How do you do the Scary-movie opposite-zoom effect?

[Pyrowizz]

I was watching Stargate for a few minutes a wile ago and i saw something cool. I do not no what its called but i want to learn how to do it. Thee was a scene where the camera seemed close and then seemed to to move back, but every thing looked as tho it was moving in towards the center of the frame. This visual affect is pretty common. I do not know how describe it. If you know what i am talking about post a link to a video so i can make sure that it is what i am looking for. If anyone can tell me how to do it that would be great.

[twoneil]

I think what you mean is the 'dolly zoom effect'

watch this (http://www.metacafe.com/watch/641498/dollying/?logout=1)
skip to around 2:30 in the video.

[Pyrowizz]

thank you

[ffaf 07]

If I'm not mistaken it was a big Hitchcock technique.

[piano_jochen]

Seems like you are looking for the so called "Vertigo effect" (named after Hitchcock's Vertigo, where it was used first). It's basically a perspectivic distortion. While zoom just enlarges part of the scene, a dolly towards the object will provide perspective information. The vertigo effect is a dolly move towards an object while zooming away from it. So the size of the object on screen stays nearly the same, but the whole environment seems to drift away.
Sorry for my bad english... :hv20-smilie29:

[Numbox]

Yep, i believe that's it. Camera is moving to or from the object, and zoom goes the opposite way.

[MicheleW]

Hi - Here's a link that gives some info about what you are talking about. The effect starts at 03:18.

http://www.izzyvideo.com/?s=dolly

[Erik Bien]

I've also heard that shot referred to as a "zolly" (zoom+dolly). Nowadays there are motion-control rigs which can tell where the dolly is and adjust the lens accordingly, making it much easier to achieve, but one good example of doing it the old-school way is in Jaws, the close-up of Roy Schieder sitting on the beach as the cry goes up, "Shark!"

The focus puller and dolly grip just about have to be able to read each other's minds to nail it, so don't be surprised if need quite a few takes.

[icarusi]

Seems like you are looking for the so called "Vertigo effect" (named after Hitchcock's Vertigo, where it was used first). It's basically a perspectivic distortion. While zoom just enlarges part of the scene, a dolly towards the object will provide perspective information. The vertigo effect is a dolly move towards an object while zooming away from it. So the size of the object on screen stays nearly the same, but the whole environment seems to drift away.
Sorry for my bad english... :hv20-smilie29:

There's a shot in 'Jaws' which is probably the most widely shown clip of this trick.

[darosk]

I was working on a student film crew and we managed to pull off some excellent dolly zooms on a (character) CIA/FBI official tripping on LSD. It looked amazing but felt out of place in the piece we were doing (which was film-noir-esque-ish) so we ended up not using it.

It was amazing though.

[dr jones]

yup. hitchcock invented this technique in his movie Vertigo.

[rakunus]

Hi - Here's a link that gives some info about what you are talking about. The effect starts at 03:18.

http://www.izzyvideo.com/?s=dolly

You wish! Izzy Video is not free any more. Does anyone know any similar podcast with such good explanations and tips and everything?

Oh, some Izzy Videos are still in Metacafe Production School.
(http://studio.metacafe.com/production_school/#/watch/641411/continuity_and_screen_direction)

[tcindie]

Does anyone know any similar podcast with such good explanations and tips and everything?


Not really a pod cast, but the digital juice TV shows are good. There's a variety of topics covered in several different "shows" I do miss the series (Production Notes) that Perry Jenkins used to do, and heard it was coming back but haven't seen anything yet...

Anyway, check it out here: http://www.digitaljuice.com/djtv/default.asp

[Flyingsheep]

yup. hitchcock invented this technique in his movie Vertigo.

Really? I didn't even know it was a technique and I figured it out.

[dr jones]

Really? I didn't even know it was a technique and I figured it out.

yea, it's a technique.

[maz1989]

trombone shot

[sonofthesea]

I think what you mean is the 'dolly zoom effect'

watch this (http://www.metacafe.com/watch/641498/dollying/?logout=1)
skip to around 2:30 in the video.

this link took me to a spam/virus page?

