this trope in their "X Ways to Y" segments - all of them include "The Sam Raimi," which involves (increasingly ridiculous as the videos go on) a point of view... thing... chasing one of the characters - sometimes to do... something... to them, other times to do things such as hand them a soda.
83	[[/folder]]
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85	[[folder:Western Animation]]
86	* The Creator/BillPlympton animated short, ''High Noon'' which shows a showdown from the point of view of a bullet.
87	* PlayedForLaughs in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' where the boys are shooting a movie starring Candace. Phineas explains that they need a RaimiVision shot so he had taped a camera to a starving monkey, he then hands Candace a banana and the monkey chases her as the audience watches in RaimiVision. In the next scene Candace looks beat-up and Phineas says that in order to shoot the scene again safely, he taped the camera to a starving Ferb instead, then hands Candace a sandwich. Cue the ''exact'' same RaimiVision scene as a shrieking Ferb chases Candace.
88	* In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Two Days Before the Day After Tomorrow", the town panics and flees from global warming, which is depicted attacking townspeople through first person perspective. It's PlayedForLaughs when the camera switches back to third person perspective.
89	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ShakyPOVCam