Dolly Zoom (Track in - Zoom out)

The Dolly Zoom creates a surreal 'in camera' effect that distorts the background perspective while keeping the foreground largely unaffected. It's surreal quality often give rise to a tension between the foreground characters and the world they inhabit.


THE EFFECT 
During this shot the subject in the foreground remains the same size within the frame while the background begins to open out and recede. Seeing a perspective shift without a size change is highly startling and surreal. This technique can create several emotional effects depending on the context of the scene (and the speed with which it is executed). Here are a few examples:


SLOW EXECUTION:

Attentive:      As the background diminishes, the character in the foreground remains focused on something. 
                      It is as though everything else drifts from his attention as he listens intently 
Isolated:        As the background pulls away, the character in the foreground begins to look more 
                      isolated from his/her environment. In one single motion they appear more alone in the world
Bold:             As the background converges with the horizon, the character in the foreground seems to be 
                     magnified, as though they are gaining in strength and confidence
                      * Tip: Jib down while executing this shot to make the foreground character look more dominant
.

FAST EXECUTION: 
Surprised:    The sudden collapsing of the background punctuates the foreground character. It      
                    is as though their whole world has fallen away in a single moment of shock and awe.
Vertigo:        As the background drops away, it literally creates a sense of falling-away-from-oneself, 
                    revealing the characters nausea and disorientation
Fear:            The falling away of the background mimics the falling away of courage as the character 
                    witnesses a horrifying event. It singles them out making them appear exposed and vulnerable


EXAMPLE

In the film The Black Monk (1988), Andrey (a Russian scholar) is walking in a garden to settle his nerves. However, he begins to sense a strange presence haunting the grounds which only serves to further affect his already disturbed mind. 

The visual distortion is unnatural to the human eye and helps to provoke an unnerving effect. As Andrey becomes disconnected from his surroundings, he also draws further into his psychosis and isolation. 

EXECUTION 

In this example I use a 30 ft track, but it can be anywhere from 15 to 80 ft depending on the size of the zoom lens and how fast you wish to track.

Other Examples

In Hitchcock's Vertigo, John Ferguson (James Stewart) is chasing Judy (Kim Novak) up a bell tower to force a confession out of her. However, the higher he climbs the stairwell, the more giddy he feels from his vertigo. The effect in this sequence creates a sense of disorientation and dizziness.

In The Wire (series two), Sobotka talks to his nephew about a family crisis. As they argue the high rise buildings slowly recede into the distance. Sobotka's family is lost, and they have nowhere to turn to for escape. This shot highlights how isolated they both are.

In Jaws the dolly zoom captures the sense of shock and horror that Chief Brody experiences when he sees a shark attack. As the background sweeps away from him, it is as though his concentration shoots forward with a sickening realisation.