The shot
One take inside a moving car
The camera had to move around the inside of the car while it drove. That called for a dolly that could travel in two directions inside the cabin.
Doggicam
Doggicam
Specialized Rigs for Dynamic Cinematography
Specialized Camera Systems
Doggicam is a line of specialized camera rigs and remote pan tilt heads designed for dynamic, precision driven cinematography. Built for situations where conventional mounts cannot go, it puts the camera exactly where the shot demands, delivering stable, repeatable motion across vehicle work, action sequences, and tight practical environments.
Doggicam
Remote heads and dollies for car mounts, cranes and tight spaces
6Heads and dollies
360° in 1 sPan speed
½ mileWireless control
25 ft/sSuper Slide top speed
Doggicam Systems was founded in 1996 by cinematographer Gary Thieltges. Its lightweight remote heads and dollies are built for car mounts, motorcycles, cranes, cable rigs and tight spaces. Every system has wireless control, integrated Preston FIZ and repeatable moves through Doggicam MoCap.
The Sparrow Head received an Academy Technical Achievement Award in 2005 for its contribution to the art of cinematography. Doggicam gear has been used on thousands of films, commercials, music videos and TV shows. Doggicam has been part of Camera Control since 2022.
Case study: Children of Men
The famous shot inside the car in Alfonso Cuarón's Children of Men (2006) was made with the Doggicam Two Axis Dolly.
The car ambush
The scene plays as one take inside a moving car, with the camera travelling around the cabin and no cuts.
The rig
Two Axis Dolly and Sparrow Head
The Two Axis Dolly moves on both the X and Y axes, the only dolly of its kind. It was rigged over the open car and carried a Sparrow Head through the cabin.
Since then
Chevy Malibu
Directors Tom and Charlie Guard wanted the camera to move freely inside a car on a mountain road, seeing 360 degrees out the windows in one take. The Two Axis Dolly was the only way to get it.
2006Release
1 takeCar ambush scene
X and YDolly axes
Sparrow HeadRemote head
The Doggicam range
Four remote heads and two dollies. Both dollies carry a Sparrow Head or Bulldog.
Remote heads
From 16.5 lb
Sparrow Head 200
Our compact rigging head, made for car mounts, motorcycles, go-karts and cranes. An extra carbon-fibre yoke mounts it from above and below for stability.
- Weight16.65 lb
- Height with camera18 – 22 in
- Width11.5 in
Sparrow Head 400
An extended yoke lets the camera point straight down. Used on car mounts, cranes and wireless rigs.
- Weight16.5 lb
- Height with camera18 – 22 in
- Width11.5 in
Mini Sparrow Head
Our smallest remote head, able to pass through a 14 in gap. An optional low-profile offset brings the camera lower.
- Weight16.5 lb
- Height with camera12.5 – 14 in
- Width11.5 in
Bulldog
Our largest head, made for wider camera bodies. Used on car mounts, cranes, cable rigs and compact arms.
- Weight16.65 lb
- Height with camera24 in
- Width17 in
Dollies
12 in track in 4, 6 and 8 ft sections, joined to any length
Super Slide
A high-speed dolly for precise tracking shots. It runs under-slung or over-slung and is easy to take to any location.
- Top speed25 ft/s
- Acceleration0 – 24 ft/s in 1 s
- Dolly weight10 lb
- Power76 V batteries, supplied
Power Slide
A precision motorised dolly, wireless and repeatable. Its counterweight system lets it run at any angle, including vertical.
- Top speed3 ft/s
- Track angleAny, including vertical
- Dolly weight24 lb
- Power24 V, 110 or 220 AC
On every Doggicam head
These specs are the same on all four heads.
- Pan
- 360° in 1 s, 20 continuous turns
- Tilt
- 90° in ¼ s
- Wireless control
- Up to ½ mile
- Lens control
- Integrated Preston FIZ
- Repeatable moves
- Every axis plus lens
- Lenses
- PL or Panavision, under 8 lb
- Cameras
- Alexa, Red, Phantom, DSLRs
- Set-up
- 20 min, hard-wired
Doggicam
Specialized Rigs for Dynamic Cinematography
Planning a Doggicam shoot?
Send the move, the location and the dates, and we'll come back with a rig, crew and quote.