Study smarter with Fiveable
Get study guides, practice questions, and cheatsheets for all your subjects. Join 500,000+ students with a 96% pass rate.
Tracking shots represent some of the most technically demanding and emotionally powerful tools in a cinematographer's arsenal. When you study these iconic sequences, you're not just memorizing famous scenes—you're learning how camera movement communicates character psychology, spatial relationships, narrative tension, and thematic meaning. The tracking shots on this list have influenced generations of filmmakers and frequently appear in discussions of cinematographic technique, mise-en-scène, and the relationship between form and content.
Understanding why each shot works matters more than knowing that it exists. Ask yourself: What does the unbroken movement accomplish that cuts couldn't? How does the camera's path reveal character or theme? These are the questions that separate surface-level film knowledge from genuine analytical thinking. Don't just memorize the films—know what each tracking shot demonstrates about the craft.
Some tracking shots function primarily to pull audiences into an unfamiliar environment, establishing setting, tone, and social dynamics in a single unbroken movement. The camera becomes the viewer's guide, granting access to spaces and experiences that feel exclusive or forbidden.
Compare: "Goodfellas" vs. "Boogie Nights"—both use nightclub tracking shots to establish glamorous, morally complex worlds. The key difference: Scorsese's shot is intimate (two characters), while Anderson's is panoramic (ensemble introduction). If asked about tracking shots that establish tone, either works; for character-specific immersion, choose "Goodfellas."
Tracking shots excel at creating claustrophobic tension, particularly when characters are trapped in vehicles or narrow environments. The unbroken take removes the "escape valve" of cutting away, forcing audiences to experience danger in real time.
Compare: Both "Children of Men" sequences use confined spaces and apparent single takes, but serve opposite purposes: the conversation scene builds false security before rupture, while the chase maintains sustained panic. This contrast demonstrates how the same technique can create dramatically different emotional effects.
In horror and psychological thriller contexts, tracking shots create unease by revealing space slowly, suggesting unseen threats, or mimicking a stalker's perspective. The smooth, deliberate movement feels unnatural—something is watching, following, hunting.
Compare: "The Shining" vs. "Touch of Evil"—both create dread through extended movement, but Kubrick's shot is intimate and claustrophobic while Welles' is expansive and omniscient. The Steadicam feels like a predator; the crane feels like fate watching from above.
Combat sequences present unique challenges for tracking shots: how do you capture chaos while maintaining visual coherence? These shots typically emphasize the subjective experience of soldiers rather than strategic overview, creating visceral identification with characters under fire.
Compare: "Paths of Glory" vs. "Atonement"—both depict the horror of war through extended tracking shots, but Kubrick's is anticipatory (before battle) while Wright's is aftermath (evacuation). The trench run emphasizes individual courage; the beach emphasizes collective suffering. Both reject the "exciting" war movie aesthetic.
Some tracking shots draw attention to their own construction, commenting on filmmaking itself. These self-aware sequences invite audiences to notice the camera's presence, breaking the fourth wall through technical virtuosity.
Compare: "The Player" vs. "Russian Ark"—both are self-conscious about their technique, but Altman uses the long take satirically (mocking Hollywood) while Sokurov uses it philosophically (exploring time and memory). One critiques the film industry; the other transcends conventional film structure entirely.
| Concept | Best Examples |
|---|---|
| World-building and immersion | "Goodfellas" (Copacabana), "Boogie Nights" (opening) |
| Confined-space tension | "Children of Men" (car conversation), "Children of Men" (car chase) |
| Psychological horror | "The Shining" (Steadicam), "Touch of Evil" (opening) |
| War and trauma | "Paths of Glory" (trench), "Atonement" (beach) |
| Meta-cinematic commentary | "The Player" (opening), "Russian Ark" (entire film) |
| Steadicam innovation | "The Shining," "Goodfellas," "Boogie Nights," "Atonement" |
| Deep focus with movement | "Touch of Evil," "The Player" |
| Digital stitching techniques | "Children of Men" (both sequences) |
Which two tracking shots use nightclub settings to establish morally complex worlds, and how do they differ in scope (intimate vs. ensemble)?
Identify the tracking shot that pioneered the Steadicam's use for psychological horror. What specific camera height choice amplifies the unsettling effect?
Compare the war sequences in "Paths of Glory" and "Atonement": one depicts anticipation, the other aftermath. How does this timing difference affect the emotional impact of each shot?
Both "Children of Men" sequences appear to be single takes but actually use digital stitching. Why might Lubezki choose to hide the edits rather than cut openly? What does the "unbroken" illusion communicate thematically?
If asked to discuss a tracking shot that comments on filmmaking itself, which two examples would you choose, and how do their attitudes toward cinema differ (satirical vs. philosophical)?