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1[[quoteright:260:[[VideoGame/MaxPayne https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/weeimabullet_4176.jpg]]]]
2[[caption-width-right:260:A bullet's-eye view of the action.]]
3
4Any time that the camera seems to be attached to a projectile (arrow, bullet, etc.) and/or chase after it as it flies through the air towards its target.
5
6Real-world military snipers have reported going into a Zen-like trance when firing, during which their perception seems to "ride" the bullet all the way to the target. Also, artillery rounds fired on a flat or nearly-flat trajectory (including snipers' bullets) can be tracked all the way to the target with a telescope near the point of firing.
7
8Usually subject to NoArcInArchery even in works where that trope is otherwise averted.
9
10If a 3-D video game has a manually controlled projectile weapon, then in general, this trope will be used in order to facilitate better control of the projectile.
11
12See also: ShakyPOVCam for a similar device used to represent the monster's vision. SurveillanceDrone if the device stays in the air or ObjectTrackingShot for following objects that aren't deadly.
13----
14!!Examples:
15
16[[foldercontrol]]
17
18[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
19* Used in the beginning of the opening title for ''Literature/TheAmbitionOfOdaNobuna''. The arrow is aimed at the title character, Oda Nobuna, but she slices it in half before it hits her.
20* Used in episode 6 of ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer'', as it follows a round fired by Miho's tank towards Saunder's flag tank, moments before her own tank gets knocked out by the Saunder's firefly Sherman tank.
21* In various animated media involving ''Manga/Golgo13''. (There was a homage to this in the animated portion of ''Film/KillBill''.)
22* In ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs'', Nanoha's first usage of [[WaveMotionGun Divine Buster Extension]] was accompanied by an ArrowCam that rode the pink beam of death all the way to Vita.
23** A more literal use appears in the ''A's Portable: The Battle of Aces'' game, where Signum's Sturm Falken super move has the camera riding the flaming arrow as it's fired from her bow.
24* A similar effect happens in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' whenever a member of the Hyuga clan uses the telescopic aspect of their Byakugan vision jutsu.
25* In an early episode of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' we have an Arrow Cam without an arrow as Negi mentally homes in on his lost wizard's staff.
26[[/folder]]
27
28[[folder:Film]]
29* ''Film/TheATeam'': Shown on Reaper UAV missiles. TruthInTelevision.
30* In ''Film/AmericanSniper'', when lead character Chris Kyle shoots his arch-nemesis Mustafa, the camera follows the bullet in flight.
31* Late in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'', an arrow cam rides one of Hawkeye's shots to Loki, who [[ArrowCatch catches it]] with a smirk ... right before [[TrickArrow it explodes]].
32* Done in ''Film/BladeTrinity'', but as an amusing anecdote. The actress firing the arrow was not expected to do very well and was told to fire as close to the camera as she could. She put the arrow dead center, and about six inches into the camera.
33* Done for one kill in ''Film/CarousHell'' after Duke gets ahold of a bow and arrows.
34* ''Film/CopAndAHalf'' invented the ''"Twinkie Cam"'' ([[ShapedLikeItself it's like an Arrow Cam]], only attached to a thrown twinkie).
35* ''Film/TheChroniclesOfNarnia: Film/PrinceCaspian'' does this twice.
36* Used in ''Film/DemonKnight'' when the Deputy shoots the Collector with an arrow.
37* The Creator/BillPlympton short ''Draw!'' features a western gunfight from the bullet's point of view.
38* Used during the night club shootout in early-90's Heroic Bloodshed film ''Full Contact'' between the main character Gou Fei and the villain Judge, except with bullets of course, including one rather explicit moment when a bullet hits someone square in the head and comes out of the back.
39* Creator/SamRaimi used several POV shots in the ''Franchise/EvilDead'' series, and ''Film/ArmyOfDarkness'' featured a literal Arrow Cam when Arthur shoots an escaping captive in the back.
