THE TikTok trend “POV” puts the viewer right in the middle of the action.
But this provocative technique has a long history – and watching some of the earlier POV footage might give you some TikTok inspiration.
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What does POV mean?
POV stands for point of view.
This means any film in which the viewer watches as if they are a person or character in the footage.
While it originated on the big screen, you’ll likely have seen POV content on your small phone screen – there’s plenty on TikTok.
In fact, the POV hashtag has over 490 billion views on TikTok.
Viewers are launched into TikToker‘s worlds – whether that’s having a conversation with the TikToker‘s strict mother or playing a part in a mini horror film.
The “boyfriend POV” trend sees TikTokers showing off their top wining and dining skills, with captions such as “point of view: you came to walk on the beach with me”.
Whatever the platform, POV gives the content creator a chance to draw watchers in and incite emotion.
For instance, viewers watching a POV scene in a film might feel scared of the huge dog chasing them, as the camera shakes and the sound of heavy breathing plays.
Or they might watch the world from the perspective of a baby, experiencing what it’s like to be be tiny in a world of giant adults.
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Where did POV originate from?
POV started in film – when the first cameras were mounted inside aeroplanes and cars to put the viewer in the action.
In Napoléon (1927), director Abel Gance wrapped the camera in sponges and asked actors to punch the lens – giving viewers the visual experience of being hit in the face.
The Lady In The Lake (1947), directed by Robert Montgomery, was the first film shot entirely from a first-person perspective.
Dark Passage (1947), directed by Delmer Devis, includes a POV scene that lasts around 30 minutes.
Alfred Hitchcock made use of POV in Vertigo (1958), in which viewers experience voyeurism and obsession first-hand.
In Peeping Tom (1960), director Michael Powell portrays murder from the killer’s point of view.
