Cinematography-Theory-And-Practice

Standard (track)Front of dollySteerRoundCrabFigure 11.17. (left) Dolly wheel positionsfor various types of moves.Figure 11.18. (right) Dolly andboom terminology.Tilt PlateSometimes, a shot calls for a greater range of up-and-down tilt thana typical camera head can provide. In this case, a tilt plate can bemounted on top of the camera head (Figure 11.13). It is usuallygeared and can be tilted to the desired angle. The gearing (if there isany) is generally not smooth enough to be used in a shot.THE CRAB DOLLYThe crab dolly is by far the most often used method of mounting andmoving the camera. A crab dolly in the hands of a good dolly gripis capable of a surprising range and fluidity of movement. Figures11.15 and 11.16 are typical dollys widely used in production today.Dolly TerminologySpecial terminology is used to describe dolly motion so that it can becommunicated precisely.Dolly In/OutMove the dolly toward or away from the subject (Figure 11.18).When a dolly is on the floor and you want to move forward, there aretwo choices. “Move in” can either mean move forward on the axisof the lens or on the axis in which the crabbed wheels are aiming.These are “in on the lens” or “in on the wheels.”Dolly Left/RightMove the dolly left or right. If the dolly is on tracks, it is left or rightin relation to the axis of the track. If the dolly is on the floor, then itis left or right in relation to the subject (Figure 11.18).Boom Up/DownNearly all dollies have a boom: a hydraulic arm capable of movingvertically in a smooth enough motion to be used in a shot withoutshakes or jarring. Some boom terms include: top floor and bottomfloor.Crab Left/RightMost dollies have wheels that can crab (Figure 11.17), that is, bothfront and rear wheels can be turned in the same direction, allowingthe dolly to move laterally at any angle. For most normal operations,the rear wheels are in crab mode and are the “smart wheels.” Thecinematography218