40* In the tabletop RPG spoof movie, ''Film/TheGamers.'' In this one the arrow actually ''stops and looks around'' at one point before finding its target. "Natural 20!"
41* It was also parodied in ''Film/HotShotsPartDeux'' but instead of an arrow, Topper used a chicken. [[RuleOfFunny It worked]].
42* ''Film/TheLastSamurai'' did this with, if recalled correctly, a javelin or similar weapon.
43* ''Film/LordOfWar'' has the opening credits played over [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d0d6qgsvTw the manufacturing, shipping, loading, and eventual firing of a bullet]] using this technique.
44* ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheFellowshipOfTheRing'' uses this sort of shot to show one of Legolas's arrows killing a Moria-orc while the Fellowship are trying to escape from Moria.
45* Used with somewhat larger projectiles in ''Film/PearlHarbor'', with air-to-sea Torpedo Cam shots homing in on navy vessels.
46* In the second ''Film/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'' movie, this trope is used when Percy throws his convertible pen-sword down the throat of the Colchis Bull. An especially impressive example, as the pen unfolds into a sword as it's hurtling into the mechanical beast's clockwork guts, lodging in the core of its workings and rendering it inoperable.
47* ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMansChest'': As the kraken is attacking the ''Black Pearl'', Will devises a means of driving it off, temporarily at least, by detonating a mass of powder (and rum) hoisted into the rigging where the tentacles are converging. When Jack fires the shot to detonate it, the camera follows the ball to the powder barrels.
48* The last bullet fired in ''Film/TheQuickAndTheDead''.
49* Perhaps the best-known usage comes from the early-90s Kevin Costner film ''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves''. The shot was originally used only in the trailer, but proved so popular that it was added to the film.
50** Naturally, this was subsequently parodied by Mel Brooks in the trailer to his movie ''Film/RobinHoodMenInTights''.
51* ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'' contains a very prominent example of this with a bullet.
52* Done in the animated film ''The Swan Princess''.
53* ''Film/TerminatorSalvation'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT9k7mGze4I introduces itself]] with what looks like a modern cruise missile on a bombing run towards Skynet Research and Development Facility.
54* At the beginning of ''Film/TurboAPowerRangersMovie''. Also seen in the trailer.
55* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', this is used with an exceptionally fast thrown dodgeball.
56* Inverted twice in ''Film/{{Wanted}}'', where we see a person drop dead, then the camera shows the bullet returning to the shooter while action is reminded.
57* Used in tennis film ''Film/{{Wimbledon}}'' with the tennis balls. There are several shots that follow the ball in the first person during the games, sometimes even in SlowMotion for dramatic effect.
58[[/folder]]
59
60[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
61* Famously sent up on the sketch series ''Series/AlmostLive'' with their "Billy Quan'' sketches; Billy's FinishingMove was a double-foot jumpkick, shot in this fashion, which could apparently home in on his opponent, hover effortlessly in the air while waiting for an elevator, open doors, and so forth. The camera is from his viewpoint, and his legs jut into the shot.
62** They also did a fake commercial for a restaurant called "Burger Gun", which instead of using a dive-up window fired burgers at passing motorist-customers from a cannon; the viewer got "burger's eye view" as the food blasted into a customer's mouth.
63* ''Series/BetterOffTed'' uses it to follow two perfectly aerodynamic bagels as they slam into the back of Ted's head.
64* ''Series/TheBrittasEmpire'': In "[[Recap/TheBrittasEmpireS3E4TwoLittleBoys Two Little Boys]]", Brittas accidentally causes a lit firework to go off, with the camera proceeding to follow the firework from behind as it rushes down a corridor and into a large amount of oil being stored in the weights room.
65* When Ross gets hit by a hockey puck in ''Series/{{Friends}}'', it's seen from the puck's perspective. [[spoiler:And then it happens again, this time when it hits the TriageTyrant running the ER]].
66* ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'': Used when Kimberly kills the Terror Toad with her bow.
