Point of View

Tags

audience's POV, character's POV, point of view, storyteller

In Douglass and Harnden’s chapter on Point of View, they state that the one of the most important aspects to both the storyteller as well as the audience is the point of view. They are significant because they help tell information about the story that is being filmed. Also POV shots are all about the perspective of a certain character, whether that’s of the storyteller or character with the story.

Storyteller

There are different perspectives of the storyteller: First Person, Second Person, and Third Person.

First Person: This perspective is often told in a documentary format. This is when the storyteller wants to tell the story in his or her viewpoint. When the audience views a documentary, the first person point of view gives the viewer an opportunity to give remarks on what is being seen. This format usually has a voice-over narrative with a picture being shown.

Second Person: It is all about “you” as the viewer. Throughout the clip or film, the picture is there to be directed towards you. This is rarely used in productions, but it is often used in advertising, where the sponsor is trying to talk you into buying the product that is being sold.

Third Person: This point of view is most commonly used in production. Chapter 3 states that this is when “the actions of characters and people on the screen are rendered from an observer’s point of view” (p. 35). This is then connected with the first person when used in production with the narration aspect to the production itself.

Character and Audience

Not only is there the storyteller’s point of view, the producer has to take into consideration the character and audience’s point of view. The character’s POV is one of the most important decisions when deciding how to tell the story as a whole. The audience’s POV is also important because this is how the audience depicts what he or she is watching.

Your Thoughts

Have you ever shot a film in first, second or third person? What do you feel is the most important aspect to consider when producing a film for an audience?