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How To Use A Doorway DollyA doorway dolly is an essential piece of equipment in a filmmaker's toolkit, offering a versatile and cost-effective way to achieve smooth, professional camera movements. As its name suggests, this dolly is compact enough to fit through a standard doorway, making it invaluable for shooting in tight, indoor spaces where larger cinema dollies can't go. Unlike more complex dollies with built-in seats and hydraulic arms, a doorway dolly is a simple, flat platform on wheels, often with a push or pull handle. Its primary function is to create dolly shots (moving the camera toward or away from a subject) and tracking shots (moving alongside a subject).
Proper Use and Techniques
To get the most out of a doorway dolly, it's crucial to understand its proper use. While it can be used on any smooth surface, filmmakers often use it with dolly tracks to ensure a perfectly straight or consistently curved movement.
Setting up the shot: Before you even get on the dolly, you need to plan your shot. Storyboarding is a critical first step. You should determine the start and end points of the move, the speed, and the specific action you want to capture. Since the doorway dolly's primary strength is its compact size, it's perfect for intimate scenes, following a character down a hallway, or revealing a new space as the camera glides through a room.
On and off the track: Doorway dollies typically come with two sets of wheels: pneumatic tires for standard floor use and track wheels for use on dolly tracks. For the smoothest possible shot, especially on uneven surfaces or for a long, straight move, laying down track is the best option. The track ensures the camera's path is precise and repeatable. However, the pneumatic wheels are great for quick, on-the-fly shots on smooth floors like concrete or tile.
Push or pull: The dolly is operated by a "dolly grip," a specialized technician who pushes or pulls it. The dolly grip must move the dolly with a consistent, controlled force to avoid jerks or shaky footage. This takes practice and requires good communication with the camera operator and director. The dolly's push bar is often designed to be attached to either end, giving the grip flexibility to push or pull as needed.
Combining movements: While the dolly provides horizontal movement, the camera operator can combine this with other movements, such as panning, tilting, or even a subtle "dolly zoom" (the famous vertigo effect). A dolly zoom is a tricky but powerful technique where you dolly in while simultaneously zooming out, creating a disorienting effect where the background seems to stretch and distort while the subject's size remains constant.
Safety and Best Practices
Like all filmmaking equipment, a doorway dolly requires a focus on safety and best practices.
Inspection: Always inspect the dolly and its components before use. Check for loose parts, make sure the wheels are properly inflated (if pneumatic), and ensure the platform is stable.
Weight capacity: Be aware of the dolly's weight capacity. Doorway dollies can typically support up to several hundred pounds, but you must ensure that the combined weight of the camera, operator, and any additional equipment does not exceed this limit.
Clear the path: The path of the dolly must be completely clear of any obstacles, cables, or debris that could derail the dolly or cause a sudden stop, which could damage equipment and injure the crew.
Communication: A dolly move is a team effort. The dolly grip, camera operator, and director must communicate clearly to ensure the shot is executed safely and correctly. Callouts like "rolling," "moving," and "stopping" are essential to prevent accidents.
The doorway dolly, despite its simple design, is a highly versatile and professional tool. When used correctly, it can elevate a production by adding dynamic, gliding shots that would otherwise be impossible without a massive budget. Its ability to navigate small spaces and deliver smooth, controlled movements makes it a staple on sets from independent films to major studio productions.
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