Camera Movement Style in Indonesian OTT Originals:  Two-Case Using Nielsen’s Five Functions

Fajar Aji; Ranang Agung Sugihartono

doi:10.21512/humaniora.v17i2.14679

Authors

Fajar Aji Institut Seni Indonesia Surakarta; Universitas Jember https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1697-1681
Ranang Agung Sugihartono Institut Seni Indonesia Surakarta

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21512/humaniora.v17i2.14679

Keywords:

camera movement, directorial style, Indonesian OTT originals, Nielsen’s five functions, poetics of cinema

Abstract

Indonesian original series produced for over-the-top (OTT) platforms increasingly rely on cinematic camera mobility. However, scholarship has rarely clarified how camera movement operates as a recurring directorial style in Indonesian OTT originals, particularly when its functions are specified systematically. This article addresses this gap through a qualitative two-case study of Little Mom (2021) and Zona Merah (2024). The analysis is conducted within Bordwell's poetics-of-cinema approach. It is anchored in Nielsen's five functions of camera movement (orienting, inflectional, rhythmic, reflexive, and abstract), which are applied to selected key scenes where camera movement is formally salient. Data were generated through repeated scene observation, interviews with key creators, and document and literature review. Findings indicate that each series develops a patterned movement signature. In Little Mom, sustained drift and crab movement, together with follow-orbit mobility, recur as a stylistic strategy that modulates melodramatic affect. At narrative peaks, CGI-assisted traversal and compositing extend movement possibilities and cue a limited reflexive awareness of the image’s constructedness. In Zona Merah, one-shot handheld traversal is combined with follow-and-scan pans and whip-pan impact beats to maintain spatial orientation under threat while intensifying sensory tension. Across both cases, orienting, inflectional, rhythmic, and reflexive functions recur most consistently, whereas the abstract function appears only marginally in the analyzed corpus. The article conceptualizes camera movement as a recurring directorial style in Indonesian OTT originals. It proposes a two-case analytical framework linking motion patterns, visual stylistic identity, and immersive viewing experience.

Dimensions

References

Alforova, Z., Marchenko, S., Kot, H., Medvedieva, A., & Moussienko, O. (2021). Impact of digital technologies on the development of modern film production and television. Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 13(4), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v13n4.72

Allison, D. (2020). Movement and meaning: the “unmotivated” camera in four films by paul schrader. In ReFocus: The Films of Paul Schrader (pp. 33–50). https://doi.org/10.3366/edinburgh/9781474462037.003.0003

Arianto, B. (2021). Pandemi covid-19 dan transformasi budaya digital di indonesia. Titian: Jurnal Ilmu Humaniora, 5(2), 233–250. https://doi.org/10.22437/titian.v5i2.15309

Aronowitz, S., & Helton, G. (2024). Subjectivity in film: mine, yours, and no one’s. Ergo an Open Access Journal of Philosophy, 11(2), 30–61. https://doi.org/10.3998/ergo.5707

Bordwell, D. (2008). Poetics of Cinema. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.

Bordwell, D., Thompson, K., & Smith, J. (2024). Film Art An Introduction (Thirteenth). Mc-Graw Hill.

Cannavò, A., Castiello, A., Pratticò, F. G., Mazali, T., & Lamberti, F. (2024). Immersive movies: the effect of point of view on narrative engagement. AI & SOCIETY, 39(4), 1811–1825. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-022-01622-9

Castro, D., & Cascajosa, C. (2020). From netflix to movistar+: how subscription video-on-demand services have transformed spanish tv production. JCMS: Journal of Cinema and Media Studies, 59(3), 154–160. https://doi.org/10.1353/cj.2020.0019

Chalaby, Jean K. (2023). The streaming industry and the platform economy: An analysis. Media, Culture & Society, 46(3), 552–571. https://doi.org/10.1177/01634437231210439