67* The Australian comedy series ''Series/{{Pizza}}'' used ArrowCam constantly, any time anything was shot or thrown.
68* In the sit-com ''Series/{{Titus}}'', one flashback had the title character challenge his father to a fight. The point of view then switches to his father's fist (with "Fist-Cam" helpfully flashing the bottom) one-shotting Titus.
69[[/folder]]
70
71[[folder:Music]]
72* Music/CoheedAndCambria: In the music video for "Blood Red Summer", when Claudio is using a compound bow to defend a barricaded house against his zombified band mates, the arrow he shoots at Josh is followed by the camera until it hits him in the chest. Unfortunately for Claudio, Josh only spits up some liquid and staggers a bit before [[AnnoyingArrows yanking the arrow out]] and continuing his advance.
73[[/folder]]
74
75[[folder:Tabletop RPG]]
76* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' has items called "Arrow(s) of Eyes" that allows you to do this.
77[[/folder]]
78
79[[folder:Video Games]]
80* Most ''VideoGame/AceCombat'' games allow you to follow a missile or bomb after it has been fired. However, the weapon cannot be controlled and the camera is a few feet behind it.
81** Likewise, the ''VideoGame/AirForceDelta'' games also feature this.
82** As does ''F/A-18 Hornet/Precision Strike Fighter'', which includes the aforementioned Walleye missile.
83* Batarangs throughout the ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries'' -- you can not only control the RC batarangs but follow the regular ones.
84%%* VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}: Don't fuck [[MemeticMutation with a witch]], because she will home that [[ItMakesSenseInContext lipstick]] at [[spoiler:your [[BigBad father]]'s]] forehead and you will [[ClusterFBomb fuck shit]] up! [[spoiler:Turns out he's FakingTheDead.]]
85* ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'':
86** When playing a multiplayer game in ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty4ModernWarfare'', if a player is killed by an explosive (eg. Thrown grenade, grenade fired from grenade launcher, RPG rocket, or even bombs from airstrikes), the killcam will track that projectile when replaying the kill.
87** And in ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyModernWarfare2'', you can remote-control an AGM missile fired from a [[DeathFromAbove Predator Drone]]. It also adds the throwing knife to the above list, which, not being an explosive like the others, can lead to an improbable amount of bouncing around before it hits its mark.
88* In ''VideoGame/CliveBarkersJericho'', all the playable characters have different weapons and abilities. One of them packs a sniper rifle, and has the ability to fire a bullet, whereupon you not only enter a SloMo Arrow Cam, but can telekinetically control the bullet. Really fun to just shoot one off and drive it into a demonic monster's skull.
89* In ''Comanche 3'', the camera can change to follow a locked-on missile to its target.
90* ''VideoGame/CrimsonSkies'' also had a bunch of camera-guided-missile turrets... in the 1930s. Granted, the world of that series is not exactly identical to ours, what with the DividedStatesOfAmerica and all that, but still...
91* ''VideoGame/{{Descent}} II'' had the camera-guided-missile variety.
92* ''VideoGame/{{Dystopia}}'' uses this when you fire a rocket in fly-by-wire mode.
93* There is a chance of this happening with any type of projectile weapon fired while in V.A.T.S. mode in ''VideoGame/Fallout3'' and ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas''. It most often happens when it is the [[CriticalHit killing shot]].
94** Oddly, the game will occasionally try to do this with buckshot, resulting in a spasmatic camera that can't quite pick a pellet to follow. Luckily, you still get to see the resulting LudicrousGibs.
95** Also seen in ''FNV'''s intro when an NCR Ranger snipes a raider.
96* Used in [[Creator/StrategicSimulationsInc SSI]]'s ''Fighting Steel'' game. While you never see your salvo's actual shells, with the right options set the camera will every so often follow their arc to the target.
97* Targeting your own bombs in the ''VideoGame/{{Freespace}}'' video game series allows you to view it in
98* In ''VideoGame/HeavenlySword'', this happens when you choose to take a certain amount of control of projectiles shot or thrown, in slow motion.
