History Main / Facecam

Aka the Bodymount Cam or [=SnorriCam=]: The camera is mounted on the actor's body and aimed at the face, so as the actor moves, his or her face remains steady and in focus while the background bounces and moves. Similar to the HeadCam, but the footage is looking in the opposite direction.

Its use is normally for when the subject is moving quickly but one wants to keep a strong emphasis on the actor's facial expressions. Since it gives a continued shot of his face while in a slightly surreal manner the world starts to slide and shift, it can be particularly effective when the subject is in a state of confusion, shock or disgust, as we get to keep a good look at his face at a point when he is erratically stumbling around and we get to experience the discomforting and unsettling movements of the world around him.

* Used extensively in ''Touching The Void'' when the protagonist is walking down a mountain on a broken leg.

* Used throughout the music video for Music/{{Radiohead}}'s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoLJJRIWCLU "Jigsaw Falling into Place,"]] co-directed by Creator/AdamBuxton and Garth Jennings (of Hammer & Tongs, of ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' movie and "Coffee & TV", "Imitation of Life" and "Pumping on Your Stereo" music videos). It's rather disorientating.

* Seen In ''Film/GetHimToTheGreek'' when Aaron gets stabbed in the chest with adrenaline.
* Seen in the the TV movie ''Charlie's Angels the Unauthorized Story'' when the network assistant has ripped the [[UsefulNotes/{{Ratings}} Nielsen ratings]] numbers off the teletype and is carrying them to the head of the network.

* Used to great effect in the "Sir Digby Chicken Caesar" sequences of ''Series/ThatMitchellAndWebbLook''. The title character is a tramp who imagines himself as a Franchise/SherlockHolmes figure, and his internal monologue and chase scenes are presented from this viewpoint. As he hums his own music.

* Used rather {{Narm}}fully on ''Series/{{Being Human|UK}}'' - the [[SpecialEffectsFailure very silly werewolf teeth]] rather detract from the intended horror at the prospect of a lycanthropic rampage in a public place. The whole sequence is a very good demonstration of why NothingIsScarier in low-budget horror. Not to mention it looked just like a certain sketch from ''Series/ThatMitchellAndWebbLook''.

* ''Film/{{Titanic|1997}}'' with Jack and Kate's dance. Mocked in [[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 MST3K]]'s [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=majw_jxQyQI&feature=PlayList&p=60C890A66647F8C3&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=16 1998 Academy of Robots Choice Award]]

* Used throughout the music video for Music/{{Radiohead}}'s "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoLJJRIWCLU Jigsaw Falling into Place]]", co-directed by Creator/AdamBuxton and Garth Jennings (of Hammer & Tongs, of ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' movie and "Coffee & TV", "Imitation of Life" and "Pumping on Your Stereo" music videos). It's rather disorientating.

* Used in the 2003 version of ''Film/FreakyFriday'' when Mom wakes up in her daughter's body.

* ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}'' with Jack and Kate's dance. Mocked in [[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 MST3K]]'s [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=majw_jxQyQI&feature=PlayList&p=60C890A66647F8C3&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=16 1998 Academy of Robots Choice Award]]

* Used throughout the music video for {{Radiohead}}'s "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoLJJRIWCLU Jigsaw Falling into Place]]", co-directed by Creator/AdamBuxton and Garth Jennings (of Hammer & Tongs, of ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' movie and "Coffee & TV", "Imitation of Life" and "Pumping on Your Stereo" music videos). It's rather disorientating.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* Dates at least as far back as 1928 and ''[[Film/TheFallOfTheHouseOfUsher1928France The Fall of the House of Usher]]'', in which a Facecam goes with a shocked Roderick as he carries Madeline to her bed after she collapses and dies.

[[AC:{{Live-Action TV}}]]

* Les Stroud frequently used an improvised face cam while making the ''{{Survivorman}}'' series.

[[AC:{{Music}}]]

* Used throughout the music video for {{Radiohead}}'s "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoLJJRIWCLU Jigsaw Falling into Place]]", co-directed by Creator/AdamBuxton and Garth Jennings (of Hammer & Tongs, of the ''[[Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' movie and "Coffee & TV", "Imitation of Life" and "Pumping on Your Stereo" music videos). It's rather disorientating.

