struggling with dolly tool

We need a screenshot of the entire After Effects UI. Make sure that the current comp is selected in the Project Panel so we can see the comp settings. Select all 3D layers and press P to reveal their position. Make sure both the Parent Link (Shift + F4), the switches, and the modes columns are visible in the timeline (the first two icons at the bottom left corner of the Timeline should be blue). Set the composition viewer to Two views: Active Camera on the left and Custom View 1 or Left on the right. Select the Camera, or if the camera has been parented to a 3D null, select the null in the Timeline so we can see the motion path in the right Composition view. Then drag the screenshot to the reply field in the forum instead of using the "Drag & drop here..." area so we can see your screenshot without downloading.

This is the standard workflow you should be using when working with a 3D comp so you can treat the camera like it is a real one and the layers are like actors on a stage. It should look something like this:

An even better view of the 3D motion paths and a more accurate way of editing the path of a camera or 3D layers is to use the 4 Views option. The camera tool (c) will give you the ability to adjust the size of the frame in any view other than the Active Camera or Current Camera without affecting the comp camera's position so you can see more.

The screenshot is from a new tutorial series that I am releasing soon. My Quick Tips Playlist