99* The space combat sim ''Independence War'' has remote piloted missiles which the player manually flies to the target and detonates. The missile has a large blast radius, so you don't need to actually hit a target to hurt them. Also your ship is not invulnerable while you're busy flying the missile.
100* Done with ranged items and the beetle in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword''. While the former is done largely for the sake of immersion and aesthetics, the latter is done because you are controlling the beetle as it flies through the air.
101* ''VideoGame/MaxPayne'':
102** This happens every single time you hit someone with the sniper rifle. This is a homage to Ringo Lam. It also happens occasionally when you deal a killing shot against an enemy.
103** In [[VideoGame/MaxPayne3 the third game]], it is done for every kill shot on the last enemy in a group, as well as successful Last Man Standings.
104* ''VideoGame/{{MDK}}'' and ''VideoGame/MDK2: Armageddon'' had a bullet cam when the player went into Sniper Mode.
105** In the original ''MDK'', Kurt actually had ''three'' live bullet cams when sniping.
106* The ''Nikita'' remote controlled missile is a favourite in the ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' series. Normally, the missile is controlled from a top-down view. However, in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', there is an option to go into first-person mode while controlling the missile, displaying full screen the view from the built-in camera onboard, and in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'', this is the view the player is forced into for the Nikita.
107* The Slayer weapon in ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'' has a secondary fly-by-wire mode that allows the player to control the missile remotely while watching through an built-in camera.
108* The Visibomb Gun from ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2002 Ratchet & Clank]]'' has a similar just-behind-the-missile-view, and enough range (and steerability) that you can often sit at the beginning of the stage, and hit enemies at the very end. It was subsequently toned down in power when it returned in the sequel, ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando Going Commando]]''.
109* ''VideoGame/RiseOfTheTriad'' featured this with ''missiles''. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, awesoooooooooome.
110* Used when you fire the [[OneBulletLeft final bullet]] to take down the BigBad in ''VideoGame/SilentScope''.
111* In ''VideoGame/{{Singularity}}'' you occasionally get to use a weapon called the Seeker. When fired while aiming down the sights, the game allows you to steer the bullet around in slow motion until it hits something.
112* The Seeker Missiles in ''Franchise/{{Star Wars|Legends}}: VideoGame/ShadowsOfTheEmpire'' have a built-in camera that can be enabled or disabled in the options menu.
113* The Multiplayer of ''VideoGame/StarFoxAssault'' includes an example of this with the rocket launcher setting. Both players must use Arrow-Cam missiles, leading to "Jousting".
114** In ''VideoGame/StarWarsBattlefrontII,'' guided missiles are controlled like this. It is awarded by earning a Demolition medal or by playing as Chewbacca.
115* In ''VideoGame/SupremeCommander'' camera can be set to "track" mode by selecting any unit or building you wish and pressing the T key. Whenever that unit fires, camera will follow the shot instead. Works with tactical missiles, bombs dropped from bombers, shots from the Armored Command Unit, artillery and [[YouNukeEm strategic missiles]]. Constant fire units like gunships or light assault bots don't have this effect, otherwise [[InterfaceScrew camera would jitter back and forth with every little shot taken]]). Unfortunately, slightly bugged as the camera can't adjust its height to keep the distance to the tracked projectile constant, losing it from view by phasing below it when the projectile ascends too much.
116* One of Ram's Loco Moves in ''VideoGame/TotalOverdose'' is a golden gun, an homage to the ''Film/TheManWithTheGoldenGun'' except that it fires three bullets instead of one. The camera follows each bullet's trajectory to its invariably lethal destination.
117* ''VideoGame/TotalWar'':
118** ''VideoGame/RomeTotalWar'' allowed you to have the camera follow the projectiles of a selected ranged unit.
119** ''VideoGame/MedievalTotalWar'' has the same trick.
120** ''VideoGame/EmpireTotalWar'' also does this, for artillery/cannon and ships.
