Creating the Double Dolly: Spike Lee’s Iconic Shot, Our Way

Last year, I had the chance to work on a music visualizer for San Jose artist Joy (an insanely talented musician, btw!). The concept? Recreate Spike Lee’s iconic double dolly shot, where a character appears to float effortlessly through their environment. When director Frank Facio first approached me with the idea for a music visualizer, I was immediately intrigued. The concept was simple yet bold: capture Joy as she floated effortlessly through their environment—an homage to one of cinema’s most distinctive visual techniques.

This technique, first seen in Mo’ Better Blues (1990), involves placing both the actor and the camera on separate dollies, moving them in sync to create the illusion that the character is floating. Lee uses it sparingly but powerfully in films like Malcolm X (1992), where the shot conveys the inevitability of Malcolm’s final moments, and BlacKkKlansman (2018), where it underscores the weight of pivotal realizations.

The double dolly shot has resonated with audiences because of its ability to evoke a heightened emotional state. By visually isolating the character and removing them from their physical surroundings, the shot mirrors their psychological or spiritual journey, drawing viewers deeper into the story. It’s this unique ability to move narratives forward while amplifying emotion that has made the double dolly shot a Spike Lee trademark.

With this history in mind, we set out to recreate the double dolly shot, and I must say, the project wasn’t without its challenges, but it was an incredible learning experience and an opportunity to honor one of cinema’s greats.

Dolly & Rigging: Building the Float

The rigging was where the technical magic happened. We started by attaching a camera riser to the doorway dolly, which provided the foundation for the setup. Next, we mounted a 24” camera offset to achieve the proper positioning for the shot. On top of the offset, we secured a Sachtler tripod head to a 75mm bowl adapter to complete the rigging assembly. Finally, we mounted the camera to this setup, ensuring it was perfectly aligned for the floating effect.

For Joy’s positioning, we rigged an apple box onto the dolly to ensure her eye level aligned seamlessly with the camera. This attention to detail was essential for selling the illusion of effortless motion. And don’t worry we drilled that apple box into the doorway dolly—safety first!

Putting that together made us feel confident in our ability to have smooth forward and back movements.

Lighting: Battling the Gloom

Weather was one of the day’s biggest challenges. Overcast skies meant we had to get creative with our lighting. Thankfully, my gaffer, Phil Nguyen, brought his A-game. His expertise in both lighting and rigging was invaluable.

For our key, we wanted to use a light that wouldn’t be too heavy so we opted to use the Astra 6X Daylight LED Light Panel with a Chimera Softbox and an Astera Helios Tube as a hair light to give Joy separation from the background. However, as Phil was getting that set up, I noticed she wasn’t getting enough contrast like I had envisioned. So, Phil suggested adding a 4x4 floppy to the dolly to introduce contrast on the fill side. This quick adjustment added depth and just a little bit of drama to the visuals, proving once again that small tweaks can make a big difference.

Camera & Lenses: The Tools for the Look

To achieve the signature floating effect, we used the RED Komodo and paired it with a DZOFilm Vespid Prime 25mm T2.1 lens. While we were setting up I went back and forth on what lenses I really wanted to use. The setup was already chalIenging, considering how close to the camera she was sitting. At first I thought the 16mm would be the way to go but I realized it was starting to distort her face in a way that didn’t feel immersive anymore but rather gimmicky.

I chose to stick to the 25mm because it created such an intimate close-up perspective of Joy. I felt like the camera was a dear friend she was singing to. I felt immersed. When I put that lens on, I felt an immediate emotional connection, and I too felt like I was floating with Joy (literally and figuratively).

Direction: Timing Is Everything

If there’s one thing the double dolly shot demands, it’s precision. Everything—from Joy’s performance to the dolly’s glide to the background extras—had to be perfectly synchronized. On a visualizer clocking in at 60 seconds, every frame mattered. When you really think about it, it’s only two shots using the same technique, so you better hope that we’re doing our best to nail it.

It took a few takes (okay a bunch of takes), but we eventually found the rhythm where everything clicked. Those moments of alignment are the reason we do this work—they’re fleeting, but when they happen, it’s magical.

Lessons Learned: Reps and more Reps

This project was far from perfect, but that’s what made it so valuable. Every shoot is another rep—another chance to refine your craft. For this visualizer, we learned to stay flexible, embrace experimentation, and lean on the expertise of our team to overcome challenges.

One key improvisation was our use of a single dolly instead of two. Spike Lee’s original double dolly technique uses two separate dollies—one for the camera and one for the actor—to achieve the floating effect. While I would have LOVED to have two dollies and create more space and depth, with our limited budget, we had to adapt, rigging everything onto a single dolly to replicate the look. While it wasn’t an exact reproduction of Lee’s method, it served as a creative workaround that still captured the essence of his iconic shot. And to be honest, I’m really proud of this piece, as simple as it might look, behind the scenes it was far from that.

The Crew

Executive Producer: Jake Ohlhausen
Director: Frank Facio
Director of Photography: Jennifer Gonzalez
1AC: Enrique Camacho
Gaffer: Phil Nguyen
Grip: Christian Drake
Wardrobe: Sydney Freemyer
PA: Divli Bhat
Rentals: Rebel Sun Lighting
Special thanks to SJSU.