Cinematography Advanced (Camera Movement)

• A panning shot is usually performed using a tripod. The camera pivots from one starting position to another. This shot can be performed when following a character from one place in the scene to another. A tilt is where the camera moves from the ground to the sky in one movement. This shot is usually used for establishing shots, slowly revealing the subject as the camera tilts up

• The tracking shot can be performed in several ways, one of them would be shot on the track and dolly. This is when the cameraman is pushed along a set of tracks whilst sat a on a seat attached to a tripod on a set of wheels. This gives a lovely smooth tracking shot either moving forwards and backwards or side to side. A very famous shot called the 'Hitchcock zoom, or the Dolly zoom, first used Used on hitchcocks film 'Vertigo' the camera tracks forwards or backwards whist the soon of the lens does the opposite. For example, if the camera tracks backwards, the lens would start wide and as the camera moves backwards, the lens would zoom in. Vise versa. A track and dolly shot doesn't always have to move in a straight line, tracks are made in curves also. This requires a two people to opporate, one pushing the dolly and one sitting on camera.

• A Crane shot (Jib) is when a camera (and an operator if the crane is big enough) is lifted from a low to high position or vise verse. These can come in all sorts of sizes. Some reaching 50ft off the ground, some just several. Using one of these will you give a lovely smooth, cinematic looking shot which usually requires more than one operator. One of the grip, one focus pulling and one controlling the angle of the camera. This shot is usually used for establishing shots of both scene and character.

• Steadicam shot is my favourite shot out of the bunch. the Steadicam uses counterweights and gyroscopes to keep a handheld camera's motion very smooth. This is a great shot When wanting to run along side a subject. If the camera wasn't on the Steadicam, the camera would be very shaky and not nice to look at. One of the most famous Steadicam shots would be from Psycho when the boy is cycling around the house. The camera looks like it is literally flying.