Comments on: A Note on Shaky Camera Work

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 03:17:23 +0000

I walked out of District 9 today because the shaky camera work made me nauseous. I was too close to the screen, third row, but the combination of shaky camera and prawns was likely to get me out of there anyway. That movie was awful, and I love sci-fi.

Shaky camera work should be used at specific times to heighten tension. It shouldn’t pervade entire films. It’s simply not enjoyable, and I have a steady stomach for real life aviation/automotive G’s.

I’m not a horror movie fan. But, those movies use sound to make their point. A horror movie isn’t scary without sound. At the most frightening parts, the film goes from silent to a jarring, loud, dissonant volume. It’s very simple. But, it’s used at the right times. Shaky camera needs the same consideration.

By: Jim Robinson

Jim Robinson — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:33:08 +0000

With the popularity of large screen TV’s of late, the shaky camera work is all over the tube. It is nauseating, it doesn’t promote realism – I can shake my head and my brain automatically steadies the shot. Hollywood needs to smarten up and write better scripts. You should not have to use stupid gimmicks like shaky camera work to emphasize any point.

By: daniel

daniel — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 19:51:55 +0000

shaky camera worked in the bournes and thats about it. i saw it try to be used in eagle eye and transporter and it failed EPICLY. fighting/action movies should stop trying so hard to make it work.

By: blakejohnson

blakejohnson — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:21:46 +0000

I’m going to assume you’re talking about Cloverfield, and that’s a matter of opinion, which you’re entitled to. I can agree on some parts of the film that it’s a bit much. Also, as a whole, the “shaky camera movement” is (at least in my view) maybe not being used as effectively as it could be. I think it’s one of those pioneering stages where it gets used a lot, and then it gets toned down as people learn where it does and doesn’t work. It happens to everything. The super-slow-mo Matrix shots were used everywhere when that came out, and now it’s not quite as common. With Cloverfield, they were going for a specific feeling with the shaky camera style they employed, and I think they achieved that very well. As far as the film goes as a film, maybe less sporadic camera movement could have made it better, but remember, without that movement, it’d be an entirely different movie, since so much of what made that believable and good was the camera work itself. In the end it comes down to perception and taste, as always.

By: ab lafontain

ab lafontain — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:44:22 +0000

A great movie that has been completely RUINED but the shaky camera work. FELON . Dam that pissed me right off.

How can the people and directors think that that is great??? It sucks BIG TIME.

When is this going to stop?

By: blakejohnson

blakejohnson — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 07:50:24 +0000

Great, Clementine, thanks for the comment. I’m sick of Hollywood cranking out overly-produced movies too, as you said, but the recent shift to shaky camerawork is interesting not only because it gives film a realistic indie feel, but because it used to be hardcore against the rules of professional filmmaking. Now, apparently, it’s cool to throw the rules out and start over… which I think is great. Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you around here again sometime!

By: Clementine

Clementine — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 05:53:29 +0000

I’m a Romero fan, so I can say that I’m definitely looking forward to it. By looking forward to it I mean “I can’t wait for it to come out on DVD so that I can rent it”. By renting it I mean “I can’t wait to add it to my netflix list”.

I love a good gory movie, and Romero has always delivered that in my opinion. I’m not sure how I feel about the shaky-camera though.. It certainly gives a more indie-film feel to it. I approve of that. I’m tired of Hollywood vomiting out movies that are so laden with special effects and CGI that you have trouble seeing the plot through the flames.

Note: I couldn’t get the bloody myspace trailer to work, so I looked it up on youtube.