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Okay, I'll admit it. I'm a sucker for long tracking shots. Sure, they may be self-indulgent on the part of a director, but few things amaze and dazzle me as much as a 2, 3, 4, 5 minute take with actors weaving in and out while the camera moves similarly, seamless action and dialogue, and no edits. Zip. Zilch. Nada. The director, cinematographer, camera operator, focus puller, and just about every rigger and gaffer around need to work together as a team more than in any other type of shot.
Hitchcock (my fave), Scorcese, Altman, Anderson, Van Sant...all masters of the art. It's rare that I link to another blog's post, but Daily Film Dose has compiled a list of the best tracking shots, with clips, to boot.
"In a director's cinematic bag of tricks the long tracking shot is the boldest way of making a statement. It's the flashiest and most attention-grabbing egotistical way of flexing one's muscle. In most cases it's a narcissistic maneuver, "look-at-me" filming technique, but rare ones, the best ones, serve to reflect and further the story in a way that can't be reflected with traditional editing."
It makes for some great reading, and watching.
Posted by phileysmiley at May 21, 2007 08:07 PM
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