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Benjamin Jaffe Gallery
Chicago, IL
benjamin
Camera Movements
Filmmakers use a variety of camera movements to create dynamic cinema. Different types of moves create different effects. I have separated Camera Movements into two categories; Basic and Elaborate.
Basic Camera Moves
Pan Tilt
Panning: Pivoting the camera from one side to another while keeping its vertical axis constant.
Tilting: Pivoting the camera up or down while keeping its horizontal axis constant.
Tilting and Panning are the simplest camera moves and are achieved by only adjusting one axis point.
Elaborate Camera Moves
Dollying and Trucking Cranes & Jibs
Dolly: Motion towards or motion from. The phrase dolly-in means motion towards the subject with the camera, while dolly-out means to motion backwards with the camera.
Truck: Trucking involves motion left or right. Truck left means "move the camera physically to the left while maintaining its perpendicular relationship. You might truck left to stay with a pedestrian as she walks down a street.
Cranes are devices used to lift and or lower a camera (and operator, if it's big enough) from low to high shooting positions.
Jibs are smaller lifts that can support the weight of a camera and lift it several feet off of the ground.
Handheld Motion Control
Handheld Shooting: Sometimes the action is moving quickly or unpredictably. This calls for making the camera more mobile and able to follow the action of a scene. Most times the camera will simply be held by the operator, who will then employ a number of basic camera moves by moving the feet - trucking in and out, dollying in one direction or another, tilting, panning, zooming - and combinations of all of these.
Motion Control Cameras employ computerized systems that can precisely replicate pre designed movements.
Benjamin Jaffe Gallery
Chicago, IL
benjamin