Sivaraj Parameswaran

PVC PIPE DOLLY PVC RIG FILM MAKING CINEMATOGRAPHY 2012

By Admin - 12 Oct 2020 701 0

Those days’ (2012) dolly was bit costly to afford for short films and it would require a lot of space and transporting the equipment was expensive.

If the surface was smooth dolly effect could be achieved by placing the camera on a towel, but what if the surface was rough, unlevelled, what if it’s a garden. It was tough. Even then the dolly zoom in - zoom out shot was not achievable with the towel shot.

So I decided to make a dolly and Hand rig out of PVC pipes and plywood.

My dad thought I was crazy because I was buying PVC’s cutting it joining it to form a track. He initially thought I was building a train toy. He teased me for what I was doing but he was very supportive in his ways which I knew later.

So the PVC track was ready but the wheels were the problem no matter how I tried the wheel I used wasn’t smooth and never sat on the track.

Then an idea sparked and I went to a shop who were manufacturers of chair wheels, requested them to make a wheel for the diameter of the PVC pipe. They were very supportive and they helped. In a weeks time the wheel was ready. The wheel ran smooth on the pipe. The experiment was positive.

Then I rematched to it to the double wheel system which was used in the high quality dollies.

For the base, went to the timber shop bought a waste piece plywood which was cheaper, shaped it to the necessary size. Fixed the wheel holders to the plywood. Everything was smooth but the track balancing was an issue.

So I used the thermocol sheets as the balancing tool which was not perfect but it helped in reducing the balancing issues.

Finally, the test was done and the results were satisfactory. The total budget for making this dolly was INR 2500.

I used it in my short film "Jillunu Oru Kalavaram" and "Ahimsa"

I used it in "Checkmate" and "8 The Symbol" short films in which I handled the cinematography.

With this dolly we did Dolly zoom in zoom out effect and other features which any dolly could do.

20 feet was the max track size. It was very much portable.

PVC Rig was an add on supportive tool and it was used in Checkmate short film.

Now things have changed we can get track dolly for rent ₹500 to ₹1000. Those days the dolly rent was ₹10,000 + labor charge + conveyance.

Now that I think of it, film making isn't as hard as it was used to be. It has become an easy cake where anyone could showcase their skills. The technology advancement has ensured it to the next level. Anyone can become a film maker now, all that needed is a heart of doing it.

Sivaraj Parameswaran