History Main / JitterCam

* ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'' uses it 3 times with a refreshingly light hand.

* ''Babylon A.D.'' to a nauseating excess.

* Used in the Film/TransformersFilmSeries, which is generally a staple of Creator/MichaelBay. The first film had the camera mostly at ground level, showing how big the robots are and how chaotic it would be. Later movies tone it down somewhat, as more emphasis was put on robot vs. robot rather than the military vs. the bad robots.

* The ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' video game based on the movie.

* ''VideoGame/BlackSnow'''s intro features this somewhat heavily - you ''are'' technically viewing a recording of your character's headcam as he's running away from the EldritchAbomination that ate his teammates - but then stabilizes after you take control of the character proper - until you're assaulted by the monster itself.

* ''Film/{{Domino|2005}}''

* ''Film/Mile22''
* ''Film/MinorityReport''

* ''VideoGame/KaneAndLynch 2'': Dog Days uses this trope as a portrayal of Lynch's mental state. However, [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools one of the many complaints critics had with the game is that the shakey cam made them nauseous.]]

* Anime Director Creator/SatoshiKon likes to drop hints that he knows his camera (before his AuthorAvatar explicitly brags it in ''Paprika'',) and a few times in ''Anime/ParanoiaAgent'', the ShakyCam effect is illustrated to enhance an impact. It's especially noticeable in the late season fight between Maniwa and Slugger.

* ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]''.
* ''{{Series/Firefly}}'' was notable for being the first show that ''simulated'' the jittercam effect in its CGI sequences.
* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'': The use, at least in the space scenes, was actually called for by writer/producer Ronald D. Moore, in his manifesto on "naturalistic science-fiction." The idea was that while in conventional film-making it is important never to draw attention to the camera in order to avoid breaking SuspensionOfDisbelief, CGI special effects shots tend to fall into a sort of UnintentionalUncannyValley effect. The CGI shots in ''Battlestar Galactica'' were therefore shot using only camera placements and techniques that theoretically could have been used if the show were, in fact a documentary.
** It's not just the space scenes. Even in dialog the camera jiggles, although there isn't idiosyncratic zooming.
* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "Love & Monsters". The more recent episodes are entirely filmed with JitterCam. Just look at "Let's Kill Hitler", for one example.

* ''Series/TheXFiles'' episode "X-Cops", since the episode was presented as a show much like ''Series/{{COPS}}''.

* ''Franchise/LawAndOrder''.

* ''[[Series/JeopardyCBBC Jeopardy]]'' had this with the group's video diaries.

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. In "Touched", the trope is used to show the disorganisation after Buffy is expelled as their leader. The camera gets locked down when Faith asserts her authority over the group.
* ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'': Very much in evidence in the FoundFootage episode "Manifest Destiny".
* ''Series/{{Chernobyl}}:'' Not so much Jitter Cam as Insufficiently Steady Cam: the camera has a tendency to drift around a little bit when one might expect it to be fixed. One particularly notable example comes when Legasov and Khomyuk are having a conversation in a police cell. The cell wall is painted white above and green below, and the dividing line keeps on drifting in and out of the top of the frame.
* ''Series/DeepSpaceNine''. In the pilot episode's ActionPrologue, this is used to show the panic and confusion of the crew of a starship as they AbandonShip in a crammed LifePod, leading to a MoodWhiplash effect when the pod shoots free of the damaged spaceship and the camera is abruptly still.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'', whenever you use the VATS.

* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'': The use, at least in the space scenes, was actually called for by writer/producer Ronald D. Moore, in his manifesto on "naturalistic science-fiction." The idea was that while in conventional film-making it is important never to draw attention to the camera in order to avoid breaking SuspensionOfDisbelief, CGI special effects shots tend to fall into a sort of UncannyValley effect. The CGI shots in ''Battlestar Galactica'' were therefore shot using only camera placements and techniques that theoretically could have been used if the show were, in fact a documentary.

* ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'', in the first episode and an opening sequence.

* Spoofed in ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'', with a cameraman out of film school, but working for a reporter:

-->-- '''WebVideo/ChrisStuckmann''' on this trope being used poorly, ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eac0lXfMs9c&t=641s The Problem with Action Movies Today]]''

* ''Film/LostInTranslation'': Shaky cam is used for the scenes of Charlotte and Bob’s [[https://youtu.be/XPKO7C543ls nights out in Tokyo]].

