Perspective zoom effect?

[ClayOgre]

I have some ideas about how this is done, but I am not sure.

What I am talking about is the effect where the perspective of the background changes, but the subject in the foreground stays the same.

An example of this would be in the first Lord of the Rings movie. Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pppin have just fallen down the bluff, after being chased by the irate farmer and are on the road. Frodo is standing in the road and the other three have discovered a patch of mushrooms.

Frodo senses something (a Ringwraith) is coming and we see this effect.

The only way I can think of to do it would be pretty complicated, involving both moving the camera and zooming at the same time. The camera move would be to keep the subject the same size, while the zoom would alter the perspetive of the scene around the subject.

Is there a simpler way?

I suppose it could be done with compositing, but I wonder if it would look right.

[amc760]

I think your talking about a zolly effect?


you pretty much described exactly how to do it.

[ClayOgre]

Thanks...that gave me a bit more information. Seems like it would be quite tricky to keep the subject the same size while zooming and dollying at the same time. I assume that today's autofocus camera's can handle the focus situation.

[elscottomagnifico]

Yeah, that is the way to do it. With video cameras, the focus will most likely fall out somewhere if you aren't careful and the zoom rate will take a while to match up with the speed you are moving the camera at. If you practice the move enough and shoot the scene a number of times it should come out nice.

If you wanted to avoid practical on set effects or the camera just doesn't want to cooperate, you could always try to imitate the effect by shooting your background and zooming/dollying forward on location, while shooting your actor in front of a green screen. There would be alot of work both during the green screen shoot and after. You would have to make sure to match your lighting on the actor as much as possible and then color match the actor and background.

[Amiah]

I believe it has to do something with moving the camera, changing the zoom, and also the aperture. Don't know for sure though, never tried it myself.

[elscottomagnifico]

I believe it has to do something with moving the camera, changing the zoom, and also the aperture. Don't know for sure though, never tried it myself.

It is typically done by starting with the camera at a distance. The lens is zoomed in on the actor so that the shot is framed how you want it. You then move the camera in toward the actor while zooming out. If you keep your speed of movement and zoom right, the actor will stay the same size, but the background will change drastically. The aperture doesn't have much to do with it (though zooming lenses often have a more closed aperture at full zoom, while at full wide, the aperture will be more open - but this doesn't change the effect).

[rrh]

We used to call it the Hitchcock Zoom.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_zoom

[Spleg]

The only way I can think of to do it would be pretty complicated, involving both moving the camera and zooming at the same time. The camera move would be to keep the subject the same size, while the zoom would alter the perspetive of the scene around the subject.

Is there a simpler way?
Nope, that's how it's done! Also known as 'dolly zoom', 'contra zoom' or by thousands of other names. I suppose you could pull it off with greenscreen, but the traditional dolly-back-and-zoom-in looks way better. And to be honest, it's not really that hard - it just needs a bit of practice.

[Wraith 5]

Nope, that's how it's done! Also known as 'dolly zoom', 'contra zoom'
'Trombone shot' is another common one.

[amc760]

I also like Spike Lee's trademark of having people standing on a dolly in a tracking shot to make it look like theyre floating in mid air.

[jawahunter]

Is there a simpler way?


Why yes there is. To get a similar effect (though on a smaller scale. More like the zolly in Three Kings) instead of dollying in/out you can focus in/out (note: manual lenses only). This will get you a much smaller effect but will still achieve the same idea.

[bridboyross]

watch the shot composition episode of weekend extra that was aired a while back

[texabyte]

most cameras have the abilety to have a fixed zoom speed
that plus a lot of practice wil make a great shot

[bridboyross]

most cameras have the abilety to have a fixed zoom speed
that plus a lot of practice wil make a great shot

to get the effect that you see in films it is useful to have a zoom ring, you can get a slower, steadier zoom. Using a hand held camera with the normal zoom switch does not create a particularly good effect. If attempting to use this in a relatively large scale production always use a zoom ring and a dolly, doing this right can look quite professional, doing it wrong can look very amateurish.

[texabyte]

to get the effect that you see in films it is useful to have a zoom ring, you can get a slower, steadier zoom. Using a hand held camera with the normal zoom switch does not create a particularly good effect. If attempting to use this in a relatively large scale production always use a zoom ring and a dolly, doing this right can look quite professional, doing it wrong can look very amateurish.

some cameras dont have a zoom ring but thanks for the feedback