Filming a Dolly Shot for a Scene of the Television Series, “Mad About You”
by Jack Anderson
Laying Track Is a Skill
Laying track is a skill, and I recommend that you find a professional grip and have him show you. If that’s not possible, the idea is to have the track all at one level, left to right and front to back. Before you’ve got it leveled, make sure it runs in a straight line from front to back. Otherwise, it’s just embarrassing. You can level it by putting wedges under the joints in the track and adjusting them until a long (at least 3 foot) level shows the bubble centered. You’ll probably have to use some kind of cribbing—any sturdy lumber—in some place to account for really low levels. Remember, the track has to be as high as the highest point of the ground, so it’s likely that you’ll need cribbing. Apple boxes are most often used. Anything sturdy and non-slipping will work. Sometimes grips put a 1’x1’ piece of plywood under the joints above the wedges. This give a little more support area, and it’s a nice safe technique. The wedges have to be placed in line with the track so they don’t stick out and you can avoid their being kicked. It’s best to use two wedges, points facing each other so the track is resting on as flat a surface as possible.
A Shot on Mad About You
I was an operator on the TV show Mad About You for seven years. So I had a lot of chances to do dolly shots on our backlot New York street: Paul (Paul Reiser) and Jamie (Helen Hunt) walking along the sidewalk, talking about life and running into friends and oddballs. This day we had a shot running the whole length of the street.
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