How to Do Zoom in Reaction Shot

lhmaloney

lhmaloney

Well-known member
I forgot the technical term and I cant remeber a main stream this effect was in (it was in a lot of them though) however I'll try to describe it. Basically, its like when we get a reaction shot of someone in terror, its normally a medium shot and the camera zooms on the actor, but the background gets pushed back, almost like the scenery behind the actor is moving further behind or away from the actor, I really need to know how this is done and if any one has already done it or liked to try it, leave the scene. Thanks
 
It's called a grinder.

You can also dolly out, zooming in. That way the effect is (of course) reversed. Works great if the character is in distress.
But in both cases: use the effect wisely, you don't want to overdo it.
 
Made famous in Hitchcock's Vertigo...and done to death in 80s pop videos! I've always called it a contra-zoom.
 
It's also in Jaws when Roy(RIP) see the shark eat the kid. The good old dolly zoom, don't over use it because there is a group of people that will crap on your short if you do. There's even a website that has a list of things they hate in student films, and a dolly zoom is like number 3.
 
As with any tool, if you can put it to creative/appropriate use then it won't come across as lame. In A Bittersweet Life, there was a great variation on the dolly zoom; instead of dollying in and out on a static subject, the effect was used on steadicam while it tracks the main character walking. It was quite the standout moment in the film the first time I saw it.
 
I read through that list of bad student film mistakes and while I agree, you have to keep in mind what they are really criticizing is "bad taste" "insincerity", and lack of talent.

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is guilty of several items on that list, yet the film is masterful. Why is that? Because it employs those "cheezy" techniques in a sincere, non-cheezy, brilliant way.

Your film CAN begin with your main character getting out of bed, you can shoot dream sequences and use inner dialog and shoot long, uneventful scenes. This is not the problem.

Certain filmmakers want to emulate David Lynch. Guess what! they fail miserably. David Lynch is a genius. There is a very fine line between what he accomplishes perfectly and trite, pretentious BS.


What we are really talking about is "talent" verses "lack of talent".
 
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