What Exactly is a Zolly?
A zolly, also known as a dolly zoom, is a camera technique that creates a distinctive and sometimes unsettling visual effect. This technique involves the camera physically moving closer or farther from a subject while simultaneously adjusting the zoom lens to keep the subject the same size in the frame. The effect is that the background seems to change size relative to the subject, which can create a feeling of vertigo or disorientation.
How Does a Zolly Work in Film?
To achieve a zolly, a filmmaker needs two key pieces of equipment: a camera on a dolly and a zoom lens. Here’s how it works:
- The camera is mounted on the dolly.
- As the dolly moves towards or away from the subject, the camera operator adjusts the zoom lens in the opposite direction.
- If the dolly moves closer, the lens is zoomed out, and if the dolly moves away, the lens is zoomed in.
This technique keeps the main subject stable in the frame while the background and foreground shift dramatically, creating a surreal effect.
Where Have You Seen the Zolly Used?
You might have seen the zolly effect in famous movies without even realizing it. It has been used effectively in several films to elicit emotional responses from the audience. For instance:
- In Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo,’ this technique was used to convey the protagonist’s fear of heights and disorientation.
- Steven Spielberg used a zolly in “Jaws” to emphasize the main character’s realization of the danger at the beach.
This technique is quite popular in psychological thrillers and dramatic scenes to give viewers an insight into a character’s emotional state.
