Jibs and Dollies

What’s the one thing that no video ever wants to do? No matter what kind of video production you need in NYC — narrative shorts, corporate video, webcasting services, or documentary film — you cannot afford to bore people! Every video must entice the watcher from the beginning and keep them interested until the end. A video that bores people never gets the chance to convey its message before people turn out…or worse, turn off.

One way you can increase interest in any video is to include movement, and that’s easy to do when you have professional equipment. If your particular type of video doesn’t require Steadicams, dynamic shots can still be obtained with the jibs and dollies. Here’s how they work. 

Jibs

Jibs put the camera at the end of a complex pole, letting the camera move from high to low positions (or vice versa). A jib is often mounted to a heavy-duty tripod, and weight is added at that end in order to offset the camera weight at the end of such a long extension. Sometimes people will call jibs cranes, but a crane usually has a seat for the camera operator.

Thanks to the complexities of modern jibs, different camera angles can be achieved even as the jib moves up and down. Focus can be changed as well, as well as aperture. Cameras can also be panned left to right in order to increase the interest in the shot.

Dollies

Another excellent way of bringing movement — and therefore interest — to a shot is to use a dolly. A dolly shot puts the camera and tripod on wheels (or a track) in order to achieve a smooth movement toward or away from the subject. This movement, called a push or a pull, can help focus attention on a particular person (push) or move away from them in order to show their surroundings (pull). Dollies can also be used to move side-by-side with the subject, following them along a path.

It’s important to remember that you can’t rely on zoom lenses in order to push in or pull out. A zoom will change visual compression between a person and their surroundings, which is often associated with cheaper video productions (though it can be used to great effect in the hands of a master).

Crew 1 TV Has What You Need!

In order to get the best video production in NYC, you need the right equipment. Crew 1 TV is ready to make the most of your time and budget so that you get the best product possible. Contact us today!