Conveying Meaning Through Movement: Using Handheld Vs Steadicam In Moving Point Of View Shots In Feature Films

Abstract

This thesis attempts to study two techniques used to shoot the moving POV shot in films--the handheld camera and the Steadicam--to analyse how they contribute to or enhance the ‘realism’ in a film. To do this, existing literature on camera movement is reviewed and an overview of the history of these two techniques is provided. This thesis also looks at how the moving POV shot has been captured in cinema till now. Drawing from this historical foundation, this thesis builds its theoretical premise, hugely aided by Andre Bazin’s theory of cinematic realism and the films and ideas of cinema put forth by Robert Bresson. Finally, this thesis formulates a new classification of POVs and perspectives,andanalysestwofilms(LászlóNemes’s SonofSaula ndGus Van Sant’s Elephant ) that each use one of these techniques of filming the moving POV against it. The attempt to understand which of these camera movement techniques comes closest to attaining ‘realism’ and the idea of cinema as propagated by Bresson.