The Slow Mo Guys Recreate Severance’s Elevator Effect with The Bolt
The Slow Mo Guys take on the iconic elevator-effect from Severance, using their Bolt to recreate the eerie moment where reality seems to warp and outie transitions into innie. With a makeshift set and synchronised timing, they demonstrate how motion control technology can bring this cinematic technique to life, all without the need for post-production.
The Slow Mo Guys take on the iconic elevator-effect from Severance, using their Bolt to recreate the eerie moment where reality seems to warp and outie transitions into innie. With a makeshift set and synchronised timing, they demonstrate how motion control technology can bring this cinematic technique to life, all without the need for post-production.
Recreating the Iconic Dolly Zoom
Thought we were done with Severance? Think again. We’re returning to Lumon Industries, this time with The Slow Mo Guys. You know the one: that eerie moment when a character enters the elevator, and as they transition from “outie” to “innie,” the world subtly shifts around them with a surreal zoom and distortion effect. Well, The Slow Mo Guys were so inspired by it, they decided to try and replicate the effect themselves using their Bolt Cinebot.
The effect Severance uses is called a dolly zoom—a classic technique where the camera physically moves in one direction while the lens zooms in the opposite way, keeping the subject’s size in frame while dramatically warping the background. Traditionally, this required a skilled camera operator and a dolly grip working in perfect sync. But thanks to motion control, the Bolt can execute a perfect dolly zoom every time.
In true Slow Mo Guys fashion, Gav put together a makeshift elevator set, complete with a stand-in mannequin-head named Fabio before attempting the shot filming himself. With a 15mm to 40mm zoom range, he programmed the Bolt to move backward at the exact pace needed to maintain his head’s size in frame—creating that signature warping effect with no post-production needed.
Once everything was programmed, it was time for action. Running the move at different speeds, forward and backward on his own face, Gav nailed the effect with perfect timing, smooth motion, and pinpoint accuracy, with every movement dialed in to the millimeter.
Dolly zooms have been around for decades, but with the Bolt, effects that once required multiple crew members can now be achieved solo and surprisingly quickly. So, if you’ve ever wanted to step into the Severance elevator yourself, all you need is a Bolt, a camera, a zoom lens, and—if you’re like Gav—maybe a head called Fabio.
Check out the full video from The Slow Mo Guys below to see the effect in action below.