Filmmaking Techniques - Making Your Shots More Dynamic

The 'tracking' or 'dolly' shot is commonplace on big budget films.

Following the lead actors as they walk down a street in a conversation is the most common example of the dolly tracking shot.

I have always been a big believer in 'engineering' cheap solutions while still making your video production, home movie or short film look professional.

In this video Rick Clarke shows you how to make a track dolly to add movement to your moviemaking.

Here's a video sample of how to make a track dolly:

The track dolly can also be used in conjunction with zooming in or out of the camera to add a new perspective to your video, film or movie production.

Below are some notes from Rick Clarke:

"DETAILS AND PARTS LIST:

Total cost of the dolly was about £80.

Total Dolly size = 2ft wide x 3ft long.

Type of pipe used for track = 32mm PVC waste pipe.

Angle alluminium width = 2in x 2in at 3mm thick. (2 x 3ft lengths)

Carriage bolts: 6 x 4in (to hold the angle aluminium to the board).

Carriage bolts: 16 x 2in (to bolt the wheels to the angle aluminium)

MAIN BOARD: 2 X sheets of 2ft X 3ft 7-PLY sheets screwed together with 30mm self-tapping screws.

Skateboard wheel spacers x 16

skateboard wheels x 16. Dia: 50mm (52mm are also ok)

Bearing assemblies x 32

NOTE: Angle aluminium is a lot easier to work with than angle iron - which is very heavy and hard to drill & cut. It also goes rusty and is generally not much fun to handle.

ALSO: Try to get the wheels positioned closer together so they sit on the upper/top portion of the track rather than middle/sides of the track. (Or in other words - go for a small/narrow "L" shape area for the track to sit in)
I found wider-spaced wheels were trying to bend the pipe and make the dolly harder & more jerky to push with weight on it"