There are many ways to heighten the key moment in a film.
"- Low profile! Do you understand the meaning of the words "low profile"?"
- But perhaps no technique is as dramatic as the dolly zoom.
"- They're here."
- This technique is used sparingly
but when it is employed
the results can be enthralling.
In this video, we'll explain how to achieve the effect
and examine some of the many ways to use it.
"- The countdown is not helpful."
- This is "The Ultimate Guide to the Dolly Zoom."
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What exactly is a dolly zoom?
"- That son of..."
- In short, a dolly zoom is a shot that uses a combination of camera movement
and shifting focal length
to stretch or compress the background.
To create the effect you need two things:
a camera dolly
and a zoom lens.
There are two ways to execute the shot.
First, the camera can be pushed towards the subject while the lens zooms out.
Or the camera can be pulled away while the lens zooms in.
The two opposite movements are what creates the iconic effect.
And thanks to today's technology you can also
create a similar result in post-production.
A dolly zoom can be employed for a variety of reasons.
But usually, the technique indicates an emotional or tonal shift.
"- No!"
- A dolly zoom often tells the audience something big has just happened.
For better or for worse.
But where did this technique come from?
The dolly zoom is also called the Hitchcock shot
or the vertigo effect.
Because it was the master of suspense who first popularized it.
As Hitchcock explains the idea came to him after an inebriated night out.
'- I always remember one night at the Chelsea Arts Ball at Albert Hall in London
when I got terribly drunk and I had the sensation
that everything was going far away from me.'
- In 1940, when he made "Rebecca"
he wanted to visualize that sensation in this
moment as Joa Fontaine's character faints.
But they couldn't figure out how to achieve it.
The problem was keeping the subject fixed in position
while the background stretches lengthwise.
This idea stuck with Hitchcock for years
and it wasn't until "Vertigo"
nearly two decades later that the solution was found
by his second unit DP Irmin Roberts.
Hitchcock visualizes Scotty's fear of heights with disorienting POV shots.
They were created by using a miniature stairway laid on its side
and photographed horizontally.
Like many of the methods, Hitchcock pioneered
the dolly zoom quickly was imitated by other filmmakers.
And continues to be used to this day.
Now that we know the basic process of how these shots are achieved,
let's run through some considerations of how they can be tailored to fit the scene.
"- What are you staring the f*ck at?"
- Let's start with speed and focal length.
Not all dolly zooms are created equal.
Take for example the speed of a dolly zoom.
In "Goodfellas", director Martin Scorsese
opts for a slow and subtle effect.
"- I got there 15 minutes early and I saw that Jimmy was already there.
He took the booth near the window so we could
see everyone who drove up to the restaurant.
He wanted to make sure I wasn't tailed."
- By pulling the camera back
and zooming in
the focal length gets longer and the background appears to get closer and closer.
The whole world is literally closing in
on the two characters
emphasizing Henry's growing paranoia.
"- ...don't talk on the f*cking phone, right? Now you understand?
It's going to be okay. You got a good chance to beat the case."
- Meanwhile director Brad Bird uses the freedom allowed by animation
to achieve shots that would be essentially impossible otherwise.
In this example from "Ratatouille", Anton takes a bite that has an immediate effect.
This moment for Anton is meant to be sudden and cathartic
as this memory rushes back to him.
Appropriately then the dolly zoom is extremely fast
meant to give the audience a similar experience of whiplash.
Besides speed, the focal length of a lens can also change the look of these shots.
"La Haine" shows just how dramatic the technique can be
when the focal length changes significantly.
From wide
to telephoto.
The massive change in focal length makes the effect extreme and dramatic.
In this scene from "Pulp Fiction",
Quentin Tarantino chooses a more subtle approach
as Mia begins to feel the narcotics stakehold.
This slight change means the depth of field remains relatively consistent
but gives the moment an extra layer of emphasis.
But camera decisions aren't the only elements important to a dolly zoom's effect.
The background also plays a role.
"- We lost.
- We lost Attica."
- While the focus is almost always the character
the elements around them can make the vertigo effect more
or less pronounced.
Let's compare these two examples.
From "Scarface" and "Severance".
Because the background at "Scarface" is farther away
the dolly zoom is more noticeable.
The layers of cars give us a sense of depth.
So when the distance is crushed by the telephoto lens it is a dramatic change.
In "Severance" the background is much closer and simpler.
Therefore the change in focal length is less noticeable.
Without the vertical line shifting, we might not notice the dolly zoom at all.
Compositional techniques can also be employed to enhance the effect.
For example, leading lines to create one point perspective framing
that accents the change in depth even further.
Now, let's look at some creative examples that pushes of the dolly zoom even farther.
The traditional dolly zoom keeps the subject fixed in size.
To do this the change in camera position
needs to match the change in focal length.
But playing with this ratio can yield interesting results.
Like in "Squid Game", the camera pushes in more than the lens zooms out.
This is how we move from a medium shot to a close-up
giving Gi-hun's reaction more dramatic weight.
Adding a change in camera angle.
Or rolling the camera can create even more kineticism to the shot.
Most dolly zooms occur once in a single shot.
But Spielberg shows us how both versions can work together in a shot.
In "E.T." we start with the dolly in,
zoom out on a serene and peaceful landscape.
Then the authorities invade the frame.
And he reverses the move with a dolly out, zoom in,
shrinking the space as they get closer
and closer to their target.
A dolly zoom can also be paired with a change in lighting
to push the drama further and indicate a stark transition.
Notice how the lighting on Simba darkens as we approach.
It's not a literal shadow but an emotional one.
Pure fear.
Sound and music are also effective ways to enhance the power of a dolly zoom.
A great example of this is from "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2."
As Peter learns the truth about his mother's death...
"- It broke my heart to put that tumor in her head...
- What?"
- On the soundtrack, a low hum descends
while high strings rise in the mix.
Both elements sonically match and intensify the dolly zoom.
"- What? - I know that sounds bad..."
- So what happens when a dolly zoom is augmented
with a change in lighting camera angle and sound?
This shot from "Raging Bull" has it all.
It is a gradual shift inside Jake's subjective experience.
First, the camera starts at a high angle
and ends in a low angle
to make Sugar Ray a more imposing figure.
Then as the camera zooms out it adds depth
separates Ray from the background and minimizes the crowd's presence.
Which allows Jake's focus to center on Ray alone.
At the same time, the sound drowns out to a muffled hum
as we enter Jake's battered headspace.
Finally, the lighting.
Rey starts evenly lit
but then the key light drops out
turning him into a looming specter in near silhouette.
This is an expert-level use of the dolly zoom.
The dolly zoom is a specific technique
with a wide variety of applications.
It can heighten the drama.
Cue a transition.
Add energy.
And much more.
All the variations on the dolly zoom are a testament to experimentation.
You can evoke an entirely new feeling simply by manipulating your background.
Complex shots like a dolly zoom require a lot of planning.
And there's no better way to start planning your next
shot than with StudioBinder's Storyboard Software.
Click the link in the description to get started.
That's all for now.
Zoom forth.