* ''Film/LostInTranslation''

* ''Film/InTheCut'': Jittercam is used to heighten the sense of danger and paranoia in the city.

* ''Film/ParanormalActivity''. Though since the camera is on a tripod or stable surface for 3/4 of the movie, it doesn't offend nearly as much as most other "found footage" films.

* ''Film/TheWildBunch'' is arguably the TropeCodifier - see the bank shootout scene and the final massacre scene, both of which use documentary-style shaky cam to give a sense of chaos and terror.
* One of the largest criticisms of ''Film/BatmanBegins'' was overuse of shakey cam.
* Used InUniverse in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' in the scene where the heroes view a video recorded by ComicBook/TheJoker as he [[ColdBloodedTorture tortures a Batman imposter]].

* Used in the Film/TransformersFilmSeries, which is generally a staple of Creator/MichaelBay. The first film had the camera mostly at ground level, showing how big the robots are and how chaotic it would be. Later movies tone it down somewhat, as more emphasis was put on robot vs. robot rather than the military vs. the bad robots.
* ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'' is the TropeCodifier for the modern action sequence; many of the films listed here [[FollowTheLeader followed in its stead]].
* The other codifier in the modern era of movies is ''Film/TheBlairWitchProject'', due to being a {{Found Footage Film|s}} - the characters aren't professional cinematographers, and their distress makes the camera even more unstable. However, its usage of this trope (especially in the finale) was so extreme that it inflicted motion sickness upon some viewers of the film, even leading them to vomiting.
* A [[SignatureStyle trademark]] of Creator/PaulGreengrass. ''Film/TheBourneSeries'' started with sparse use of it in ''Film/TheBourneIdentity'', and then Greengrass became the director, and there would be a tilting camera even during quiet dialogue scenes. It enhances the chaos and confusion, making the viewer feel the same distress and mental confusion of Jason Bourne - which is something [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evQZLw33htE many pointed out]] that those copying ''Bourne'' missed, exaggerating the shaky camera and fast edits to the point it instead takes the viewer out of the scene.
* Used for effect twice in ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', during the Tycho monolith scene, and when Bowman gets a new helmet and proceeds to disconnect HAL. Kubrick did his own camera work for those scenes, lugging a huge 70mm film camera on his shoulder.
* ''Film/FridayNightLights'': The shaky cam effect is employed throughout and gives the film an immersive, documentary-like feel.
* ''Path to 9/11'' does it start to finish, even when characters are seated, socializing, and completely relaxed.
* Film/DiaryOfTheDead mostly (''and thankfully'') averts this, and tends to only suffer it during zombie attacks and for one segment filmed on a camcorder when their main camera's battery dies. We see at this point that, as film students, their main camera features a steady cam device.
* ''Film/TwelveRounds''.
* ''Film/ManOnFire'' has a lot of it.

* ''Film/RachelGettingMarried'' combines this with a lot of [[TheOner long shots]]. Justified in that the movie is basically presented as home videos of the wedding in question and numerous characters are seen with camcorders.

* ''Film/MinorityReport''
* ''Film/SchindlersList''

* ''Film/StarTrek2009'', largely replacing the old "tilt the camera and make everyone fall down" trick, better known as ScreenShake.

* Some parts of ''Film/{{District 9}}'' - but done well enough to seem natural, but not nauseated.
* The independent film ''Film/{{Amreeka}}'' uses Jittercam more or less all the time, supplemented by a devout belief in the Close-Up.
* ''Film/ParanormalActivity''. Though since the camera is on a tripod or stable surface for 3/4 of the movie, it doesn't offend nearly as much as most other "found footage" films.

* ''Film/{{Crank}}''
* ''Film/{{Feast}}''
* ''Film/HomeMovie''
* ''Film/InTheCut'': The jittery camera work heightens the sense of danger and paranoia in the city.
* ''Film/BlackSwan'' is filmed like this, including the ballet sequences.
* ''Film/HotFuzz'' uses this technique excessively, to the point of parody.
* ''Film/QuantumOfSolace'' uses shaky camera techniques heavily during the action scenes. Despite the fact that jitter cam was used only sparingly in its predecessor, ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006''.

* ''Film/BattleLosAngeles''
* ''Film/TheHungerGames'' uses this throughout, primarily to prevent the violence from entering R-rated territory, and to heighten the emotional effect of certain scenes. There's also plenty of jitter cam used during the quiet talking scenes, to give the movie a "gritty" feel. Thanks to a new director, [[Film/TheHungerGamesCatchingFire the sequel]] uses it with a lighter hand.