121* ''VideoGame/{{Unreal}}'':
122** The ''Unreal Tournament'' games ([[VideoGame/UnrealTournament UT]], [[VideoGame/UnrealTournament2004 UT2003, UT2004]] and [[VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII UT3]]) allows you to take control of a tac-nuke missile known as the Redeemer, with its alternative fire, and guide it around until it explodes. You are left vulnerable, since you can't see what's happening around you in this mode, though.
123** Being gibbed at any point would treat the player to a "head bouncing around-cam" shot in UT and [=UT3=].
124** There's also a mod which lets you actually ride the rocket. Naturally, the mod is called [[Film/DrStrangelove Strangelove]].
125** ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament2004'' (the [[UpdatedRerelease ECE Edition]] and Bonus Pack 2) and ''VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII'' features the [[FunWithAcronyms SPMA]] [[CarFu vehicle]], short for ''Self Propelled Mobile Artillery''. The second fire of the main seat lets you take control of a small missile which acts as both a satellite-like cam (where you choose where to shoot your next swarm of missiles) and a projectile. While it's shooting, you can follow said projectile's trajectory. It has the same drawback as the Redeemer, though.
126* Done with the spears in ''VideoGame/{{Vindictus}}''. It fills the whole screen if you aim manually, but just gives a little picture-in-picture window if you let it auto-aim.
127* In some of the ''VideoGame/WingCommander'' games, you can select a missile camera view. However, while doing that, you're unable to see what's happening with your ship.
128* The AT 420 Sentinel in ''VideoGame/TheWorldIsNotEnough'' can fire guided missiles using its laser pointer. In Singleplayer when firing a guided missile, a built-in camera will appear, making it easier to hit the desired target. Oddly, the camera has a night vision lens.
129* Some soccer games have a special "ball cam". It is as useless as you'd think.
130* ''VideoGame/{{Bulletstorm}}'''s sniper rifle allows you to control the bullet as it flies through the air. Its alt-fire mode allows you to keep controlling it after it has lodged itself in an enemy (taking the enemy with it) and then blow it up to take out even more enemies.
131* Archery in ''VideoGame/WiiSportsResort'' does this a couple different ways, first is if you ace a section (all three shots are tens) you will get a replay of the last shot in this view. The other is, in each of the 12 areas there is an alternate target (A overly large fruit, cake, or in one case a timer) that if you shoot in such a way that your arrow will near it, it follows, even if it misses at the far end.
132* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'': This was added in the game with a patch. It also applies to kills done via spells.
133* ''VideoGame/SniperGhostWarrior'', during key enemies or headshots, displays a cam that follows the bullet to the target.
134* [[VideoGame/SniperElite The]] ''[[VideoGame/SniperEliteV2 Sniper]]'' ''[[VideoGame/SniperEliteIII Elite]]'' [[VideoGame/SniperElite4 franchise]]: Various skilled shots will show the bullet flying into your target. In ''Sniper Elite V2'', ''Sniper Elite III'', and ''Sniper Elite 4'', this also includes shots on certain explosive items or certain kill shots on vehicles.
135* ''VideoGame/{{Dishonored}}'' does this with crossbow headshots.
136* ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'': The finisher for the penultimate boss has Bayonetta load her lipstick into one of her guns and fire it; this trope is used when obstacles start appearing to make sure it [[BoomHeadshot lands]].
137* ''VideoGame/StrikeCommander'' had this for missiles and bombs, as did its sister title ''Pacific Strike'' for bombs only as it was set before missile technology came into use.
138* Firing a missile in ''[[VideoGame/{{X}} X-Universe]]'' series will pop up a small display in the top left or right of the screen showing the missile's view as it flies towards its target. Firing multiple missiles will transfer the camera to the newest missile, and RecursiveAmmo missiles will have a random missile selected for the view.
139* ''VideoGame/NorthAndSouth'' begins battle scenes with a cut-in of a cannonball fired by the attacking army over the opposing soldiers' heads.
