A question about certain tracking shots (hiding the tracks)

[Patrick Cooper]

Firstly, I have to say that I really like tracking shots. There are many great examples of tracking shots in Stanley Kubrick's movies that I  admire. Though Ive often been curious how certain tracking shots are pulled off (particularly where tracks or sliders are used.) I'm referring specifically to the tracking shots where the camera is moving in the direction that the lens is pointing to. How do they accomplish this without the tracks or slider being visible in the shot? Obviously, using a wide angle lens here is out of the question. I guess one way of doing this is having the camera tilted upwards as it's moving so that the tracks are below the field of view of the lens. 

Though things get tricky when you want to move the camera forward or back without any kind of tilt / upward angle. In the opening shot of A Clockwork Orange, there is a closeup of Alex's face. Then the camera slowly tracks back to reveal the other members of the gang and the decor of the milk bar. It looks like a standard lens was used here. And no tracks are visible at the end of the shot. I actually wonder if tracks were used here at all. Obviously, tracks could not have been used when following Danny on his tricycle as he was riding around the corridors of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. I believe a wheelchair may have been used here as a dolly (according to one source I read.) A tripod dolly could be another option (where you have smooth and level ground.) Though what if you're filming in natural terrain outdoors? Is it indeed possible to get such tracking shots with tracks / sliders? Any tricks that can be used to avoid them being visible?

I suppose another way of doing this to have the camera on some kind of long extension (that extends significantly further than the tracks.) So that the camera is placed ahead of the tracks. Though this may compromise stability. 

 

 

 

[Uli Meyer]

In The Shining they used a lot of Steadycam. In the nineties I often worked with camera operator Ray Andrews who was part of that crew. The corridor shots are steadycam. You answered your own question in the last paragraph. You can use a long Jimmyjib on a dolly or even a Supertechno. Using a tripod on a spider is impossible to control properly. Wheelchairs are okay for some shots but you wouldn't be able to do a controlled stop like you can with a proper dolly. 

[Patrick Cooper]

Ah yes I did read about the use of Steadycam on The Shining. I believe that may have been one of the first movies to use Steadycam? I was under the assumption that Steadycam was mainly used for the outdoor maze. Though it makes sense that it was also used in the corridors inside the hotel (when following Danny.) I like hearing the different sounds when the tricycle transitions from carpet to hard floor and back again. If a wheelchair had been used (like what was rumoured) then there would likely be a noticeable bump when rolling from carpet to hard floor. 

[Tyler Purcell]

Rubber wheeled doorway dolly and a steadicam, it works well. 

Jib arm on a track dolly, so the camera can be put out in front of the dolly. 

Jib arm on a track dolly, with the jib swung 90 degrees, so the track is to the side the shot and you're operating from the jib arm. 

[Mark Dunn]

3 hours ago, Patrick Cooper said:

Ah yes I did read about the use of Steadycam on The Shining. I believe that may have been one of the first movies to use Steadycam? I was under the assumption that Steadycam was mainly used for the outdoor maze. Though it makes sense that it was also used in the corridors inside the hotel (when following Danny.) I like hearing the different sounds when the tricycle transitions from carpet to hard floor and back again. If a wheelchair had been used (like what was rumoured) then there would likely be a noticeable bump when rolling from carpet to hard floor. 

Both.

There's a photograph of the Steadicam on a wheelchair here

https://theasc.com/articles/steadicam-shining-revisited

[Uli Meyer]

2 hours ago, Mark Dunn said:

Both.

There's a photograph of the Steadicam on a wheelchair here

https://theasc.com/articles/steadicam-shining-revisited

And there’s a picture of Ray sitting on that wheelchair operating the steadycam. Wonderful, I’ve not seen that before, thank you for the link!

[David Mullen ASC]

If the floor is smooth enough, a dolly with rubber tires can roll directly on it. Look at this single-shot scene from "Superman", operated by Peter Macdonald on an Elemack:

 

[John Salim]

24 minutes ago, David Mullen ASC said:

If the floor is smooth enough, a dolly with rubber tires can roll directly on it. Look at this single-shot scene from "Superman", operated by Peter Macdonald on an Elemack:

 

What an excellent example David !
I wonder how many takes they did.

John S

[John Salim]

4 hours ago, Mark Dunn said:

Both.

There's a photograph of the Steadicam on a wheelchair here

https://theasc.com/articles/steadicam-shining-revisited

Thanks for posting that Mark.
Not seen it before, and makes great reading of the early days of Steadicam's development. 

John S

[Patrick Cooper]

Ah a steadycam used on a wheelchair for The Shining corridor tracking shots. A very effective combination. I was actually thinking...it could have been challenging to get a low viewpoint with Danny and the 'big wheel' with simply using a steadycam on it's own. 

[Patrick Cooper]

David, that is a great example of a tracking shot. And there is certainly a lot going on for an impressively long duration. It makes me appreciate the first Christopher Reeve Superman movie even more. I actually prefer the original Superman movies over the later ones. To me, the earlier films have a sense of magic and wonder that I just don't get with the later ones. I feel that there's a winning combination of elements - the leads (Reeve, Kidder, Hackman, Beatty), the theme song, the cinematography and so on. The later Superman films don't really pull me in. I haven't even checked out the details of the new one yet. 

[Patrick Cooper]

Ah I just saw one of the later photos on the set of The Shining with a camera on a steadycam at a low angle (for the maze sequence.) Yea that's what I was visualising - camera operator bent over with an arched back. Not fun moving around like that for a long duration. 

[Mark Dunn]

4 hours ago, Patrick Cooper said:

Ah I just saw one of the later photos on the set of The Shining with a camera on a steadycam at a low angle (for the maze sequence.) Yea that's what I was visualising - camera operator bent over with an arched back. Not fun moving around like that for a long duration. 

That was just a one-off rig with a counterweight for a low-level CU. Not the usual body- brace Steadicam layout.

That's the bending-over-pushing-grandson-on-balance-bike gig. Murder on the back after about 5 seconds. Better when they get pedals.

Edited October 27 by Mark Dunn