* Some of the earlier {{Giallo}} films use this technique, such as Argento's ''Film/TheBirdWithTheCrystalPlumage'' and Fulci's ''Film/DontTortureADuckling''. By contrast, most of the later giallo films have very steady camerawork.
* ''Babylon A.D.'' to a nauseating excess.
* Some 75% of ''Film/LesMiserables2012'', especially during the "Building a Barricade" scenes to heighten the chaotic feel (which is justified, because the actors were ''[[EnforcedMethodActing actually]]'' [[EnforcedMethodActing building a barricade]] in those scenes, and so the panic and chaos you see are very very real).
* ''Film/{{REC}}'', as the entire film is shot with a handheld camera.
* A common criticism of ''Film/ManOfSteel'''s cinematography.
* Like the ''Man of Steel'' example above, ''[[Film/TetsuoTheIronMan Tetsuo: The Bullet Man]]'''s overall cinematograhy is criticized for this.
* Done in ''Film/{{Elysium}}'', [[http://i.imgur.com/f4A08tV.gif this]] gif gives wonderful insight into the trope.
* ''Film/{{Chronicle}}'' uses this extensively in the beginning of the film as is expected in a found footage movie. [[spoiler: It is used less and less as Andrew begins using his powers to levitate the cameras giving a much smoother filming style.]]
* Totally overdone in a sequence in ''The Hunt for the Hidden Relic'' (original German title: ''Das Jesus Video'') from 2002. The sequence is an in-universe video, recorded with a future Sony camcorder. The shaky camera effect is meant to show that the video was taken by an amateur, but is shaking so ridiculously hard that it's actually far beyond ridiculous. No jokes about cameramen suffering from Parkinson, please - the camera is shaking much too hard even for that. And don't even question why a future Sony camcorder will not have the same or even better image stabilization than an old one from 1995.
* Justified in ''Film/HardcoreHenry'' as the entire movie is shot from the perspective of Henry who's in near constant fights. So when he's in a fight against several enemies, the camera whips around a lot as Henry tries to keep track of everyone.
* Creator/MatthewVaughn uses a pretty stylized version of this throughout his action films. There's plenty of physical handheld camerawork, but other shakes are added in editing, resulting in unique cinematography that you can't really find from any other director.
* ''Film/Mile22''
* ''Film/SaveYourselves'': The camera becomes shaky during some more intense and chaotic moments, such as Su and Jack's rush to gather supplies.
* ''Film/FirstMan'' surely cost tens of millions of dollars to make, but none of that money seems to have been spent on a tripod or decent SteadiCam rig: from beginning to end, the framing wanders around a little where one might expect it to hold steady.
* ''Film/TheManWhoKnewInfinity'' when the Zeppelin appears over Srinivasa Ramanujan's head in England during WWI.

* ''Film/FridayNightLights''.

* ''Film/BlackSwan'' is filmed like this, even the ballet sequences.

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[[quoteright:155:[[Webcomic/{{Adventurers}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shaky_cam.jpg]]]]

->''"Shaky Cam. Fucking shaky cam. At some point, someone somewhere told Hollywood that people like incoherent, incompetent camera work blinding the audience with multiple cuts and assaulting us with nothing but a barrage of sound effects that are supposed to subconsciously tell us that something is happening on-screen."''
-->-- '''WebVideo/ChrisStuckmann''' on this trope being used poorly, ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eac0lXfMs9c&t=641s The Problem with Action Movies Today]]''

Using a handheld camera with no damping and a lot of movement. Imagine trying to take a clear photo while running up a flight of stairs; you might get the subject in the frame, but it is not going to be perfectly centered or balanced against the rest of the background. It deliberately throws off the expectation of the meticulously directed scene with perfectly proportioned shots.

This technique imparts immediacy to the sequence, because it forces the viewer to pay closer attention to catch on to what is happening. It was originally a documentary technique, eventually becoming more common in TV episodes. Often an integral part, if not a nigh-mandatory side effect, of InUniverseCamera and POVCam. Often used in conjunction with fast cutting (especially during fight scenes) as a method to convey energy, like saying "Things are so crazy the camera can't keep up!" It is sometimes used in slower, more emotional scenes as well, to heighten the dramatic effect.

