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Jerry Seinfeld’sUnfrostedis loosely based on the invention of Pop-Tarts. Seinfeld’s feature directorial debut uses a shot inspired by the Steven Spielberg classic of 1975,Jaws. In the film, Spielberg uses the Dolly Zoom shot, which theSeinfeldcreator has copied in his upcoming Netflix comedy. Seinfeld opened up about how such classic cinematic shots influenced him as a filmmaker.
Seinfeld’s film stars an ensemble cast including Jim Gaffigan, Hugh Grant, Melissa McCarthy, and Amy Schumer. Seinfeld, Barry Marder, who writes for Seinfeld’s stand-up shows, andSeinfeldwriters Spike Feresten and Andy Robin wrote the screenplay of the film.
Jerry Seinfeld Took Inspiration FromJaws‘ Zolly Shot ForUnfrosted
UnfrostedstarsJerry SeinfeldandJim Gaffiganappeared for an interview withKevin McCarthy for Fox 5 DC. During the interview, McCarthy raised an interesting question about one shot used in their upcoming film. McCarthy, who caught an early screening of the film, noted how the famous Dolly Zoom shot was used in the movie.
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Seinfeld shared with McCarthy that he called it the ‘Zolly Shot’. When the host shared that it was the same shot used inAlfred Hitchcock‘sVertigo, Seinfeld asked him about the other projects where he had seen the same shot. McCarthy replied that the shot was made more popular bySteven Spielberg‘s 1975 classicJaws. Seinfeld immediately replied,“That’s where we stole it from.”
In the famous‘Get Out Of The Water’ scenefromJaws, the dolly zoom shot focuses on Roy Scheider’s Martin Brody as he shockingly sees the shark attack on the little boy Alex. The host further asked whether Seinfeld took inspiration from all the cinematic shots from his childhood favorite movies. The director confirmed that he had always loved cinematic shots, especially the lenses, focus, and angles of the camera that told a story of its own.
He further went on to explain his perspective thatstand-up comedy is a visual mediummore than a verbal medium. He shared that their words during the show were used to create a picture in the audience’s mind. Seinfeld’s interest in this type of visual storytelling also influenced his cinematic style inUnfrosted.
Not OnlyUnfrosted, Zolly Shot FromJawsInfluenced Numerous Other Works
The original Dolly Zoom shot was first conceived by Alfred Hitchcock. He badly wanted to use it in his movieRebeccain 1940, but the lack of proper camera technology didn’t get him his desired results. However, in 1958, he achieved success in creating the shot with the help of Paramount cameraman Irmin Roberts for the filmVertigo.Roberts designed a special cameracapable of fast focal changes that allowed short-range projections.
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The shot was made popular byJawsand director Joe Dante coined the term Jaws Shot for the shot.Martin Scorsesewas a big fan of the Zolly Shot and used it in his filmsRaging BullandGoodfellas. InGoodfellas, the shot was used to create tension between the characters. It was also used in projects likeThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,Shaun of the Dead, andRatatouille.
One of the most famous modern-day uses of the shot was inJames Gunn‘sGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. In the film, Ego manipulates Peter Quill into a trance-like state but whenChris Pratt‘s character realizes that Ego killed his mother he snaps out of the trance. Quill’s realization is conveyed through the dolly zoom shot.
Unfrostedis scheduled to be released on Netflix in the U.S. on June 28, 2025.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
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Jerry SeinfeldSteven Spielberg
