Push & Expand

The push and expand maneuver uses a combination of tracking and staging to create a dramatic exit. 

THE EFFECT

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The audience follow the actor as he walks off - but he pulls away at a greater speed. It is as though they are unwilling for us to keep up. This distancing of actor and audience creates a sense of isolation and abandonment.

EXECUTION
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The dolly has been set up on a short track directly behind them (in this case 20ft). Two actors are positioned at the front of the track. On action they begin to walk down the beach toward the desolate seascape. 
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As the actors move forward, the dolly pushes off slowly, allowing the artists to walk faster than you are tracking. By the end of the shot they should be a considerable distance away from the camera (in this case the dolly moved 20ft, the artists 40ft, meaning they made a 20ft gain). 

As you can see in the shot above, the camera has moved forward to tighten up against the images in the     mid-ground - but the actors have moved a considerable distance away. It is as though they are becoming more isolated and alone in this desolate landscape. 

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It is a useful shot to use when the drama of a scene focuses on the actors becoming withdrawn and alienated. What makes this shot so effective is its mimetic quality. As the audience try to remain with the actor they themselves are forsaken, emulating feelings of isolation and rejection.