In this video tutorial, we take a look at how you can capture your own stunning tracking shot with everyday items around your house.
One of the most important camera movements in filmmaking is also the most affordable. The tracking shot can be whatever you want to make it. You don’t necessarily need a giant dolly, track, or slider — you can pull off professional, high-quality shots without a lot of gear or money. In this video tutorial, we will go over the basics of a tracking shot, as well as how you can get the shot with minimal resources.
What Is It?
Just like panning and tilting, the tracking shot is all about camera movement. While a pan involves swiveling a camera attached to a tripod, the track involves moving the camera alongside your subject in a lateral motion. This technique has multiple uses. The most notable is attaching the camera to a dolly or slider. You’ll see tracking shots in the work of some of the best working filmmakers, like Wes Anderson, Paul Thomas Anderson, and the Coen Brothers. Tracking can even take the form of long, uninterrupted takes like you see in Birdman or Children of Men — fully immersing the viewer into the director’s world.
Build Your Own
If you’re just starting out and don’t have the resources to buy a big Steadicam or gimbal, don’t fret. Building a dependable, smooth track is cheaper and easier than you might think. All you need is a tripod (to mount the camera), PVC pipe, 8 skateboard wheels, angle brackets, and enough screws to mount the wheels to the board. This solution is perfect for small, slider-type shots for product videos, cooking videos, or just shots that need small degrees of movement. For longer tracks, try a Glidecam. The point of a tracking shot is to take the audience with your characters as you build a world in-camera. For more ways to build your own track or stabilizer, check out our past coverage:
- 10 Cheap DIY Tripod Dolly Options to Try at Home
- DIY Camera Stabilizers and Rigs for Under $25
- Build a $60 Dolly for Lightweight Cameras
Try Other Gear
The single best part of mastering the tracking shot is the freedom it brings. How you capture your actor moving from left to right, or smoothly moving around your subject, doesn’t matter. If the shot looks good, who cares how you did it? In the past, I’ve used wheelchairs, skateboards, and cars. Get creative, and get moving.
Looking for more filmmaking videos? Check these out.
- Back To Basics: Capturing Crane Shots Using a Jib
- Back to Basics: Mastering Wide and Close-up Shots
- Video Tutorial: How to Create a Simple Drag-and-Drop Transition
- Back to Basics: The Pan, Tilt, and Zoom Camera Movements
- Tutorial: How to Capture Epic Shots Using Smoke and Fog