Great video showing the steps necessary to set the track properly. Rushing the grip dept to "hurry up" is a sign of inexperience. Nothing strikes fear in the heart of a crew like a novice director or DP who doesn't understand why you cant just "lay the track out and go!". Those are also the kind of folks who wonder why they cant frame out the opposite side of the track .
If you put a vertical pole in the middle and use that as your reference it may save a lot of time. Have graduations/measurements on the pole. Mount the dolly on the track. Put a camera on the dolly with it pointed at the central pole and zoomed right in. If the camera is in a floating mount then as the dolly goes around it will show the tracks up and down variation by the measurement marks on the image of the pole going up or down. If the camera is on a fixed mount on the dolly then the camera will show the relative levels of the two rails to each other by the measurement marks on the image of the pole going up or down. Once the dolly can do a full circuit and the image of the pole not move vertically then you know you have the whole thing level. After all, doing a full circuit and not having the image move up or down is what you want to achieve so using that as the testing/setup method should give confidence that the shot will be as stable as it was in testing.
Very cool! I was always curious how these shots were achieved in film.. Is the same concept used indoors? I imagine if it's a short movement they use smaller tracks? And I'm sure if the budget is big enough and it's filmed on a sound stage, they're able to move walls to accommodate the tracks?
Tyler I keep the middle of my grip truck open with carts on both sides strapped to the walls with E-Track. For transporting this I just piled the track in the middle on their sides and leaned it against my carts. The dolly goes in last as I keep the back 5 feet of my truck open for pelican cases and other last minute stuff. But you are right. I don't know HOW I would keep this on my truck if I owned it. I have two ten foot lengths of straight track on my truck and that is easily hung on the walls above my carts. But this is a rental. I'd have to store it in a warehouse if I owned it.
We use both. Blocks are often used for larger gaps and then a wedge added. And rather than wood wedges I really like the plastic shims you get at HD or Lowes as they last longer and don't splinter like wooden ones.
This seems like an INSANE amount of time, cost, and labour for a relatively rudimentary looking shot at the end of it. Why not use some kind of DJI self stability camera and wander around the subject?
@@matt_freund Thanks. 3:22 if anyone else had the same question. I suppose it would be good to see a 'before and after' of doing with/without a dolly. I'm not totally convinced.
@@cquinnable yeah, that would be good. You can see the difference between dolly and stabilazier in my oppinion. Most of the times it's just small movements but the beauty of a really stable dolly shot can't or almost can't be matched with stabilizer because they correct all movements in x y and z axis so the center of you're frame wount be exactly at the same position all the time. Some of the more expensive and newer system like the arri trinity come close, if the operator is really good. But cost wise its like a really big difference. There is room for both though and both is pretty nice to have. Just keep in mind that all the equipment is just as good as the operators are.
I'm shown using a level that is four feet long that spans the tracks. I understand what you meant about the straight edge to use the shorter more comom levels.
Great video showing the steps necessary to set the track properly. Rushing the grip dept to "hurry up" is a sign of inexperience.
Nothing strikes fear in the heart of a crew like a novice director or DP who doesn't understand why you cant just "lay the track out and go!".
Those are also the kind of folks who wonder why they cant frame out the opposite side of the track .
If you put a vertical pole in the middle and use that as your reference it may save a lot of time. Have graduations/measurements on the pole. Mount the dolly on the track. Put a camera on the dolly with it pointed at the central pole and zoomed right in. If the camera is in a floating mount then as the dolly goes around it will show the tracks up and down variation by the measurement marks on the image of the pole going up or down. If the camera is on a fixed mount on the dolly then the camera will show the relative levels of the two rails to each other by the measurement marks on the image of the pole going up or down. Once the dolly can do a full circuit and the image of the pole not move vertically then you know you have the whole thing level. After all, doing a full circuit and not having the image move up or down is what you want to achieve so using that as the testing/setup method should give confidence that the shot will be as stable as it was in testing.
An example of how the footage looks would be awesome!
Very cool! I was always curious how these shots were achieved in film.. Is the same concept used indoors? I imagine if it's a short movement they use smaller tracks? And I'm sure if the budget is big enough and it's filmed on a sound stage, they're able to move walls to accommodate the tracks?
Perhaps starting with pancakes instead of quarters will be more helpful or already built in halves on platforms
Thank you
It would be incredible if you showed how you store and transport the dolly and track! I can’t find a solid solution anywhere. This was very helpful!
Tyler I keep the middle of my grip truck open with carts on both sides strapped to the walls with E-Track. For transporting this I just piled the track in the middle on their sides and leaned it against my carts. The dolly goes in last as I keep the back 5 feet of my truck open for pelican cases and other last minute stuff. But you are right. I don't know HOW I would keep this on my truck if I owned it. I have two ten foot lengths of straight track on my truck and that is easily hung on the walls above my carts. But this is a rental. I'd have to store it in a warehouse if I owned it.
Thank you for this, very helpful and informative!
You're very welcome!
Awesome, thanks for the video
You are very welcome! Thanks for the comment!
Nice
Thanks
really enjoyed watching that
Glad you did! I enjoy the work and more so when I can share it.
Is it better to use wooden wedges or actual blocks of wood
We use both. Blocks are often used for larger gaps and then a wedge added. And rather than wood wedges I really like the plastic shims you get at HD or Lowes as they last longer and don't splinter like wooden ones.
@@HDProsnet what about just for setting tracks on a street, or grass
please how do I get this? I urgently need it for a videography project.
This equipment is common at motion picture rental houses. I rented this from PC&E in Atlanta. There are rental houses in most major cities.
Wow...
Rad ketena ,,
Steel track-!!!!!
How to buy this?
You can buy from B&H Photo, or Filmtools, or even direct from Matthews. I rented it from PC&E in Atlanta.
OLA I HAVE A HIGH CURIOSITY TO KNOW HOW TO TUBA A CAR DOWN AND ABOVE TO PLACE A RED CAMERA, OR BE A CAR CAMERA WITH ALUMINUM CANTER STRUCTURES.
I am sistant in punjab
This seems like an INSANE amount of time, cost, and labour for a relatively rudimentary looking shot at the end of it. Why not use some kind of DJI self stability camera and wander around the subject?
he literally explains it in the video
@@matt_freund Thanks. 3:22 if anyone else had the same question. I suppose it would be good to see a 'before and after' of doing with/without a dolly. I'm not totally convinced.
@@cquinnable yeah, that would be good. You can see the difference between dolly and stabilazier in my oppinion. Most of the times it's just small movements but the beauty of a really stable dolly shot can't or almost can't be matched with stabilizer because they correct all movements in x y and z axis so the center of you're frame wount be exactly at the same position all the time. Some of the more expensive and newer system like the arri trinity come close, if the operator is really good. But cost wise its like a really big difference. There is room for both though and both is pretty nice to have. Just keep in mind that all the equipment is just as good as the operators are.
well... so you're doing the commercial with an arri alexa + anamorphic lenses... will you be able to hold in on the gimbal?
Ronin 2
long straight edge and a level set on that will halve your time
I'm shown using a level that is four feet long that spans the tracks. I understand what you meant about the straight edge to use the shorter more comom levels.
You guys need a systematic approach to leveling this up, it shouldn't take long to do.
Nice