Combines frequent use of the WhipPan and the RepeatCut. The antonym of SteadiCam. Sometimes referred to as "Shaky Cam" but that was coined by Creator/SamRaimi in the use of the closely related trope ShakyPOVCam (using a POV shot of something moving, which would generally employ the use of the Jitter Cam).

Its popularity has increased recently, often overlapping with the style of the FauxDocumentary and {{Mockumentary}}. (Pick any recent action film.) It can show up in non-live action works as well, see FalseCameraEffects.

Of course, jitter cam has also managed to gather a large {{Hatedom}} from people who feel that it's overdone and used to cover up badly choreographed action scenes. Like many things, it isn't inherently a bad thing to use but when used in excess (either ''too'' shaky or in too many scenes) many people will describe it as "headache" or "nausea" inducing, especially when viewed on a large movie screen or in 3-D, or remark that it becomes impossible to tell what's actually going on.

Contrast ScreenShake. See also CameraAbuse, ShakyPOVCam, DizzyCam.

----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/BlackLagoon'' also uses it. Eg: in a car chase with the RobotMaid, the impact with a palm tree is accompanied by jittering camera tilt and shake, along with sustained motion-blur on palm tree itself.
* ''Anime/TimeOfEve'' uses Jitter Cam a lot. Sometimes, it's used to accentuate dramatic scenes, but mostly just for the hell of it.
* ''Anime/{{Flag}}'' is told entirely from the point of view of various cameras and a computer screen. As such, the cameras can vary often end up moving around quite a bit, particularly when the photographer or the chosen camera is being used in combat.
* ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'', in the first episode and an opening sequence.
* Used in the opening sequence for ''Anime/HaibaneRenmei''.
* The very first episode of ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' used this while Nanoha was running back to the animal clinic containing [[WeaselMascot Yuuno]].
* Anime Director Creator/SatoshiKon likes to drop hints that he knows his camera (before his AuthorAvatar explicitly brags it in ''Paprika'',) and a few times in ''Anime/ParanoiaAgent'', the ShakyCam effect is illustrated to enhance an impact. It's especially noticeable in the late season fight between Maniwa and Slugger.
* ''Manga/LePortraitDePetiteCossette'', so much. While jittering, the camera constantly goes in and out of focus as well.
* In the final fight scene in the first episode of the anime ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'', the camera not only jitters, but also loses focus at one point. The effect shows up in a few other episodes as well, always in a fight scene. Looks cool, although drawing attention to the camera raises the question of [[AnachronismStew what a cameraman was doing in Edo Japan]]. [[FalseCameraEffects Or a cartoon]]. And given the whole premise of the anime, probably deliberately.
* The "camera" in ''Anime/SwordOfTheStranger'' is pretty shaky during the fight scenes, and sometimes seems to have trouble keeping up with the combatants.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'' uses it 3 times with a refreshingly light hand.
* ''WesternAnimation/WallE'' is meticulously animated to contrast Jitter Cam-like shots on Earth with SteadiCam-esque shots aboard the ''Axiom'' to add another layer of Technology vs. Nature to the film.
* ''WesternAnimation/CosmosLaundromat'' had this for most of the ShortFilm, in an attempt to make it feel less animated.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* This effect dates at least as far back as 1945 and documentary film ''Film/TheBattleOfSanPietro'', in which the combat scenes were filmed with handheld newsreel cameras, producing a Jitter Cam whenever a shell exploded or whenever the cameramen followed the attacking American soldiers. The battle scenes were recreations, but the Jitter Cam effect helps make them look so realistic that for decades afterwards people thought that the cameramen had actually gone into battle with the soldiers.
* ''Film/TheWildBunch'' is arguably the TropeCodifier - see the bank shootout scene and the final massacre scene, both of which use documentary-style shaky cam to give a sense of chaos and terror.
* One of the largest criticisms of ''Film/BatmanBegins'' was overuse of shakey cam.
* Used InUniverse in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' in the scene where the heroes view a video recorded by ComicBook/TheJoker as he [[ColdBloodedTorture tortures a Batman imposter]].
* ''Film/ChildrenOfMen'' has several tracking shots done with a shaky hand-held camera, resulting in an edgy watching experience.
* ''Film/{{Cloverfield}}'', a giant-monster-eats-New-York story shown as "documentary footage" filmed by a guy with a camcorder, is eighty-five solid minutes of this.
