In-Universe Camera: Difference between revisions

An '''In-Universe Camera''', [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|as the name suggests]], is actually present in the "world" of the story: Characters may notice and talk to it, it may get bumped or shaken by the environment, and may even be seen in a reflection. This frequently makes it a target for [[Camera Abuse]], and works rather well with a [[Jittercam]].

 

 

When the camera is meant to represent the "eyes" of a character, it's a [[POV Cam]].

 

See also [[Show Within a Show]]. For a gameplay mechanic that frequently uses this trope, see [[First-Person Snapshooter]].

 

== Anime ==

* ''[[Flag]]''

* [[Yu Yu Hakusho]] is revealed to be composed of the case footage from Yusuke's time as a spirit detective. Considering some of the things we're shown throughout the series, including internal monologues, flashbacks, everyone's life before Yusuke even died, musical scores, and multiple camera angles, this footage must have been put through a ''lot'' of pre- and post-production.

 

* ''[[Surf's Up]]''

* ''[[The Blair Witch Project]]'' is a famous example, and [[Trope Codifier|almost epitomizes]] the trope.

* ''[[Cloverfield]]''

* ''[[The Troll Hunter]]''.

* ''[[Chronicle]]'' is shot through multiple in universe cameras. Most of it is from a camera owned by Andrew, a main character who almost obsessively documents his life, but it also includes the camera of Casey, a video blogger. In the last part of the movie, it switches between many different cameras, including security cameras, cable news, police video, and even camera phones.

* The indie film ''[[Killer Flick]]'', in which the main characters are a quartet of filmmakers who exist within the fictional world of the exploitation film that they are creating. The cameraman "One Eye" is usually shooting the footage that we see, but sometimes he appears in frame as well.

 

* ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'': The camera is an actual robot, "Cambot", and we see the show through his perspective. We only see him in the opening "Robot Roll Call", and he's actually looking into a mirror to show himself. That's why his name is backwards.

* The ''[[Outer Limits]]'' episode "Manifest Destiny" was filmed almost entirely from this point of view.

* The ''[[Supernatural (TV series)|Supernatural]]'' episode "Ghostfacers" was seen almost entirely through the lens of a few cheap cameras, carried by the Ghostfacers themselves.

* ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]'' is on the fence. While it's never explicitly stated to be a mockumentary, the camera acts like it's a person carrying a camera- it jumps, shudders, looks through keyholes and under doors. It also gets thrown out of a court in accordance with rules banning televised trials. So while it doesn't say so, it does this quite a lot.

 

== Video Games ==

* ''[[Halo]]: Combat Evolved'' has a scene shot from the perspective of a soldier's helmet camera, when they discover the Flood.

* In the first ''[[Resident Evil]]'', there's a scene from a S.T.A.R.S. member's shoulder camera before he gets devoured.

 

== Web Original ==

* In ''[[Pure Pwnage]]'', the camera is being controlled by Kyle, a character in his own right, with some notable exceptions for dramatic effect.

* "The Sky Young Skit Show" is a rather humorous example of this. The skits are about three friends hanging around in L.A., in which one is never shown or named, as he is the designated cameraman, leading the titular character to say in a recent episode: "What are you? You're just like, a camera...and a hand...And why are you following me?" The interesting part about it is that in previous episodes, the characters interact as if the camera is not even there, causing the whole episode "Sky Discusses Faces" to get REALLY confusing.

* Anything to do with ''[[The Slender Man Mythos]]'' on youtube. ''[[Marble Hornets]]'' started it all, followed by ''[[Tribe Twelve]]'' , ''[[Everyman HYBRID]]'' and others.

* ''[[The Joker Blogs]]'': The first few entries consist of the title character's recorded therapy sessions with Dr Harleen Quinzel. {{spoiler|After he escapes, he steals Dr Arkham's camera so he can keep making entries, and later uses Jack Ryder's.}}

* Although the point of a vlog is to address the audience through the camera, [[Tobuscus]] takes it a step further by addressing the camera ''as'' the audience and introing every entry by asking the audience what they are doing in whatever ridiculous place he chooses.

{{quote|"Audience? What are you doing in front of a steamroller, audience? That's precarious!"}}

 

== Western Animation ==

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Camera Tricks]]

[[Category:Truth in Television]]