Changsong, Wang, Kerry, Lucyann, & Marta Rustono Farady. (2021). Film distribution by video streaming platforms across Southeast Asia during COVID-19. Media, Culture & Society, 43(8), 1542–1552. https://doi.org/10.1177/01634437211045350

Chawa, A. F., Amiruddin, L., & Rozuli, A. I. (2018). Pendekatan Studi Kasus dalam Penelitian Kualitatif Sosiologi. In S. Kholifah & I. W. Suyadnya (Eds.), Metodologi PenelitianMetodologi Penelitian Kualitatif Berbagi Pengelaman Dari Lapangan Kualitatif Berbagi Pengelaman Dari Lapangan (Pertama, pp. 187–211). Rajawali Press.

Cipriani, M. (2021). Mapping digital cinema in the kingdom: the transition from analog to digital technologies in the thai film industry. Communication and Media in Asia Pacific (CMAP), 4(1), 23–32. https://doi.org/10.14456/cmap.2021.3

Cutting, J. E., Brunick, K. L., & Candan, A. (2012). Perceiving event dynamics and parsing Hollywood films. Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance, 38(6), 1476–1490. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0027737

Dayan, E., Barliya, A., Gelder, B. de, Hendler, T., Malach, R., & Flash, T. (2018). Motion cues modulate responses to emotion in movies. Scientific Report, 8(10881). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29111-4

Dewandra, F. R., & Islam, M. A. (2022). Analisis teknik pengambilan gambar one shot pada film 1917 karya sam mendes. Barik Jurnal Desain Komunikasi Visual, 3(2), 242–255. https://doi.org/10.26740/jdkv.v3i2.47708

Ding, Z. (2023). Spielberg’s filmmaking style and techniques. Proceedings of the 2022 4th International Conference on Literature, Art and Human Development (ICLAHD 2022). https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-494069-97-8_88

Hari Wibowo, P. N. (2022). Membaca unsur-unsur sinema neorealisme pada film Siti karya Edy Cahyono. ProTVF, 6(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.24198/ptvf.v6i1.28064

Hart, A. C. (2023). The flying spirit of movement within these solid objects: Marie Menken’s home movies. Film Criticism, 47(1). https://doi.org/10.3998/fc.4731

Heimann, K., Uithol, S., Calbi, M., Umiltà, M. A., Guerra, M., Fingerhut, O., & Gallese, V. (2019). Embodying the camera: an eeg study on the effect of camera movements on film spectators' sensorimotor cortex activation. PLOS ONE, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0211026

Herianto, Lala, A. A. T., & Nurpasila. (2021). Perilaku konsumsi sebelum dan selama pandemi covid-19 di indonesia: studi perbandingan. Journal of Islamic Economics and Finance Studies, 2(1), 94–109. https://doi.org/10.47700/jiefes.v2i1.2808

Hitmakerstudios. (n.d). WeTV original Little Mom membuat rekor baru di Indonesia. Retrieved August 2, 2025, from https://hitmakerstudios.com/wetv-original-little-mom-membuat-rekor-baru-di-indonesia/.

Idiz, D. R. (2024). Local Production for Global Streamers: How Netflix shapes European production cultures. USC Annenberg International Journal of Communication, 18(4), 2129–2148.

Kabelen, N. W. (2025). Inovasi gaya naratif sinematik dalam produksi film: kreativitas dalam keterbatasan anggaran dan teknologi. REKAM: Jurnal Fotografi, Televisi, Dan Animasi, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.24821/rekam.v21i1.15056

Kania, R., Ramadhani, N. S., Wibisono, N., & Gunawan, A. I. (2025). Understanding behavioral intention to subscribe video-on-demand platform during COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from Indonesia. The Asian Journal of Technology Management (AJTM), 15(2), 126–140. https://doi.org/10.12695/ajtm.2022.15.2.3

