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2.Efficiency. Horror movies love to take us places we shouldn’t go, such as deep into the woods, or even dingy public restrooms at night. It’s hardly surprising then, that the horror genre is one of hand-held
camera’s most vocal supporters. Logistically, it’s much easier to have a camera that can fit into small places or can be moved over long distances on foot rather than a full rig encumbered by weight and size. Also, documentaries such as La Source (2012) greatly benefit from the lesser carrying weight and improved accessibility afforded by a smaller camera rig, making hand-held camera a mainstay of documentary film production too.
3.Effect. If there’s one thing Paul Greengrass taught us with his Bourne movies, it’s hand-held camera = intensity. Although filmmakers have been experimenting with hand-held camera since the dawn of cinema, the use of hand-held camera as an intentional aesthetic choice developed during the cinéma vérité style of the 60’s French New
Wave movement in films such as Godard’s Breathless (1960). Since then, the technique has been used to heighten tension and give realism to countless films and television programs. Some of which, have become synonymous with the camerawork itself, such as the much-imitated Fox serial drama 24.
4. Lower Profile. Oftentimes lifeguards, apartment managers, mall security guards, etc., are willing to look the other way when you’re stealing a shot in public with a hand-held camera (especially DSLRs). Yet these same authority figures may shut you down the moment a tripod pops out (speaking from experience, unfortunately). So in certain cases, hand-held is the best way to go to get your public shot
on the down low. The permanent mobility of hand-held camera makes it perfect for micro-budget filmmaking where permits are often a luxury and an unexpected visit from local 5-O makes an easily hidden camera a valuable commodity