This is the finished camera dolly and track that will be used in "Our Story." It was constructed of materials bought entirely at Lowe's Hardware for $44.88. This will allow for smooth panning shots and to keep the movie from feeling too static.
Now before I move onto the construction process, how exactly does this thing work? Basically, mounted on the bottom are four casters. These are like those wheels on office chairs. They grip the sides of the PVC pipe track, which is loosely mounted on wood planks like a railroad, and travel VERY smoothly along it. The results are pretty impressive, it seems...it was unfortunately too dark to record with my camera when construction was finished, so no true test footage is available yet.
Many homemade dollies use skateboard wheels mounted on a similar plywood sheet. Some use a thicker sheet that allows you to stand on it; however, this is rather unnecessary for my purposes. The cost of skateboard wheels tends to get a little high, and they are also hard to find...so after viewing this video on YouTube, I decided to go with casters, as they are much cheaper and easier to find.
On to the construction!
Materials List- 1 4x4 sheet of plywood
- 4 2x4x6 wooden planks
- 4 dual-wheel casters
- 2 10' PVC Pipes, 3/4 inch in diameter
- 4 3/4 inch PVC endcaps
- 24 8x1 flat Phillips screws
- 8 10x3 flat Phillips screws
- A tape measure, yardstick, or something similar
- A powered drill
- A hammer
- A marker.
Note that this is not the exact set of materials I used; I had to improvise later in the design. However in order to replicate it well, these are the materials you SHOULD use. Also, Lowes will cut the wood for free!
I started off by marking the spots for the casters. Each caster is attached to a plate with holes for screws; the centers of these holes are exactly 1 inch apart from each other.
In order to give the platform stability yet also secure the casters, I opted to place them six inches in. I measured 6 inches from both sides, then six inches up, and drew a marker where they intersected. From this marker I measured half an inch out on either side to form a window-like shape as a guide for attaching the caster. It looks something like this:
I did this for all four corners of the plywood where the wheels are attached, then I just flipped the board over and screwed them on with the drill. I found it was much easier after knocking them in a bit with a hammer. The beauty here is that it's possible to undo them with a screwdriver, allowing for easy maintenance when the casters become worn.
One minor problem with this: screws are pointy, so you have to be careful when picking it up. Ouch!
I did a test mount on the track and surprise, it works! It actually runs great on just the pipes, but they do tend to slip a bit. This would also cause problems in grass that may get caught in the caster wheels, so I elevated them on wooden planks, like a railroad track. Screws on the sides hold the pipes when they begin shifting from side to side as you move the dolly down the track. There are four per plank, two on each side for each pipe.
This did not work as well as I had originally intended. While I lined up the tracks exactly with marker (you can still see this on the finished product), getting the screws to be the same everywhere was quite difficult. I also did not give them enough leeway, so the pipe would often get bent snaking in between them instead of being able to comfortably move back and forth. This would cause the casters to derail. I spent around an hour shifting screws around, trying to find a design that would keep this from happening yet still lock the track down pretty tight. Eventually I had to compromise, and the planks are laid out in a such a way that they are not even all the way down the track.
In order to secure the pipe, I used long screws at the end that catch the sides of the PVC endcap. In the middle, smaller screws block the pipe track when it shifts from side to side, stabilizing the shot. Occasionally, there is a slight jerk in the middle of the track; however, this does not happen often, and usually only at higher speeds.
Here is a better look at how those screws secure the pipe. You'll also notice in this picture that the track is bent; usually, as the dolly moves, the track naturally flattens out because of the weight of the plywood being concentrated on the wheels.
Something cool I managed: a handle of sorts, totally screwless! I found an old busted garden hose we had laying around, and detached the swiveling head from it. It has a hook-like structure at the top that works perfectly for tugging the dolly with minimal backbreaking. Turn it around to the other side, and it can also push the platform very well.
I also installed a new wiper motor in my car today. Manliest day ever? Possibly.
Grrr,
-JD
Script: 100% since 2/09
Cast: 100%
Crew: 100%
Camera Supplies: 75% (updated)
Storyboards: 66%
Definitive Shooting Schedule: ~7% (will be completed in one night upon returning to school)
Movement Rehearsals: 0%
Locations/Permissions: ~75%
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