Camera Angles: Objective, Subjective or Point of View?
What is a POV? A point-of-view shot, right? But the actual technical definition of a POV shot might be less obvious than you’d think. Before I continue, it is probably good to state that, just like any other language, the language of filmmaking is always evolving. Once upon a time a tracking shot was what they would call a dolly shot, a shot that required actual tracks to be laid for the dolly to ride upon. These days most people will use the term tracking shot to describe any shot where the camera tracks a moving object. And I think something similar might have happened with the term point-of-view . . .
Ok, so what do you think of when I say POV? Probably something like this, right?
Inglorious Basterds
If you are a gamer, you might also think of these shots as ‘first person’. We are literally seeing what one of the characters in the film is seeing, the camera shows us exactly what they see. So when they wear a mask, we will see the image through the edges of the mask, when a character looks through binoculars we see the black outline of the binoculars and when someone looks through a sniper scope we will see crosshairs in the frame.
The Graduate
Saving Private Ryan
The book The Five C’s of Cinematography, by Joseph V. Mascelli is well known amongst filmmaking professionals. It’s an old book, first published in 1965, but it is very good on the fundamentals of cinematography. (You can read more about this book on Mark Kennedy’s awesome blog here) When I was studying this book I was surprised about what it said about POV’s.
In the first chapter, Camera Angles, Mascelli explains how there are basically three kind of shots: objective shots, subjective shots and point-of-view shots.
An objective shot is a shot where we are not seeing the scene from any character’s point of view. Basically we are looking at the scene as if we are spying on the action. In an objective shot nobody will ever look into the lens because the camera is not really there.
A subjective shot is the action as seen by one of the characters, the camera is seeing what is happening through the eyes of one of the characters. If an objective shot of something is preceded by a shot of a character looking off-screen we will interpreter this shot as a subjective shot of what the character sees, we see it from their point of view. -So this is typically the kind of shot we are talking about when we use the term POV today. But Mascelli’s definition of a POV is different.
The third kind of shot as defined by Mascelli is what he calls the Point-of-view. And unlike our current definition of a POV, in his point-of-view shot we are not seeing things first person, as if through the eyes of one of the characters; instead we see it as if we are standing cheek-to-cheek with a character. In this definition the point-of-view is somewhere between objective and subjective, it’s a intimate angle where we see the action from a character’s viewpoint, but not literally through their eyes.
Because I’m so accustomed to today’s definition of a POV, it took me some time to understand the way Mascelli uses these terms. Below are some quotes from the book on these three different kind of camera angles illustrated by stills from The Big Lebowski:
OBJECTIVE CAMERA ANGLES
The objective camera films from a sideline viewpoint. The audience views the event through the eyes of an unseen observer, as if eavesdropping. Cameramen and directors sometimes refer to to this candid camera treatment as the audience point of view. Since they do not present the event from the viewpoint of anyone within the scene, objective camera angles are impersonal. People photographed appear unaware of the camera and never look directly into the lens. Should a player look into the lens, even with a sideways glance, the scene must be retaken — if objective angle is maintained.
SUBJECTIVE CAMERA ANGLES
The subjective camera films from a personal viewpoint. The audience participates in the screen action as a personal experience. The viewer is placed in the picture, either on his own as an active participant or by trading places with a person in the picture and seeing the event through his eyes. The viewer is also involved in the picture when anyone when anyone looks directly into the camera lens — thus establishing a performer-viewer eye-to-eye relationship.
The subjective camera may film the event in the following ways:
The camera acts as the eyes of the audience to place the viewer in the scene. (…) Each member of the audience receives the impression that he is in the scene — not merely viewing things from events as an unseen observer. The camera places him in the midst of the setting, as if he were riding the bobsled, flying the airplane, or jumping the hurdles. Subjective shots, such as these, add dramatic impact to the story-telling. (…)
In this shot we are literally seeing things as if we are driving the Dude's car.
The camera changes places with a person in the scene. The viewer may see the event through the eyes of a particular person with whom he identifies. When subjective shots (…) are preceded by a close-up of a person looking off-screen, the viewer will comprehend that he is seeing what the screen player sees. The shot itself may be filmed in precisely the same manner, but the viewer is no longer on his own — he has traded positions with the on-screen player to view the events as he sees it. (…)
The thrilling moving camera ride is always subjective, but static shots may be objective or subjective, according to the way they are edited. The clock, the room, or the park scene may be interpreted as objective, unless a close-up of a player is shown looking off-screen. The audience will then understand that what they see is what the player sees in the scene.
"Hello Dude, thanks for coming." When Jackie Treehorn welcomes the Dude to his party he talks straight into the camera. We are seeing things through the dude's eyes. However, this is a rather interesting shot because it starts as an objective shot, from a high angle looking down on the beach party. As the camera cranes down it changes to subjective when Jackie approaches us /the Dude.
The camera acts as the eye of the unseen audience. A person on-screen looks into the lens to set-up a performer-viewer eye-to-eye relationship. A typical example is the television newscaster who speaks directly in the lens. Eye contact creates a personal relationship between performer and viewer, because each is looking directly at the other. (…)
A personal relationship might be set up in a dramatic film by having the narrator, or a performer, step forward, look directly into the lens and introduce the event, the players or the setting; or to explain or interpret what is happening.
The Stranger breaking the fourth wall. An example of a narrator speaking to the audience.
POINT-OF-VIEW CAMERA ANGLES
Point-of-view, or simply p.o.v., camera angles record the scene from a particular player’s view-point. The point-of-view is an objective angle, but since it falls between the objective and subjective angle, it should be placed in a separate category and given special consideration.
A point-of-view shot is as close as an objective shot can approach a subjective shot — and still remain objective. The camera is positioned at the side of a subjective player — whose viewpoint is being depicted — so that the audience is given the impression that they are standing cheek-to-cheek with the off-screen player. The viewer does not see the event through the player’s eyes, as in the subjective shot in which the camera trades places with the screen player. He sees the event from the player’s viewpoint, as if standing alongside him. Thus the camera angle remains objective, since it is an unseen observer not involved in the action. An onscreen player looking at the player whose viewpoint is depicted, looks slightly to the side of the camera — not into the lens. (…)
"Anyone in the scene who looks at the player must look slightly to one side of the camera (which side is dependent upon the action-axis drawn from the off-dcreen player to the on-screen performer)." -If you look carefully you'll see that all actors in these shots are looking off-camera. (even in the second shot)
Point-of-view shots often follow over-the-shoulder shots, when a pair of players face each other and exchange dialogue. The over-the-shoulder sets up the relationship between the two players, and the p.o.v. moves the the audience into the player’s position. Each player may be seen from the opposing player’s point of view.
Any shot may become a point-of-view if it is preceded with a shot of a player looking off-screen. The audience will accept the following shot as being from the player’s viewpoint. (…) Thus, an objective shot, which is — in essence — the audience’s own point of view, may become the point of view of a particular player by inserting a close-up of the player looking off-screen. (…)
It's interesting to notice the differences between this point-of-view and the first example of a subjective shot. Where the subjective shot was literally as seen through the Dude's eyes here we are standing cheek-to cheek with him, notice how the record is tilted ever so slightly to the right side of the frame.
Objective camera treatment is maintained in point-of-view shots, so that the audience is never startled — as in subjective shots, where the other players look directly into the lens. Yet, the event is presented as an intimate manner, because it is seen from particular player’s viewpoint. Switching back and forth from objective to point-of-view camera angles is not jarring because both angles are actually objective.
The 5 C's of Cinematography is still in print and can be found on Amazon.
