AUTHOR: Matteo Bittanti (concept, text, alterations); TRIPtych, N2o1138, WhiskeyBoytx, Unscripted 360, Sharkfan87 (original screenshots)
TITLE: HEADSHOTZ
YEAR: 2009
FORMAT: digital images, various resolutions
DESCRIPTION
Headshotz is a curated archive of screenshots found online and Photoshopped in order to emphasize the brutally spectacular effects of an "headshot" in various videogames, including Halo, F.E.A.R., Call of Duty, Gears of War, Fallout 3 and others.
The term "headshot" has at least three different meanings:
1) Gaming: in videogames, especially first-person shooters - a headhsot is a shot that penetrates and crushes the adversary's skulls. [for real life killing see Sniper Shot]
2) Photography: "A head shot is a photographic technique where the focus of the photograph is a person's face. Headshot is essentially the same as portrait. However, headshot is an image that portrays people as they are and is more of a 'mug shot', however simple or stylized it might be. Whereas, a portrait will often 'portray' the person with elements of his life, such as his work, interest, etc." (From Wikipedia)
3) Pornography: a "headshot" defines the act of performing oral sex on another person, also known as "giving head".
Urban Dictionary elaborates:
"Headshot originated from the game Unreal Tournament, and has been used by FPS players since then. The word is while one is playing an fps, when suddenly out of no where "BOOM, HEADSHOT." When you get a headshot, this may lead to extreme happiness in yourself, because you just pwned that little J00. However, when you are given a headshot, you may tend to scream out, "WTF, Thats Bullshit, LEAVE THE GAME HACKER!"
While playing Counter Strike you may flashbang someone, turn the corner to see them completely blind. You start to shoot at them at point blank, hitting them 2 times, giving them a total of 67 damage. As they become unblind, they will turn and shoot you in the forehead causing instant death. This is known as a "Headshot." Some players will scream out " WHAT THE HELL IS THE TIC RATE IN THIS JOINT?" Others might take it out on things or people around them at the time of the owning." (From Urban Dictionary)
The expression ""BOOM, HEADSHOT" became extremely popular in the gaming subculture thanks to FPS Doug, a character of the Canadian web series Pure Ownage. In the following sequence, FPS Doug theorizes the sublime beauty of the headshot
The fetish for the headshot is not exclusive of videogames. Consider Eli Roth's Nation's Pride, the movie-within-the-movie embedded in Inglorious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, 2009):
PRESS
Stephen Totilo, "The History of Headshots, Gaming Favourite Act of Unreal Violence", Kotaku, August 30, 2010.