The Aesthetics of Anxiety: Why CCTV Footage is its Own Art Genre

CCTV footage contains an aesthetic that is distinctly different from most other film and television footage that is produced today. The CCTV footage has a characteristic distortion within the film (due to its use of a wide-angle lens) and a stuttering at the edges of the frame due to the low frame rate of the CCTV footage itself.

Also, there is a timestamp visible in the bottom right of the screen. The aesthetic of the CCTV footage is somewhat subdued in nature compared to many other types of film. Finally, it’s worth noting that the aesthetic of CCTV footage has become increasingly popular in recent years – to the point where it has even become recognised as a type of art movement in its own right. For CCTV Gloucester, contact https://apmfireandsecurity.com/cctv-installation/cctv-installation-gloucester

It is recognised as the “art of ambient anxiety.” Such a movement and art form utilises CCTV footage to convey to the audience the feelings of vulnerability that are natural in watching such footage. Beyond its utilisation in horror films, such as the Paranormal Activity franchise, CCTV footage has also begun to be used in a variety of independent video games to create a sense of unease within the player.

Beyond horror, however, the aesthetic of CCTV footage has also become a type of “poetry” that is used by artists and musicians alike. These people use live CCTV feeds to capture the raw experiences of modern life – such as the empty streets of a city at 3:00 am or the empty subway platforms of a modern city.

Nina Smith

Nina Smith

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