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The camera in this shot sweeps towards the protagonist as it centres on him (Pitt), and away from the zombies as it switches back to them, giving the impression of speed and approach as the camera moves down the steps. It also seems like a kind of shot reverse shot (sorry if i'm completely wrong using this term, have very little terminology to grasp with) in that it shows the same scenario but switches between two views. Want to use it in an essay to describe how the camera moves from a view of the singular (Pitt) to the many.

Any help appreciated! The gif of this particular shot is provided here:

enter image description here

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These are two dolly shots, and are known as "reverse angle", that is, each is a "reverse angle" of the other. So the straightforward-most term has to be "two rapid reverse-angle dolly shots" or "two fast-moving reverse-angle dolly shots" (or "dollies", which directors/DPs often use in shorthand).

[addendum:] I also have to point out that these may be "Steadicam" shots, which is a special kind of dolly shot - without a dolly, but with a special stabilized rig worn by a camera operator. But this just complicates matters. Another complication is that one is an fx shot, and it is possible that nothing in the shot is actually real, but most likely there is a real live-action "plate" composited with 3D (CG). In any event, my original answer still applies.

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  • There's the possibility both are crane rather than steadicam. I'd hate to be the guy who had to run down those stairs with a steadicam. – disassociated Feb 19 '17 at 10:02
  • It would be no problem, especially because the fx shot is an fx shot. An operator could easily navigate the stairs (see youtube.com/watch?v=e9zAX3l5TTs) and speed up the shot later. I do suspect that it may be completely CG, though. As for the reverse angle, there are no stairs involved anyway, but the angle is rather high to suggest the angle from the stairs. But you're right in that a crane could be used here. – CRGreen Feb 19 '17 at 23:29
  • See youtube.com/watch?v=tvoUMH9Ghpo#t=02m38s. As I suspected, the zombie shot is essentially an entire CG creation (with some bits of real stills or the very very very background-most buildings may be generated from a real place, but I doubt it). – CRGreen Feb 19 '17 at 23:46
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This is a tracking shot. The camera is simply tracking the zombie horde. Nothing special about the POV flip.

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  • See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracking_shot. "Trucking" or "truck" shot was traditionally also the term for a shot tracking alongside a subject. Even though a dolly is a term meaning any shot using a dolly rig, the traditional differentiation meant it was moving toward or away as opposed to alongside. – CRGreen Feb 18 '17 at 19:38
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    I like "POV flip", but I've heard "reverse angle" more times than I can count. – CRGreen Feb 18 '17 at 19:39
  • @crgreen tracking has long since moved away from being on tracks. Evolution of the word. Tracking means to follow an object. – cde Feb 20 '17 at 1:09
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    I know what tracking means. I could give you many definitions (I do 3D camera tracking, too, but why muddle this issue because of semantics?) The point is, they OP asked what the best term is for this type of shot/shot combination, and the terms used in the industry for pre-production, production & post-production have been around for decades, are taught in film school & on the job & there are hundreds of books on the subject. What I've written here is based on that, and based on working with directors, cinematographers, pre-production artists, visual effects artists, etc. for a long time. – CRGreen Feb 20 '17 at 1:54

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