There is a practice in some TV shows (or especially in commercials) which shows the view from someone using a video camera to record something. This typically includes a rectangular "frame" in the scene, and the typical "REC" indicator with a red dot at the bottom right corner of the screen.
This is not the same as captured video, which includes the date and time stamp, but rather implies that we are seeing the video display on the camera from the viewpoint of the person recording it.
Examples
Anime and Manga
- Suzumiya Haruhi: In the entirety of The Adventures of Asahina Mikuru, the Brigade's film project.
Film
- In EDtv, several scenes are shown from the view of a professional video camera, complete with internal indicators and battery life, and filmed by main character Ed Pekurny and his cameraman.
- Groundhog Day has this when Phil is filming the groundhog ceremony.
- Tommy Boy: When Richard is filming parts of the wedding.
Live-Action TV
- Good Luck Charlie: Used for Teddy's video diaries.
- iCarly: Always used when Freddie is recording "live" segments of the web show. Mostly done to avoid Stylistic Suck by showing it 'as streamed' online.
- The US home makeover show Trading Spaces had the Paige Cam (previously the Alex Cam), for episodes which featured an actual host. The footage was from an actual handheld camera carried by the host, but the footage was overlaid with the typical trappings of this trope, as well as the words "PAIGE CAM" (or "ALEX CAM"). (If the UK version, Changing Rooms, had something similar, please add it.)
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer: In the episode "Storyteller" sometimes we see the red "REC" with the frame, when Andrew is recording something. Other times they show a green "PLAY" when he's reviewing video he shot earlier.
Video Games
Web Animation
- The fourth episode of The Strangerhood mini-series "The Pitch" was done like this, as Sam's interaction with the focus group was being recorded for a "documentary style reality show sitcom".
- Homestar Runner: A number of examples, including the "videos" on the character page and Strong Bad's "most amazing e-mail" from "Weclome [sic] Back".
Western Animation
- Despicable Me: At the end. Notable in that they actually used a 1920x1080 resolution marker in the bottom corner.
- Ed, Edd n Eddy: One episode was almost entirely from the viewpoint of a camera. First there was a scene to set it up, then the rest of the episode is all the camera's view.
