Certain effect

[Paul]

More of a cinematography effect but maybe someone can help, ever seen Poltergeist, when the house falls in on it self at the end and the way the person in front of camera stays in frame/focus and seems to zoom inwards while the background zooms outward at the same time, hows that done please?

 

[Steve]

I think the camera optically zooms in, as it physically moves back, to keep the subject unchanged in the frame but a big difference in the look of the background.
Google Dolly Zoom

 

[Paul]

Thanks Steve didn't know the name of said effect, for anyone else this video i think explains it brilliantly.

 

[Steve]

Your welcome Paul.
Cool stuff right?

I first was aware of this effect in Jaws, one of my favorite movies.

 

[Paul]

Yeah i didn't realise just how many films had used it, and you saying Jaws just bought it all back, we only watched that very film last week (for about the 50th time lol).
I am working on a lot of short gif animations/films at the minute new interest, but seeing the video i supplied i find it cannot be done just with a standard camera.