A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Types of Camera Movement

Dolly
Dolly

A camera dolly is a wheeled cart or similar device used in filmmaking and television production to create smooth horizontal camera movements. The camera is mounted to the dolly and the camera operator and focus puller or camera assistant usually ride on the dolly to push the dolly back and forth.

Pan
Pan

For 3D modeling in computer graphics, panning means moving parallel to the current view plane. In other words, the camera moves perpendicular to the direction it is pointed. The technique also has limited applications in still photography.

Pedestal
Pedestal

Note that a pedestal move is different to a camera tilt, which means the camera is in the same position but tilts the angle of view up and down. In a ped movement, the whole camera is moving, not just the angle of view. In reality, like most camera moves, the pedestal move is often a combination of moves.

Rack Focus
Rack Focus

This change of focus is known as racking or pulling focus and in this case it is cued by Wendy’s comments about a missing vase piece. As the shot develops, Hope uses even more rack focusing and some subtle camera movement to bring another character into the scene.

image: avxhm.se
Tilt
Tilt

Tilting is a cinematographic technique in which the camera stays in a fixed position but rotates up/down in a vertical plane. Tilting the camera results in a motion similar to someone raising or lowering their head to look up or down.

Truck
Truck

Truck Trucking is the same as dollying, only you are moving the camera from left to right instead of in and out. Again, it is best to do this using a fluid motion track that will eliminate any jerking or friction.

Zoom
Zoom

Although camera movements are often implemented to add excitement to shots, their best use is when new information is revealed. At the beginning level, budding filmmakers sometimes tilt and pan without the proper motivation.