* Used in the Film/TransformersFilmSeries, which is generally a staple of Creator/MichaelBay. The first film had the camera mostly at ground level, showing how big the robots are and how chaotic it would be. Later movies tone it down somewhat, as more emphasis was put on robot vs. robot rather than the military vs. the bad robots.
* ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'' is the TropeCodifier for the modern action sequence; many of the films listed here [[FollowTheLeader followed in its stead]].
* The other codifier in the modern era of movies is ''Film/TheBlairWitchProject'', due to being a {{Found Footage Film|s}} - the characters aren't professional cinematographers, and their distress makes the camera even more unstable. However, its usage of this trope (especially in the finale) was so extreme that it inflicted motion sickness upon some viewers of the film, even leading them to vomiting.
* A [[SignatureStyle trademark]] of Creator/PaulGreengrass. ''Film/TheBourneSeries'' started with sparse use of it in ''Film/TheBourneIdentity'', and then Greengrass became the director, and there would be a tilting camera even during quiet dialogue scenes. It enhances the chaos and confusion, making the viewer feel the same distress and mental confusion of Jason Bourne - which is something [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evQZLw33htE many pointed out]] that those copying ''Bourne'' missed, exaggerating the shaky camera and fast edits to the point it instead takes the viewer out of the scene.
* Used for effect twice in ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', during the Tycho monolith scene, and when Bowman gets a new helmet and proceeds to disconnect HAL. Kubrick did his own camera work for those scenes, lugging a huge 70mm film camera on his shoulder.
* ''Film/FridayNightLights''.
* ''Path to 9/11'' does it start to finish, even when characters are seated, socializing, and completely relaxed.
* Film/DiaryOfTheDead mostly (''and thankfully'') averts this, and tends to only suffer it during zombie attacks and for one segment filmed on a camcorder when their main camera's battery dies. We see at this point that, as film students, their main camera features a steady cam device.
* ''Film/TwelveRounds''.
* ''Film/ManOnFire'' has a lot of it.
* ''Film/{{Domino|2005}}''
* ''Film/RachelGettingMarried'' combines this with a lot of [[TheOner long shots]]. Justified in that the movie is basically presented as home videos of the wedding in question and numerous characters are seen with camcorders.
* ''Film/{{Hancock}}''.
* ''Film/MinorityReport''
* ''Film/SchindlersList''
* ''Film/LostInTranslation''
* ''Film/StarTrek2009'', largely replacing the old "tilt the camera and make everyone fall down" trick, better known as ScreenShake.
* ''Film/PublicEnemies''
* Some parts of ''Film/{{District 9}}'' - but done well enough to seem natural, but not nauseated.
* The independent film ''Film/{{Amreeka}}'' uses Jittercam more or less all the time, supplemented by a devout belief in the Close-Up.
* ''Film/ParanormalActivity''. Though since the camera is on a tripod or stable surface for 3/4 of the movie, it doesn't offend nearly as much as most other "found footage" films.
* ''{{Serbis}}''
* ''Film/{{Crank}}''
* ''Film/{{Feast}}''
* ''Film/HomeMovie''
* ''Film/BlackSwan'' is filmed like this, even the ballet sequences.
* ''Film/HotFuzz'' uses this technique excessively, to the point of parody.
* ''Film/QuantumOfSolace'' uses shaky camera techniques heavily during the action scenes. Despite the fact that jitter cam was used only sparingly in its predecessor, ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006''.
* ''Film/SilentHouse'' and its predecessor ''The Silent House'' uses it as part of their gimmick of the movies being [[TheOner one continuous shot]].
* ''Film/BattleLosAngeles''
* ''Film/TheHungerGames'' uses this throughout, primarily to prevent the violence from entering R-rated territory, and to heighten the emotional effect of certain scenes. There's also plenty of jitter cam used during the quiet talking scenes, to give the movie a "gritty" feel. Thanks to a new director, [[Film/TheHungerGamesCatchingFire the sequel]] uses it with a lighter hand.
* ''Film/YakuzaGraveyard'' shoots the gunfights like this, to reflect the participants mindset: hysterically blasting away while bumping into each other in confined areas. In fact, most of Creator/KinjiFukasaku's Yakuza and war films use this.
* Some of the earlier {{Giallo}} films use this technique, such as Argento's ''Film/TheBirdWithTheCrystalPlumage'' and Fulci's ''Film/DontTortureADuckling''. By contrast, most of the later giallo films have very steady camerawork.
* ''Babylon A.D.'' to a nauseating excess.
* Some 75% of ''Film/LesMiserables2012'', especially during the "Building a Barricade" scenes to heighten the chaotic feel (which is justified, because the actors were ''[[EnforcedMethodActing actually]]'' [[EnforcedMethodActing building a barricade]] in those scenes, and so the panic and chaos you see are very very real).