[whtnova]

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/641498/dollying/?logout=1

this should be the site it takes you to. maybe you have a hi jacking program...

[deanodirector]

Isn't the formal name for this technique "Contrazoom"?

[kaidomac]

I don't have a video to back me up here, but how do you do the zoom effect they do in scary movies? When the camera zooms in but the rest of the scene looks like it's coming towards you, getting wider - and is it possible to do with the HV20? (ex. in scary movies when they are zooming in on a hallway)

[tgiffilms]

zoom in and dolly out @ the same time. It's hard to do and will take a good amount of practice. There was a tutorial on youtube that went over dollying and one of the shots they explained was this effect. I think it was made famous by Hitchcock.

[Lunchbox]

It's here.

http://www.hv20.com/showthread.php?t=2515

[kaidomac]

Yup that's the effect, thanks! That video was extremely helpful...I'll have to start practicing :D

[Lunchbox]

Great! Good that I remember seeing that post earlier. That's a cool effect I always wonder how to achieve.

I will merge these two threads.

[kaidomac]

Great! Good that I remember seeing that post earlier. That's a cool effect I always wonder how to achieve.

I will merge these two threads.

rofl...I was reading through the thread and I was like MAN, I could have SWORN I replied to this post earlier...from 4 posts to 23...haha

Anyway, this is exactly what I was looking for. I like "zolly", although "trombone" could also work :hv20-smilie84:

[zombiejoel]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y48R6-iIYHs

Clips from a few movies using the technique.

[StuOS]

I set the HV20 to a preset zoom speed. I don't think it matters which one. It just depends on the effect you want and the speed of that effect. The "Jaws" effect, for instance, would probably use the fastest preset. I then used the grid lines on the display to help me determine when the image of the person was the same size.

I had a friend act as dolly grip, and used a pushcart on a smooth concrete floor as the dolly (Note: I had to lock in the wheels on this one, because it had a tendency to swivel.)

I set my tripod on those foam rubber pillows they use in the vibration damping matresses to reduce camera shake.

Backing away from the subject, I determined the speed at which the dolly had to move in order to keep the subject the same size. We timed the speed with a stopwatch, and marked the floor at various time points (all equal intervals) as a guide for the grip. We then taped the stop watch to the cart so the grip could reference this as he moved backward.

Then, we did it. It took us three tries, but we got it right on the third one.

Hope this helps.

[whtnova]

Can we see the footage? Sounds like you managed to dial it in...

[mattias]

as long as both are smooth and continuous you can always do a little bit of digital zooming in and out in post to compensate for any slight errors. works fine. just keyframe the scale or zoom parameter every half second or so and scale so that the subject is exactly the same size.

/matt

[StuOS]

A correction on my post, above (if you can edit on this board, I haven't figured it out). I meant to say, "backing away from the subject, I determined the speed at which the dolly had to move out."

I assume it would work with a dolly in, as well, but I haven't done that.

[RicanJoe]

Its quite simple, Move back as you zoom in, or vise versa. You just have to know how to do it evenly and with a lever instead of a zoom ring (which is easier) Cheers.

[mattias]

yes, the effect is drastically different though. i mean it's obviously reversed but it also looks like a completely different effect. you should try both.

/matt

[Stephen]

I love this effect! I remember the shot in the first movie of Lord of the Rings trilogy there is a great use of this effect. It's when the riders are coming down the path and the hobbits are hiding on the side of the hill...

Anywho... you can get practice in on these shots by shooting yourself in the mirror with your camera (a little cheesy, I know, but its works). Stand back facing the mirror and then slowly walk forward while zooming out (or vice-versa). This works best when you set the zoom to a specific speed. Try to keep your body and the camera focused in the center of the mirror so that it stays the same size while zooming and moving. This really helped me get a feel for this effect to be able to duplicate it in a real-world situation.

[previdman]

FWIW, I've only known it by the "Vertigo" effect, presumably after the Hitchcock movie of the same name wherein it was used most effectively.

[Ian-T]

Yeah me too. I have yet to try it though. I would love to see some HV20 examples...

[Dirtwad]

Wiki has some great info on this Zoom effect

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_zoom