Videocraft: Dollys and Trucks and Pans, Oh My!

Directors have used dolly shots in motion pictures and television for decades, but very few videographers have discovered the benefits of adding a set of wheels to their video arsenal. Next time you watch TV, watch a little more closely. You'll begin to notice that the camera often moves as the talent speaks. This may be a subtle movement that you barely notice as Tom Brokaw introduces the big story on NBC Nightly News, or it may be a bold movement as the camera glides straight toward James Brown on The World's Funniest. The truth is that, in reality, you'd be hard pressed to find a camera in any broadcast television studio that is not mounted on a set of wheels. In studio production, dollys are essential equipment.

Those smooth, rolling shots add a subtle feel of quality to a video. They subliminally say to the viewer, "this looks like TV." So why haven't small format video producers jumped on the dolly bandwagon? Got me. Building your own is easier than you might think.

Wood, Wheels and Whirring Tools
Start by adjusting your tripod to a height about five inches lower than you would typically like it for comfortable shooting. This way, your camera will sit at the height you like when it is perched atop the four- to six-inch-high dolly. Lay a piece of sturdy plywood or particle board (at least 1/2 an inch thick) on the floor and place your tripo…