* ''Film/{{REC}}'', as the entire film is shot with a handheld camera.
* A common criticism of ''Film/ManOfSteel'''s cinematography.
* Like the ''Man of Steel'' example above, ''[[Film/TetsuoTheIronMan Tetsuo: The Bullet Man]]'''s overall cinematograhy is criticized for this.
* Done in ''Film/{{Elysium}}'', [[http://i.imgur.com/f4A08tV.gif this]] gif gives wonderful insight into the trope.
* ''Film/{{Chronicle}}'' uses this extensively in the beginning of the film as is expected in a found footage movie. [[spoiler: It is used less and less as Andrew begins using his powers to levitate the cameras giving a much smoother filming style.]]
* Totally overdone in a sequence in ''The Hunt for the Hidden Relic'' (original German title: ''Das Jesus Video'') from 2002. The sequence is an in-universe video, recorded with a future Sony camcorder. The shaky camera effect is meant to show that the video was taken by an amateur, but is shaking so ridiculously hard that it's actually far beyond ridiculous. No jokes about cameramen suffering from Parkinson, please - the camera is shaking much too hard even for that. And don't even question why a future Sony camcorder will not have the same or even better image stabilization than an old one from 1995.
* Justified in ''Film/HardcoreHenry'' as the entire movie is shot from the perspective of Henry who's in near constant fights. So when he's in a fight against several enemies, the camera whips around a lot as Henry tries to keep track of everyone.
* Creator/MatthewVaughn uses a pretty stylized version of this throughout his action films. There's plenty of physical handheld camerawork, but other shakes are added in editing, resulting in unique cinematography that you can't really find from any other director.
* ''Film/Mile22''
* ''Film/SaveYourselves'': The camera becomes shaky during some more intense and chaotic moments, such as Su and Jack's rush to gather supplies.
* ''Film/FirstMan'' surely cost tens of millions of dollars to make, but none of that money seems to have been spent on a tripod or decent SteadiCam rig: from beginning to end, the framing wanders around a little where one might expect it to hold steady.
* ''Film/TheManWhoKnewInfinity'' when the Zeppelin appears over Srinivasa Ramanujan's head in England during WWI.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Extremely'' common in South Korean series (mainly thriller or horror series, but other genres have been known to use it too).
* ''Series/{{Player}}''
* ''Series/{{Awaken}}''
* ''Series/DarkHole''
* ''Series/Priest2018''
* ''Series/Mouse2021''
* ''Series/PsychopathDiary''
* ''Series/StrangersFromHell'' uses this to such an extent it'd be easier to list the times it ''isn't'' used.
* ''Series/{{Search}}'' uses this constantly, even during mundane scenes like a conversation between minor characters.
* Came into wide TV use in the US with ''Series/HillStreetBlues''...
* ...and in the UK with ''Series/TheBill''.
* Later, ''Series/NYPDBlue'' would use the technique heavily.
* ''Series/TheShield'' goes so far as to have twitchy zoom and focus; for actual action scenes, they go to a higher shutter speed.
* ''Series/{{Lost}}'', particularly in the pilot, when the illusion of running through the jungle was created with actors running in place and filmed by a very shaky camera. However, the camera became less jittery as the series went on; later, this only came up when it made the most sense, such as action scenes.
* ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]''.
* ''{{Series/Firefly}}'' was notable for being the first show that ''simulated'' the jittercam effect in its CGI sequences.
* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'': The use, at least in the space scenes, was actually called for by writer/producer Ronald D. Moore, in his manifesto on "naturalistic science-fiction." The idea was that while in conventional film-making it is important never to draw attention to the camera in order to avoid breaking SuspensionOfDisbelief, CGI special effects shots tend to fall into a sort of UncannyValley effect. The CGI shots in ''Battlestar Galactica'' were therefore shot using only camera placements and techniques that theoretically could have been used if the show were, in fact a documentary.
** It's not just the space scenes. Even in dialog the camera jiggles, although there isn't idiosyncratic zooming.
* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "Love & Monsters". The more recent episodes are entirely filmed with JitterCam. Just look at "Let's Kill Hitler", for one example.
* Most battle scenes in ''BandOfBrothers''.
* ''The Office'', both [[Series/TheOfficeUK UK]] and [[Series/TheOfficeUS US]], since it's a {{Mockumentary}}
* The 2006 ''Series/FridayNightLights'' series, continuing the tradition of the film.
