I'm trying to do a shot where the camera circles the subject multiple times continuously. Short of just walking around the person, what other options (cheap ones ) are there? Oh and I'm shooting with a GL2

Thanks in advance.

Joe, I'm not sure how cheap you want, but could you try building your own homemade dolly. You'd need to build one where the wheel axles could pivot (Or set them at a fixed radius). Go to


http://www.shadowgirlproject.com/dolly01.asp

It's in French but easy to follow.


Cheers
Aaron

Joe:

That's a classic Steadicam shot. I'm sure there's a boatload of folks in Vangroovy who would be capable of operating something like that for you, with Glidecams or what have you. Experiment with different focal lengths, and different diameter of circles; the relative speed will change dramatically as a result.

Hang a rope from a point above the person and tie it around your waist. Lean back a bit and shuffle sideways. If you take your time it will look OK. Know that at some point unless it is an overcast day or you are using very soft light, a shadow will appear on the subject at some point.

"Reservior Dogs" was the Hollywood movie that continuously moved around a circular table as the characters talked IIRC. Don't know if they used a dolly or steadycam. I'd guess dolly as the length of that shot would just about kill a steadycam operator.

I think they had a dolly track indeed... so dolly would be my guess

I re-read the original post and for some reason had mis-interpreted it the first time.

Joe, perhaps you can elaborate on the shot--how many people are in it, are they standing or sitting at a table, how many revolutions around, etc.

Stabilized shot. Dylan Couper did one for my music video.

http://www.videoclipstream.com/akamai/h-l/keith/HR_halfres.mov

About halfway through.

He used a monopod stabilizer. (monopod with weights at the bottom).