How are the cameras set up on So You Think You Can Dance?

In So You Think You Can Dance there is usually a camera movement I can't decipher how is made.

In this case the camera move right to left, and enter forward to the scenery. Time 0:42

My only guess is camera is floating with some kind of cable over a rail on ceiling.

At 8:41 the camera enters stage and circles around.

Here's my guess - a guy is holding the camera but the angle looks like is very high and moves very fast and smooth.

That effect usually also happen at the end of the show when all dancers are on stage. And either they edit the video, or the guy with the camera is very sneaky because I haven't see it yet.

cinematography so-you-think-you-can-dance

Best Answer

There are four possibilities I can think of, but I'm pretty sure they use the first one (a jib).

Possibility 1: A jib. This is crane arm with the camera on the end of it. You can raise and lower the arm, and also pivot the are left or right to track things left or right. These are sometimes on dollies so they can roll across the floor too.

Possibility 2: A camera operator can be carrying a steadicam, which allows for perfectly smooth movements while the camera operator is walking around. However you pointed out that the camera angle is too high, so they probably aren't shooting with these.

Possibility 3: A "skycam" (I think that's what it's called). Football games sometimes use these. There are 4 cables coming from the top 4 corners of the arena, or in this case the stage. The camera is suspended from where they meet in the middle. Each cable is on a pulley, and a computer controls how all 4 of them are extended or retracted to lift the camera, lower it, and move it around the space. I doubt they're using this too.