* ''Series/BostonLegal''
* ''Series/TheXFiles'' episode "X-Cops", since the episode was presented as a show much like ''Series/{{COPS}}''.
* ''Kath & Kim'' (the original Australian version)
* ''Series/TheMysteryFilesOfShelbyWoo''
* ''Series/{{Medium}}''
* ''Franchise/LawAndOrder''.
* ''Series/{{House}}'', from about the third season on.
* ''Series/TheThickOfIt'', especially in the first series.
* A staple of British young-lawyers drama ''This Life''.
* ''Series/BreakingBad'' was filmed primarily with handheld cameras.
** ''Series/BetterCallSaul'' primarily films with steadicams, though as the continuity gets closer to ''Breaking Bad'', handheld cameras begin to be used with stronger frequency. This is best seen in season 5.
* ''Series/PowerRangersRPM'' makes use of this during the fight scenes. Thankfully the Ranger suits are so brightly coloured so you can just about tell what's going on.
* ''Series/StargateUniverse'' might as well be named Shakycam Universe. There is roughly 4 combined minutes of not shaking for a 45-or-so minute TV series.
* ''Series/{{NTSFSDSUV}}'' Justified since this show is a parody of police procedural shows.
* ''[[Series/JeopardyCBBC Jeopardy]]'' had this with the group's video diaries.
* ''Series/TheWestWing'', in some episodes of season 4.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. In "Touched", the trope is used to show the disorganisation after Buffy is expelled as their leader. The camera gets locked down when Faith asserts her authority over the group.
* ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'': Very much in evidence in the FoundFootage episode "Manifest Destiny".
* ''Series/{{Chernobyl}}:'' Not so much Jitter Cam as Insufficiently Steady Cam: the camera has a tendency to drift around a little bit when one might expect it to be fixed. One particularly notable example comes when Legasov and Khomyuk are having a conversation in a police cell. The cell wall is painted white above and green below, and the dividing line keeps on drifting in and out of the top of the frame.
* ''Series/DeepSpaceNine''. In the pilot episode's ActionPrologue, this is used to show the panic and confusion of the crew of a starship as they AbandonShip in a crammed LifePod, leading to a MoodWhiplash effect when the pod shoots free of the damaged spaceship and the camera is abruptly still.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music Videos]]
* A good early example: Music/{{REM}}'s "Pretty Persuasion" video.
* This trope became popular with music videos in the late [[TheEighties '80s]], used by everyone from Steve Winwood to Music/GunsNRoses.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
* The shows of Chigusa Nagayo's Marvelous promotion occasionally feature shaking as the camera tracks wrestlers. This is not a deliberate filming technique but a symptom of Marvelous's [[NoBudget budget]]. It launched one of the cheapest streaming services on the market for this reason.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Happens when the player sprints in ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar'', despite the game being third-person. WordOfGod says that this masks the fact that running isn't really much faster than normal speed.
** Third Person Shooters, First Person Shooters and other genres use this trope during sprinting.
* The ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' video game based on the movie.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'', whenever you use the VATS.
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheDarksideChronicles'' uses this; although it results in a more cinematic presentation than the game's predecessor, ''The Umbrella Chronicles'' (which does not feature a shaky cam), it also makes it much more difficult to hit enemies in critical areas, and accuracy is one of the criteria upon which the player is rated.
* ''VideoGame/KaneAndLynch 2'': Dog Days uses this trope as a portrayal of Lynch's mental state. However, [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools one of the many complaints critics had with the game is that the shakey cam made them nauseous.]]
* The ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series simulates it, mostly for flybys and establishing shots in cutscenes, and ''especially'' prevalent whenever [[MindRape Shepard gets a memory of the Reapers.]]
* ''VideoGame/BlackSnow'''s intro features this somewhat heavily - you ''are'' technically viewing a recording of your character's headcam as he's running away from the EldritchAbomination that ate his teammates - but then stabilizes after you take control of the character proper - until you're assaulted by the monster itself.
* ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'' uses some of this in battle scenes, although oddly not generally when any action is happening.
* 90 percent of ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins''' cutscenes are depicted as if they were filmed by a handheld camera...during a small earthquake.
* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' gets into this starting at ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty Sons of Liberty]]''. It becomes even more obvious in ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain The Phantom Pain]]'', since its cutscenes are usually [[TheOner oners]] stylized as being filmed with handheld cameras.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Videos]]
* Two reviews by ''WebVideo/DeckerShado'' regarding FoundFootageFilms (specifically, ''Film/Tape407'' and ''Film/TheBlairWitchProject'') make casual mention of how he considers this kind of filming style a pet peeve, mostly because even if the film has a good production quality otherwise for its genre (which he considers ''The Blair Witch Project'' to have), the impact is completely lost if you are easily afflicted with motion sickness.
* At multiple points in ''WebAnimation/{{Flicker}}'' (mostly when the characters are yelling) the animation gets very jittery.
* ''WebVideo/{{lonelygirl15}}'': {{Justified}} since, InUniverse, these are kids recording their experiences with camcorders.
%%* Same for ''WebVideo/KateModern''
* Parodied in ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtWPW8yJtgM "Epic VFX Time"]]'':
-->'''Harley:''' Well, this shot's ''boring!'' Too stationary. Let's get some camera-shake! ''[jittercam]'' Feels like you're really there. ''More camera-shake.'' ''[stronger jittercam]'' '''More camera-shake!''' ''[[[SerialEscalation stronger]] jittercam'') ...Too much camera-shake.\\
'''Freddie:''' This isn't ''[[Film/TheBourneSeries Bourne Identity!]]'' You ain't Creator/MattDamon!
* ''WebVideo/BumReviews'' used it to review ''The Hunger Games'', listed above (complete with complaining that the IMAX makes it even more nauseating).
* ''WebVideo/TheAutobiographyOfJaneEyre'': Most of Episode 3 is shot in this style. Jane had lost her mobile and was freaking out because she thought she was stranded late at night in the middle of nowhere. She was walking and running, shooting an authentic entry for her fresh vlog.
* ''WebVideo/HallowedWorldly'': Hallowed Worldly is both the cameraman and the main character in his primary series, so this is inevitable.
* Averted for the most part in ''WebVideo/TruthInJournalism'', as the cameraman is a professional who knows to avoid using this trope. However, justified during the climax; [[spoiler:the cameraman is witnessing several [[CruelAndUnusualDeath Cruel and Unusual Deaths]], and is quite rightfully freaking out]].
* Spoofed in ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'', with a cameraman out of film school, but working for a reporter:
-->'''Dylan''': We can flee for our lives after we get the shot! I'm gonna draw their—what's wrong with your head? Are you hit?\\
'''Jax''' (who is literally shaking his head around): Shakey cam! You know, for action scenes! Makes it look authentic!\\
'''Dylan''': We are ACTUALLY getting shot at!\\
'''Jax''': You're right, that technique is way played out.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* The pilot for ''WesternAnimation/MoralOrel'' used this during dramatic moments, mainly when [[StepfordSmiler Bloberta]] was alone (not sure about the rest of the series).
* Mocked in ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' when South Park is attacked by guinea pigs. Even when just walking around normally, Randy Marsch breathes heavily and shakes his camera around manically, going from his wife's face to his shoes and making a big show for dramatic effect until his wife tells him to knock it off.
* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' used it frequently in fight scenes, most notably Superman vs. Captain Atom in "Flashpoint".
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}'' used it for almost the entirety of the DocumentaryEpisode "American Dicks", as the episode is shown from the point of view of a cameraman filming Duckman's attempts to solve the eponymous ShowWithinAShow's 100th case.
* Used lightly in the ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' episode "The Firebending Masters" to emphasize the size and weight [[spoiler:of the two dragons]] as they're circling.
* Once the EldritchAbomination begins invading Pibby's world in the trailer for ''WesternAnimation/{{Pibby}}'', the framing begins to emulate a jittery handheld camera (including losing focus intermittently), contrasting with the more controlled blocking used during the previous scene and driving home just how alien the threat is to their child-friendly setting.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* Mocked in the opening video for the 2012 London Olympics, featuring Creator/DanielCraig's Film/JamesBond. The Queen's corgis are shown running about... in the then newest ''Bond'' style of shaky-cam.
[[/folder]]
----

* ''Film/{{Domino}}''