Kwon, Y.-S., Lee, J., & Lee, S. (2022). The impact of background music on film audience’s attentional processes: Electroencephalography alpha-rhythm and event-related potential analyses. Frontiers in Psychology, 13(2022). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.933497

Mahajan, R., & Gautam, S. K. (2023). Cinema in the World of OTT and the ethics of visual representation in a fictional World. The Ciência & Engenharia - Science & Engineering Journal, 11(1), 1473–1498. https://doi.org/10.52783/cienceng.v11i1.301

Manik, A. A., & Aristio, A. P. (2023). Analisis faktor intensi berlangganan dan keberlanjutan pengguna Over-The-Top (OTT) berdasarkan Teori Uses and Gratification dengan Structural Equation Modelling. Jurnal Sains Pemasaran Indonesia (Indonesian Journal of Marketing Science), 22(3), 187–227. https://doi.org/10.14710/jspi.v22i3.187-227

McQuire, S. (2000). Impact aesthetics: Back to the future in digital cinema?: millennial fantasies. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 6(2), 41–61. https://doi.org/10.1177/135485650000600204

Muzakki, H., & Adiprabowo, V. D. (2025). Analisis isi teknik pergerakan kamera dalam film Penyalin Cahaya. Jurnal SASAK : Desain Visual dan Komunikasi, 7(1), 35–44. https://doi.org/10.30812/sasak.v7i1.4786

Nielsen, J. I. (2016). Five Functions of Camera Movement in Narrative Cinema. In Transnational Cinamatography Studies. Lexington Books.

Nijhawan, G. S., & Dahiya, S. (2020). Role of COVID as a catalyst in increasing adoption of OTTS in India: A study of evolving consumer consumption patterns and future business scope. Journal of Content, Community and Communication, 12(6), 298–311. https://doi.org/10.31620/JCCC.12.20/28

Olindo, W. V. (2025, July 31). Personal interview with the producer of Zona Merah, conducted by the author.

Paranata, I. K. D., Prabhawita, G. B., & Kayana, I. B. H. (2024). Penerapan teknik camera movement pada film pendek “Satu Pertemuan” dalam membangun suasana dramatik. Jurnal Film Dan Televisi Calacitra, 4(1), 20–25.

Pattanayak, S., Khan, S. U., Malik, F., & Sahoo, S. (2024). Automating camera movements: AI-Driven PTZ cameras in film production. In M. Al Mubarak (Ed.), Innovative and Intelligent Digital Technologies; Towards an Increased Efficiency (pp. 627–639). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-70399-7_48

Pecheranskyi, I. (2023). Attractive visuality generation within the 360˚-VR video format as a technological trend in modern film production. Culture and Arts in the Modern World, 24(2023), 271–284. https://doi.org/10.31866/2410-1915.24.2023.287709

Prasetyo, M. E., & Ahmad, A. (2024). Kajian komposisi, transisi, dan camera movement dalam trailer film KKN di Desa Penari. Rekam: Jurnal Fotografi, Televisi, Dan Animasi, 20(2), 161–172. https://doi.org/10.24821/rekam.v20i2.12363

Prasetyo, M. E., Zevri, Z., & Everlin, S. (2022). Perancangan video klip profil komunitas K-Pop Dance Invasion DC Jakarta dengan teknik camera movement. REKAM: Jurnal Fotografi, Televisi, Dan Animasi, 18(2), 151–162. https://doi.org/10.24821/rekam.v18i2.7551

Prihantoro, E. (2024). Generation Z’s binge-watching lifestyle in using Over-The-Top (OTT) media services in Indonesia. Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, 40(2), 247–261. https://doi.org/10.17576/JKMJC-2024-4002-14

Primett, W., Mukhina, K., Burak Yilmaz, M., Rietdijk, W., & Tikka, P. (2025). Kinaesthetic empathy through the lens of the cinematographer: Physiological and phenomenological alignments in the act of creation. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 19(2025). https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2025.1613485

Purnama, A. (2023). Film style in Indonesian cinema, 1998-2018: Lighting, production design and camera movement. Transnational Screens, 16(2), 202–203. https://doi.org/10.1080/25785273.2025.25036688

Salsabila, N., Annisa, S., Fadhila, S., & Khairani, S. N. (2025). Transformasi perilaku penonton di era digital: Faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi kunjungan ke bioskop di Indonesia. CommLine, 10(1), 56–68.

