Camera Movement

PAN

A pan shot or panning shot is when you turn the camera on a fixed head. It is a technique where you follow a moving subject, and you can shoot this with a slower shutter speed to create a feeling of speed or action.

 To create a pan shot, you change turn the camera to the left of right without altering its position. Panning is used to give the viewer a panoramic view of a set or setting. This can be used to establish a scene. Because of panning’s ability to be used for a wide range of situations and scenarios, it’s an important move

PAN SHOTS ARE OFTEN USED TO:

·     It can give a better idea of the scene’s setting and enable to set a specific tone or explore unusual surroundings.

·    Panning can be used to switch from one subject’s view to another’s.

·    Transition between scenes:  This is often used to indicate a jump through time and/or space.

·    Pan shots are sometimes used to change around a scene’s orientation.

·     Show speed or action: Panning is a great way to communicate movement or to give a static scene some energy.

·      by using pan shots during a back-and-forth interaction to create tension or, more commonly, humor.

 

TYPES OF PAN SHOTS IN FILM

Depending on the scene and needs, we can choose between a few different types of pan shots:

·    Aerial pan shots: Filmmakers often attach cameras to drones and fly them over cityscapes, landscapes, or other large areas. While attached to the drone, the operator can pan the camera left or right to capture the shot.

·   Whip pans: Often referred to as a whip shot or a swish pan, a whip pan is a pan so quickly that it results in blurred imagery. As a result, it can leave the audience feeling temporarily disoriented. To create a whip shot, you can use a handheld, gimbal, dolly, or a tripod.

CREATING A PAN SHOT IN FILM

The steps to start panning:

1.     It is possible to pan with a handheld camera, but using a tripod offers more stability for the shot.

2.     The frames in pan shots choose wisely.

3.  Swivel the camera. Make sure that the tripod works without sticking or jerking and that you maintain a consistent movement and speed throughout the pan.

5.   Before begin filming, rehearse the movements a few times to make sure there is nothing blocking or shaking the shot.

6.   Get several takes.  Make sure to get a few safeties takes before wrapping up when before unexpected interruptions happen.

 

 

TILT

Moving the cameras lens up or down while keeping its horizontal axis constant. Nod your head up and down - this is tilting. Tilting is a little less common than panning but they are used fairly regularly for creative and practical purposes. 

 A tilt shot is shot that uses a cinematographic technique called tilting in which the camera says fixed but rotates up and down on a vertical plane.  Tilting is similar to the motion of an individual raising or lowering their heads.

WHY USE A TILT SHOT?

·         In an establishing shot — brings us to into a location 

·         Downward tilts observe action over a large area

·         Upward tilts can create psychological impression of inferiority or    weakness in a character

BOOM SHOT

To move the camera vertically upward or downward, filmmakers turn to the boom shot. Boom shots are achieved by using boom crane camera movements, pedestal camera movement, and jibs.  These shots are known as establishing shots. They can be small boom movements typically used for reveals and characters.

Other times, filmmakers use large boom movements to show off the setting of a scene. These shots are known as establishing shots.

DOLLY

The name comes from the old” dolly tracks” that used to be laid down for the heavy camera to move along - very much like railroad tracks. The phrase dolly-in means step towards the subject with the camera, while dolly-out means to step backwards with the camera, keeping the zoom the same. 

 

ZOOM

A zoom shot is when the focal length of a camera lens is adjusted to give the illusion of moving closer or further away from the subject. Zoom shots are done with a zoom lens, which have variable focal lengths. The most typical camera zoom types are the "zoom in" and "zoom out," but it can also be combined with a dolly shot to create a "dolly zoom." 

Most video cameras today have built-in zoom features. Some have manual zooms as well, and many have several zoom speeds. 

WHY USE A ZOOM SHOT?

1.     To draw attention to a specific detail in the shot

2.     to give a character power 

3.     To emphasize a comedic or dramatic moment

 

DOLLY ZOOM

The dolly zoom is one of the most discussed cinematic techniques. This shot is commonly referred to as a vertigo shot, or vertigo effect .  A dolly zoom is an in-camera effect. A dolly zoom is achieved by dollying the camera away from or toward a subject while simultaneously zooming in the other direction.

Also known as a zolly, this shot creates a sense of unease in the viewer, simulates a spatial(3 dimentional) warp, and can either shrink or extend distances based on the choice of direction.

hanks to Alfred Hitchcock's film Vertigo, which used the shot multiple times and to great effect.

What to consider when you use a dolly zoom?

·         The direction of your dolly move

·         The focal length range of your lens

·         The speed at which you both dolly and zoom

The dolly zoom is one of the most discussed cinematic techniques and the more heavy-handed camera movements. It also serves as a visual motif.(idea)  but with have a logical reason. The dolly zoom can also be used in a positive way. By making the background larger while maintaining foreground size. This shot creates a sense of unease in the viewer, simulates a spatial warp, and can either shrink or extend distances based on the choice of direction.

The dolly zoom can draw the audience into the story.  It is commonly used to capture the internal conflict of a character, and used to capture the internal conflict of a character and the character’s state of mind. By making the background larger while maintaining foreground size, the dolly zoom can also establish a relationship between two characters.

 

Pedestal: Moving the camera up or down without changing its vertical or horizontal axis. A camera operator can do two types of pedestals: pedestal up means "move the camera up; "pedestal down means "move the camera down." 

 

ROLL CAMERA MOVEMENT

 The camera roll is a rotational camera movement that rotates the camera over its side on its long axis. Rolls can be dizzying and unnatural. For this reason, filmmakers use it to disorient the audience or create uneasiness. Its specific effect makes it a very intentional camera movement that should only be used when wanting to elicit a discomfort in the audience.  Sometimes these effects tie in to a film’s theme.

TRACKING SHOT

 A tracking shot is any shot that physically moves the camera through the scene for an extended amount of time. Tracking camera movement often follows a traveling subject, though they can be used to simply show off the scene.

Trucking is a type of tracking shot in which the entire camera moves left or right along a track.

 Truck camera movement has historically been achieved with a dolly tracking camera movement. Modern Steadicams have allowed complex shot movements that move the camera in all directions. A tracking shot is any shot that physically moves the camera through the scene for an extended amount of time.

 

ARC SHOT

The arc shot orbits the camera around a subject in an arc pattern. Arc shots are typically used to add energy to a shot in which characters have minimal actions. 

 

RANDOM MOVEMENT Random Movement

1.     Sometimes, camera movements are not motivated by character actions, but rather audience experience. Filmmakers often add random movement to a shot via camera shake through a handheld shot to heighten the intensity of a scene.

 

PEDESTAL SHOT

 A pedestal shot is a vertical camera movement in which the entire camera raises or lowers in relation to the subject. A pedestal shot differs from a camera tilt because the entire camera moves up or down rather than just pivoting from a fixed point.

 

Sometimes, camera movements are not motivated by character actions, but rather audience experience pedestal shot used more subtly, the random movement can establish subjectivity for the audience. This is often used in films that are based on true events. Filmmakers often add random movement to a shot via camera shake through a handheld shot to heighten the intensity of a scene