How to Make Your Production Look a Lot Slicker for £40 More

Tight Budgets

Tight budgets are common these days. But the demand for high production values hasn't fallen with a drop in funds. So how do you achieve a slick looking series of shots without breaking the bank? Hire a portable dolly or a portable jib for only £40 a day.

Portable Dollies

One way to make your production look like Martin Scorsese was on location is to hire Martin Scorsese. But if you had that kind of money you wouldn't be reading this. Instead, consider using a portable dolly with track. They don't take up much more space than a tripod, they weigh less than ten kilos and the cameraman can easily use one without assistance.

The most common models are the Digidolly, the Wally Dolly and the Hollywood Microdolly. The first two are made in Australia and the third is made, as the name implies, in the U.S. Different cameramen have their preferences and you can call us to discuss the merits of each. The Digidolly is becoming the most popular. Below are a few details on all three models.

Digidolly

Australian-made lightweight portable track and dolly system that can be set up on location within minutes. The dolly takes a tripod and it also has a low-level Hi-hat mount. The Digidolly comes with 3.6 metres of aluminium track and its construction allows for smooth movement.

Hollywood Microdolly

The US-made Microdolly kit weighs only 4.5 kg and fits into a soft case only 86 cm long. The dolly takes a tripod and comes with four metres of track. The kit can be set up within minutes and can handle up to 45 kg of camera gear.

Wally Dolly

Australian-made lightweight (8 kg) track and dolly kit. The dolly takes a tripod and comes with three metres of aluminium track. The kit can be set up within minutes.

Dolly Shots

So you've got the dolly, what'll it do for you? Use it for presenter links to add nice, smooth movement that takes it several notches above a handheld shot. Use it for interviews to give your interview a different, more interesting look. Use it for exteriors and interiors of buildings and homes. Use it to shoot performances. The list goes on and if used well the impact can be strong and you will have raised the production value of your shoot dramatically for an extra 40 quid and for only a little more time.

Portable Jibs

Like portable dollies, portable jibs can be used by a cameraman without an assistant. They need weights so taking them on a job abroad and incurring hefty excess baggage costs makes them impractical for that purpose but if you're using a standard crew van they're easily managed. We carry two models. If you've used them a few times, you can set them up within five minutes.

Eazy Jib

The Eazy-Jib can be mounted on a standard tripod with a 100mm bowl and enables a cameraman to do interesting camera movements almost anywhere. The Eazy-Jib has an adjustable arm length that can be set between 720 and 1600 mm (2 feet 4 inches and 5 feet 2 inches). It weighs 14 kg (31 lb) and can handle a payload of 18 kg (40 lb).

Quadra Jib

A portable jib arm that can be mounted onto a tripod with a 100mm bowl. The Quadrajib 2654 weighs 14 kg and can handle a payload of 19 kg.

Jib Shots

How can you use a portable jib? Again, you can make presenter links look far better than they will off the shoulder or from a fixed tripod. You can use them to bring any otherwise static subject to life. For shots around a garden, property exteriors and interiors, the list can go on. The result is the same as with portable dollies. The 40 pounds you spend will add many times that in production value.

Last Week's Lyrics

You may remember last month's lyrics question: who wrote "even the president of the United States sometimes must have to stand naked." That was easy but hardly anyone got the answer right. It was Bob Dylan. This week's is a little tougher. But the writer had profound impact on the music business. "I've never seen a night so long, as time goes crawling by."

If you have any questions or comments please send them to cal@procamtv.com. Until next month, happy shooting.

Cal Barton - Procam Television

Procam Television
Units 3 & 4
Linford Street Business Estate
Linford Street
London
SW8 4UN

Tel: (+44) 20 7622 9888
Fax: (+44) 20 7498 1580

Email: cal@procamtv.com
Web: www.procamtv.com

---

Four Unique Ways for the Pet Portrait Artist to Stand Out

The warm feelings are flowing all around when the pet... Read More

The Mysterious Powerful Element of a Picture That Sells

A photo buyer calls for a picture of pigs. It... Read More

How Many Megapixels Do We Need?

Are you having megapixel envy each time you walk by... Read More

The Beginner Buyers Guide To Digital Cameras, Or The Ins And Outs Of Megapixels

The most important part of buying a digital camera is... Read More

The Alligator Farm - Home to Beautiful Winged Creatures

Your first thought when you read "Alligator Farm" might be... Read More

Imperfect Photos And How You Can Fix Them

So your picture came out less then perfect. Blemishes or... Read More

How to Easily Start Up Your Own New Photography Business From Home

With modern technology in the form of SLR digital cameras,... Read More

Online Photo Sharing: Not Just for Family and Vacation Photos

You may have joined the photo-sharing craze to share your... Read More

Digital RAW Workflow for Beginners

Having an efficient work flow is essential for photographers. In... Read More

Black & White Photography

Photography is a diversified field of creating a spectral variety... Read More

How To Become A Digital Photography Pro

Being a professional digital photographer is a dream many people... Read More

Kodak CX7300 Digital Camera

Quality digital cameras are becoming affordable for just about everyone... Read More

Using Film Speed Effectively (Black & White Film Thoughts)

It's hard to find sometimes but it's making a resurgence,... Read More

Types of Digital Cameras

If you are in the market to purchase a digital... Read More

Canon Digital Camera - from Humble Beginnings to World Class Company

Started in a single-room by three Japanese men in the... Read More

How to Buy Wholesale Disposable Cameras

Wholesale disposable cameras are disposable cameras bought in quantity. Bulk... Read More

Canadas Digital Cameras, Digital Camcorders and Cheap Memory Cards Canada

Digital SLR Camera or Digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera is... Read More

Proper Handling and Storage of Paper Photos

Youv'e taken that perfect photo in the perfect light at... Read More

Underwater Digital Cameras

Underwater photography's is primarily focused towards entertaining and informing the... Read More

The Photography Portfolio: Building Your Reputation

If you have hopes of becoming a professional photographer, or... Read More

Digital Camera Disc Formats

As it is a fact that digital cameras are comprised... Read More

Creating Printable Photo Greeting Cards

STAY CONNECTED WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.Making your own digital photo... Read More

Tips for Better Vacation Photos

Photos are a great way to share your travel experiences... Read More

Getting the Most From Your Digital Camera Memory Card

Imagine taking your new digital camera on a vacation and... Read More

Exposure Compensation

The digital camera is in reality a great possession with... Read More

Stock Your Kit with Digital Camera Accessories

There are a large number of digital camera accessories available... Read More

Nude Art Photography

Nude photography is the genre of art photography, whose subject... Read More

Photography: The Basics

Photography comes from the Greek words meaning "light writing" and... Read More

History of the Camera

Early cameras of the 16th and 17th century were able... Read More

African Safari Photography Best Five Destinations

Good wildlife safari photography is not only about composition and... Read More

The Benefits of Underwater Digital Cameras

Underwater digital cameras are fun and easy to use under... Read More

Underwater Photography: The Wonders Under the Sea

The world of photography is an amazing one. It's been... Read More

Digital Cameras vs. Film Cameras- the debate goes on

One of the biggest debates in the photography world is... Read More