Camera movement prompt guide
Learn the camera vocabulary video models understand, what each move communicates, and a prompt that picks the right move for your shot.
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1Learn the core moves
Dolly in / push in: camera moves toward the subject; builds intimacy or tension. Dolly out / pull back: reveals context or isolation. Truck left/right (tracking): camera moves sideways alongside the subject; good for walking shots. Pan: camera rotates left/right on a fixed point; follows action or surveys a scene. Tilt: rotates up/down; reveals height. Pedestal / crane up: camera rises; a sense of scale or ending. Orbit / arc: circles the subject; showcases a product or a hero moment. Handheld: slight shake; documentary realism, urgency. Static / locked-off: no movement; calm or observational. FPV drone: fast, swooping flight; energy, travel. Rack focus: focus shifts from foreground to background; redirects attention without moving.
2Phrase it so models follow it
Put the movement at the start of the prompt. Use one movement per shot; combining 'orbit while craning up and zooming' usually produces wobble. Add speed ('slow', 'steady', 'rapid') and direction ('from left to right'). Describe what the movement reveals: 'slow pull back revealing the empty stadium'. If a tool has camera controls in its interface, use those instead of text.
3Choose a move for your shot
Use this prompt with any chat model when you're not sure which move serves the moment.
I'm planning an AI-generated video shot. Shot description: {{shot_description}} Emotion or effect I want: {{emotion}} Recommend the best single camera movement and one alternative. For each: the movement name, speed and direction, what it communicates here, and a ready-to-use opening phrase for a video prompt (e.g. "Slow dolly-in at eye level toward..."). Then name one movement to avoid for this shot and why.
Example input
A runner pauses at the top of a hill overlooking a city at sunrise; triumph and relief.
Example output
Best: slow crane up and pull back, from behind the runner. Communicates: the scale of what she has climbed; the city opens up as the reward. Opening phrase: "Slow crane up and pull back from behind a runner standing at the crest of a hill, revealing a city skyline at sunrise..." Alternative: slow orbit from profile to front, 90 degrees, to land on her face. Avoid: handheld. Shake reads as struggle, which undercuts the relief.
Troubleshooting
- The model adds its own movement: add 'camera otherwise steady' or use a 'static camera' instruction for locked-off shots.
- Orbits warp the subject: shorten the arc (e.g. 'quarter orbit') and slow it down.
Known limitations
- Terms are interpreted differently by each model; expect to adjust wording after a test generation.