Interestingly, the development of the steadicam originates from the framing support used by the military for machine-gun operation while a soldier is walking. Likewise, the first telephone was named “Gallows phone”, the first video camera was called the “chronophotographic rifle”, and the first full body ultrasound was held in the tunnel of a B29 bomber. Although I would argue that “American Shot” is not intended to be violent, there is something unsettling about the direction and focus of the camera lens. The Western Shot in and of itself alludes to future violence given that its purpose is to scan the body of a character from the waist up as a weapons assessment. This can be found in many Western movies throughout history.
Similarly, when an individual is the subject of the camera lens there is often a sense of threat. Oftentimes, the subject will try to put a hand over the lens or cover their face. Stefanescu refers to the opening sequence of “American Shot” as “the framing of the viewer as the trigger.” One stands in front of the screen and activates a camera that ‘boxes in’ your face before playing a movie clip. However, viewers need not shield themselves. They can simply walk away, watch for only a moment, or walk away and then turn around; the film continues to roll even without an audience.
