Camera Movements

• Types of camera movements

  • Static shot
  • Pan
  • Tilt
  • Push in
  • Pull out
  • Zoom
  • Dolly zoom
  • Camera roll
  • Tracking shot
  • Trucking shot
  • Arc shot
  • Boom shot
  • Random movement
• Static shot


  Camera is locked to a tripod in a fixed position with zero camera movement
• Uses of static shots

  • Dialogue
  • Precise painterly compositions
  • Allowing an actor's performance to shine
• Pan


  Camera rotates horizontally left or right while remaining in a fixed location
• Slow pan

  Builds anticipation
• Rapid pan (whip pan)


  Heightens the energy of a shot
• Tilt


  Camera moves upward or downward
• Tilt


  Used to capture the verticality of a film's world
• Use of tilts


  • Giving a character dominance or vulnerability
  • Revealing information like a character setting or scale
• Push in

  Camera moves towards the subject
• Uses of push in shots

  • Emphasizing a moment
  • Capturing a character's thought process
• Pull out


  Camera moves away from the subject
• Uses of pull out shots

  • Unveiling the context of a scene
  • Emphasizing negative emotions like isolation or abandonment
• Zoom

  Changes the focal length of the camera's lens to zoom in or out
• Uses of zoom shots

  • Revealing context around a subject
  • Drawing attention to a specific detail
• Crash zoom


  Fast zoom, often used for dramatic or comedic effect
• Dolly zoom


  Utilizes both a dolly movement and lens zoom to create the 'vertigo effect'
• Uses of dolly zoom

  • Portraying internal or external conflict
  • Highlighting a growing relationship between two subjects
• Camera roll


  Turns the camera on its long axis while maintaining the direction of the lens
• Uses of camera rolls


  • Matching character movement in moments of panic or conflict
  • Visually reinforcing theme
• Tracking shot


  Physically moves the camera through a scene, typically following a subject
• Uses of tracking shots

  • Immersing the audience directly into a scene
  • Building tension
• Trucking shot


  Camera moves laterally left or right
• Arc shot


  Camera orbits around a subject, either horizontally or vertically
• Uses of arc shots

  • Unifying characters as a single unit
  • Underscoring tension and panic
• Boom shot


  Camera moves up or down utilizing a crane, jib or pedestal
• Uses of boom shots

  • Revealing information
  • Capturing the world surrounding characters in action
• Random movement


  Camera shake, incidental zooms or any uncontrolled movement
• Uses of random movement

  • Creating a subjective, documentary-style experience
  • Stylistic choice to give the impression of real-time, unplanned events