[[AC:Web Video]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'' Bloo dancing with Baby Taco in "Squeakerboxx"
* Dancing, WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb with Perry and Dr. Doofenshmirtz in "It's About Time"

* Used throughout the music video for {{Radiohead}}'s "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoLJJRIWCLU Jigsaw Falling into Place]]", co-directed by AdamBuxton (of Creator/AdamAndJoe) and Garth Jennings (of Hammer & Tongs, of the ''[[Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' movie and "Coffee & TV", "Imitation of Life" and "Pumping on Your Stereo" music videos). It's rather disorientating.

* Used in the 2003 version of ''FreakyFriday'' when Mom wakes up in her daughter's body.

* Used in ''LockStockAndTwoSmokingBarrels'' to express a character's devastation after losing a high-stakes card game.
* In ''RocknRolla'', GuyRitchie uses it in a fantastic railway yard chase scene.

[[quoteright:302: [[Main/RequiemForADream http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/RequiemCam_5476.jpg]]]]

* Seen in the the TV movie ''Charlie's Angels the Unauthorized Story'' when the network assistant has ripped the [[{{Ratings}} Nielsen ratings]] numbers off the teletype and is carrying them to the head of the network.

* Used rather {{Narm}}fully on ''Series/BeingHuman'' - the [[SpecialEffectsFailure very silly werewolf teeth]] rather detract from the intended horror at the prospect of a lycanthropic rampage in a public place. The whole sequence is a very good demonstration of why NothingIsScarier in low-budget horror. Not to mention it looked just like a certain sketch from ''Series/ThatMitchellAndWebbLook''.

* ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}'' with Jack and Kate's dance. Mocked in {{MST3K}}'s [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=majw_jxQyQI&feature=PlayList&p=60C890A66647F8C3&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=16 1998 Academy of Robots Choice Award]]

* ''Film/{{Titanic}}'' with Jack and Kate's dance. Mocked in {{MST3K}}'s [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=majw_jxQyQI&feature=PlayList&p=60C890A66647F8C3&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=16 1998 Academy of Robots Choice Award]]

* ''FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'' Bloo dancing with Baby Taco in "Squeakerboxx"
* Dancing, PhineasAndFerb with Perry and Dr. Doofenshmirtz in "It's About Time"

* ''Film/{{Bound}}''.

* ''Series/MurderInSmallTownX'' does it when offing a contestant (since a forward-facing cam would have given away the game).

* Seen In GetHimToTheGreek when Aaron gets stabbed in the chest with adrenaline.

* The famous NostrilShot from ''TheBlairWitchProject'' serves to mimic this as cheaply as possible.
* ''{{Bound}}''.

* Used to good effect in ''{{Pi}}'' and ''RequiemForADream''. It's considered a trademark of Creator/DarrenAronofsky's early work.

* ''{{Titanic}}'' with Jack and Kate's dance. Mocked in {{MST3K}}'s [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=majw_jxQyQI&feature=PlayList&p=60C890A66647F8C3&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=16 1998 Academy of Robots Choice Award]]

* ''TheHangover'' as Stu is stumbling about in his hungover stupor.
* ''BadSanta'' as Billy Bob Thornton is about to pass out from ''his'' drunken stupor.

* ''MurderInSmallTownX'' does it when offing a contestant (since a forward-facing cam would have given away the game).
* ''ScariestPlacesOnEarth''

* Similar to the helmet-cam used on ''FearFactor'', during high-altitude stunts.

* Used to great effect in the "Sir Digby Chicken Caesar" sequences of ''Series/ThatMitchellAndWebbLook''. The title character is a tramp who imagines himself as a SherlockHolmes figure, and his internal monologue and chase scenes are presented from this viewpoint. As he hums his own music.

[[quoteright:302: [[Film/RequiemForADream http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/RequiemCam_5476.jpg]]]]

[[quoteright:302: [[RequiemForADream http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/RequiemCam_5476.jpg]]]]

[[caption-width-right:302:JenniferConnelly being devoured by camera equipment.]]

* Canadian comedy-newsman [[TheRickMercerReport Rick Mercer]] always uses these for his rants, and has lampshaded it several times.

* Also dancing, PhineasAndFerb with Perry and Dr. Doofenshmirtz in "It's About Time"

* Used throughout the music video for {{Radiohead}}'s "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoLJJRIWCLU Jigsaw Falling into Place]]", co-directed by AdamBuxton (of AdamAndJoe) and Garth Jennings (of Hammer & Tongs, of the ''[[Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' movie and "Coffee & TV", "Imitation of Life" and "Pumping on Your Stereo" music videos). It's rather disorientating.