Huddle Shot - Television Tropes & Idioms

A group of characters want to discuss something privately amongst themselves, so they form a huddle; the camera POV switches, looking directly upward at the characters' heads and torsos as they talk. This is incredibly common in sports movies, where it appears during "the strategic discussion during halftime". (And in (American) Football movies, it appears even more frequently).

This is also seen when a character is in bed, thrown onto his back, or in some other kind of upward-looking position; in this case, it's a P.O.V. Cam. It occurs frequently after a character has blacked out, leading to a suitable freak-out when he wakes up and sees loads of people staring down at him.

Examples:

Anime

Katekyo Hitman Reborn! has this every now and then, most often before big battles. Normally, everyone except Ryouhei and Yamamoto are less than eager to do it, and tend to find it incredibly embarrassing.
Somewhat used (but very dramatic) in the second match again the White Knights in Eyeshield 21. There's literally one second on the clock, and offense is just then switching to Devil Bats. An exhausted Monta catches the ball, and Hiruma calls for a huddle with himself, Monta, Taki, and Sena so that when they break, the White Knights won't know who has the ball.
The title screen◊ of Strike Witches 2.
The opening to the original Getter Robo starts out with Ryouma, Hayato and Musashi in a huddle.
Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch Pure has one of this during an episode where they had to play volleyball.
In Episode 8 of the Little Lulu anime, Tubby, Wilbur, and Iggy did this in Lulu's presence, when she interrupted their lunch time.

Comic Books

Two cover of The Boys feature this pose, the first issue was of the main cast, and another issue had the original boys.
- In Butcher's origin, there is one of a group of criminals, standing over Butcher after they'd given him a kicking after he attacked them without provocation.

Film

The picture is from A Knight's Tale, after the villain is thrown off his horse: "You have been weighed, measured and found wanting."
The Blind Side: Right before Michael begins leading the Wingate Crusaders' Miracle Rally against the Lions.
The first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie when they're fighting Shredder. "At what point did we lose control here?" "Maybe we should tell him 'we're the good guys.'"
- Also done in the second film where they need to keep the canister of ooze out of Tetsu and the Foot Clan's hands.
In the Disney film Superdad after Bob Crane gets conked on the head, there's a shot of a huddle of people over him. One of them was doing How Many Fingers?.
H.O.T.S. had one during the strip-football game.
M*A*S*H (the film) had a football game at the end, pretty sure it showed up there.
Almost every football-related film ever.
There is a very similar shot in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, though from the point of view of the treasure that has just been dug up, instead of from a character. It was parodied with an identical shot in The Simpsons when everyone is searching for the loot of the Cat Burglar.
Used in Mystery Men, where all the members of the team huddle together and say "Zai Gazunt" (a Yiddish phrase derived from the German "Seit Gesund", meaning "Be healthy"), which had not been even slightly alluded to prior in the movie.
The Goonies had this when they realize they have enough treasure to ensure that they don't need to leave.
The opening of Angels Revenge. It's boob-tastic.
The poster for the movie version of Holes.
Shaolin Soccer just before facing their opponents in the semi-finals.
The Covenant uses this after Caleb swims into the side of the pool.
Used rather threateningly in FightClub, when Tyler Durden is delivering his We Are Everywhere threat.

Live-Action TV

The signature image from House has the main cast (from the first several seasons) huddled around presumably the point of view of the patient.
The M*A*S*H opening has two individual "huddle shots": one of Hawkeye and one of BJ. They're the only ones in the shots though, so it might not count. There was one ep where it was shot from the patient's POV, there was a huddle or two in that one.
Eight Is Enough did it in the opening credits sequence, as the family plays touch football.
That '70s Show had some of these in its "Stoner-wipes".

Music

The cover photo from the self-titled album by Amon Düül is similar to this, except that the camera appears to be above them rather than below them.
Played for Laughs in "Weird Al" Yankovic's "Like a Surgeon" Music Video where you see a bunch of surgeons as well as a football player huddled around a patient.

Western Animation

A Bug's Life, when they plan to send Flik away on a Snipe Hunt.
The Brave Little Toaster, as the appliances gather around the broken picture of the Master.
The teenage villains of Avatar: The Last Airbender do this while getting ready to destroy an opposing volleyball team.
Parodied in Sheep in the Big City where General Specific holds his comrades horizontally in the air to imitate this shot.
Often used with the main six in Recess
Ed, Edd n Eddy have done this. One time they huddle without anything happening because Eddy can't think of a scam.
Happened at least twice by the title characters of The Powerpuff Girls.
Done by the Apple family in the My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic episode, "The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000" when debating on whether or not to agree to the Flim Flam brothers' offer. The brothers somehow manage to sneak themselves in the huddle.