Santosa, F. M. (2025, May 6). Personal interview with the director of Zona Merah, conducted by the author.

Saputra, E. P., & Manesah, D. (2025). Analisis teknik camera movement pada film The Big 4 karya Timo Tjahjanto. Imajinasi: Jurnal Ilmu Pengetahuan, Seni, Dan Teknologi, 2(1), 39-47. https://doi.org/10.62383/imajinasi.v2i1.539

Sintowoko, D. A. W. (2022). Mood Cues dalam film Kartini: Hubungan antara pergerakan kamera dan emosi. REKAM: Jurnal Fotografi, Televisi, Dan Animasi, 18(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.24821/rekam.v18i1.5898

Siregar, A. R., & Sazali, H. (2025). Transformasi kebijakan penyiaran di era digital analisis dampak regulasi Over-The-Top (OTT) terhadap industri televisi konvensional. FIKRUNA: Jurnal Ilmiah Kependidikan Dan Kemasyarakatan, 7(3), 846–868. https://doi.org/10.56489/fik.v7i3.318

Soeharjanto, G. (2025, June 24). Personal interview with the director of Little Mom, conducted by the author.

Sridhar, S., & Phadtare, P. (2022). Behavioral shift of Generation X Towards OTT during Covid’19 in India. Cardiometry, 22. https://doi.org/10.18137/cardiometry.2022.22.176184

Srivastav, S., & Rai, S. (2021). Transforming the entertainment industry: Video on demand services in India. Media Asia, 49(1), 44-57. https://doi.org/10.1080/01296612.2021.1977499

Srivastav, S., & Rai, S. (2022). Alternate entertainment or shifting discourse: A narrative analysis of popular web series in India. International Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 7(1), 242-254. https://doi.org/10.13187/ijmil.2022.1.242

Stewart, J. (2024). The shaky camera technique in cinematography: An exploration of the blur of perception. SVĚT LITERATURY, 3(12), 263–270. https://doi.org/10.14712/23366729.2024.3.24

Supiarza, H. (2022). Functions of music in film : The meeting of visual and aural arts. CINEMATOLOGY Journal Antology of Film and Television Studies, 2(1), 78–87. https://doi.org/10.17509/ftv-upi.v2i1.42417

Trisnawati, R. K., Sari, T., & Hadiningrum, I. (2023). From the series, i see that LGBTQ+ characters are ordinary people: An audience study on Netflix Series with LGBTQ+ themes in 2020-2022. Humaniora, 14(3), 233–244. https://doi.org/10.21512/humaniora.v14i3.10601

Vlassis, Antonios. (2021). Global online platforms, COVID-19, and culture: The global pandemic, an accelerator towards which direction? Media, Culture & Society, 43(5), 957–969. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443721994537

Widyaevan, D. A. (2023). Analyzing monstrous maternal in “Jendela” and “A Mother’s Love” interior mise-en-scene. ProTVF, 7(1), 34–49. https://doi.org/10.24198/ptvf.v7i1.36107

Winarko, H. B., & Susilo, D. (2024). Media consumption behaviours and health impacts of video-on-demand services in Indonesia. Jurnal Studi Komunikasi, 8(3), 521–532. https://doi.org/10.25139/jsk.v8i3.8663

Yilmaz, M. B., Lotman, E., Karjus, A., & Tikka, P. (2023). An embodiment of the cinematographer: Emotional and perceptual responses to different camera movement techniques. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 17(2023). https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.1160843