140* Firing a shell with middle click in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarships'' will make the camera track your shot.
141* In arcade battles for ''VideoGame/WarThunder'', You get a small one that pops up whenever you hit a tank that shows the damage your shot did. Also, when you die, you get a full view one of the shot that killed you.
142* ''VideoGame/ToySoldiers'':
143** In ''Toy Soldiers'', when directly controlling an artillery gun, a mortar, a tank , or an anti-infantry cannon, you can hold down the fire button after launching a shell to enter shell cam. In shell cam mode, you can speed up or slow down the projectile ([[ArtisticLicensePhysics this does not change the projectile's trajectory]]) as well as adjust its direction, though only to the left or right.
144** In ''Toy Soldiers: Cold War'', you get access to the anti-tank tower, which are just some toy soldiers using models of real world rocket/missile launchers as if they were real. When shell cam is used on these towers, you can control the rocket's up and down pitch in addition to turning them left or right, similarly to other remote controlled missiles mentioned above. This, coupled with the speed controls, means that you can hit any target on the map, regardless of elevation or speed. Tier 3 anti-tank towers become anti-EVERYTHING towers when directly controlled due to this, as their missiles will [[OneHitKill 1-2 shot most enemies with a direct hit]]. Even '''bombers''' are not safe from your [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BGM-71_TOW TOW]] missiles of [[DoomyDoomsOfDoom doom]].
145** There is also a mini-game based around this mechanic, as you play a game of "thread the needle" with an [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M72_LAW M27 LAW]]'s rocket, scoring points by flying it through an increasingly difficult set of spinning holes.
146* ''VideoGame/TreasurePlanetBattleAtProcyon'': Pressing 'B' will cause the camera to focus on and follow the nearest projectile, until it hits something.
147* If you shoot a FlareGun at an especially large group of Taken in ''VideoGame/AlanWake'', time will slow and the camera will swing around the flare until it hits and [[WeakenedByTheLight its light burns all the Taken away]].
148* In ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'', Ivara possesses an ability that allows the player to steer the projectile of any equipped projectile weapon.
149[[/folder]]
150
151[[folder:Webcomics]]
152* In [[http://www.earsforelves.com/archives/115 this strip]] of ''Webcomic/EarsForElves'', an arrowcam leads to a rather oddly-shaped arrowhead due to skewed perspective.
153* Used in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick''. [[spoiler: It misses, much to the archer's chagrin. Lampshaded, in "why did we follow it for [[MediumAwareness four panels]] if it was just gonna miss?]]
154[[/folder]]
155
156[[folder:Web Original]]
157* The camera follows a toothpick being thrown in [[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/159318 this]] video.
158* WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd uses this against WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic. With a ''[[ThePenIsMightier pen.]]''
159* Used to follow a CD-shuriken in [[https://vimeo.com/7327622 the student film]] ''Super Awesome North Shore Ninjas''.
160[[/folder]]
161
162[[folder:Western Animation]]
163* Occurred in episode 13 of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', when the [[SecretIdentity Blue Spirit]] was struck down by a single arrow fired by a Yuu Yan archer.
164* The Arrow Cam occurs also in ''WesternAnimation/SitaSingsTheBlues''.
165* Done sometimes with grappling hooks in ''WesternAnimation/ThunderbirdsAreGo''.
166[[/folder]]
167
168[[folder:Real Life]]
169* Many modern missiles have cameras built in to facilitate aiming. Expect war coverage on the news to use these shots generously when talking about smart bombs, though those often do not have cameras.
170* Similarly, this is outright necessary for loitering munitions, because once deployed they're meant to patrol/scout an area until they find a target and only ''then'' divebomb towards it, recording all the while until the payload goes off and the SnowyScreenOfDeath kicks in. Often this footage is later spread around for propaganda/morale purposes, and with Russia's invasion of Ukraine such videos have become trivial to find.
171[[/folder]]

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