Camera · 43 recipes
Prompt Recipes
Get the perfect shot with ready-to-use camera moves. Copy a recipe, drop it into any shot.
All camera recipes
Static shot
Pan/TiltLocked-off frame — no camera movement at all.
locked-off static shot. Movement: hold one fixed camera position for the full clip. Speed: still and steady. Framing: keep the same angle, height, lens distance and composition. End: finish with the same framing and camera position.
Best for: Dialogue holds, tableaux, and moments that need calm and control.
Pan right
Pan/TiltHorizontal rotation left-to-right from a fixed point.
pan right. Movement: rotate the camera horizontally from left to right from one fixed point. Speed: smooth constant rotation. Framing: keep the horizon level while new space enters from the right side of the frame. End: settle on a clear final composition.
Best for: Revealing a landscape or handing off to a subject entering frame right.
Pan left
Pan/TiltHorizontal rotation right-to-left from a fixed point.
pan left. Movement: rotate the camera horizontally from right to left from one fixed point. Speed: smooth constant rotation. Framing: keep the horizon level while new space enters from the left side of the frame. End: settle on a clear final composition.
Best for: Following a subject moving left or unveiling a reveal to frame left.
Whip pan right
Pan/TiltFast snap rotation to the right with motion blur.
whip pan right. Movement: rotate rapidly from the starting direction toward a new target on the right. Speed: fast snap with brief motion blur during the rotation. Framing: begin on one readable composition and land on a second readable target. End: settle into a sharp final frame.
Best for: Energetic scene transitions and connecting two beats with a blur cut.
Whip pan left
Pan/TiltFast snap rotation to the left with motion blur.
whip pan left. Movement: rotate rapidly from the starting direction toward a new target on the left. Speed: fast snap with brief motion blur during the rotation. Framing: begin on one readable composition and land on a second readable target. End: settle into a sharp final frame.
Best for: Energetic scene transitions and connecting two beats with a blur cut.
Tilt up
Pan/TiltVertical rotation upward from a fixed point.
tilt up. Movement: rotate the camera upward from one fixed point. Speed: smooth constant tilt. Framing: keep the vertical subject or architecture centered as the frame travels upward. End: land on the upper target.
Best for: Reverent reveals — rising from feet to face, or up a tall structure.
Tilt down
Pan/TiltVertical rotation downward from a fixed point.
tilt down. Movement: rotate the camera downward from one fixed point. Speed: smooth constant tilt. Framing: keep the vertical subject or architecture centered as the frame travels downward. End: land on the lower target.
Best for: Descending a subject or revealing what lies below the eyeline.
Slow zoom in
Zoom/LensGradual optical push toward a tighter frame.
slow zoom in. Movement: slowly increase lens focal length toward a tighter frame. Speed: gradual and even. Framing: keep the main visual target readable as it becomes larger in frame. End: finish on a stable tighter composition.
Best for: Building tension and drawing the eye toward an emotional beat.
Slow zoom out
Zoom/LensGradual optical pull toward a wider frame.
slow zoom out. Movement: slowly decrease lens focal length toward a wider frame. Speed: gradual and even. Framing: keep the main visual target readable as more surrounding space appears. End: finish on a stable wider composition.
Best for: Revealing context and letting a subject shrink into its world.
Fast zoom in
Zoom/LensQuick decisive optical push to a tighter frame.
fast zoom in. Movement: quickly increase lens focal length toward the main visual target. Speed: quick decisive zoom. Framing: keep the target centered or clearly readable during the scale change. End: finish on a stable tighter composition.
Best for: Punchy emphasis — snapping attention to a detail or reaction.
Fast zoom out
Zoom/LensQuick decisive optical pull to a wider frame.
fast zoom out. Movement: quickly decrease lens focal length away from the main visual target. Speed: quick decisive zoom. Framing: keep the target readable as the surrounding space appears. End: finish on a stable wider composition.
Best for: Sudden context reveals and comedic or shock beats.
Crash zoom in
Zoom/LensViolent snap zoom toward the target.
crash zoom in. Movement: snap the lens rapidly toward the main visual target. Speed: very fast and punchy. Framing: keep the target readable through the sudden scale change. End: land on a bold tighter composition.
Best for: High-impact stingers, meme energy, and aggressive emphasis.
Crash zoom out
Zoom/LensViolent snap zoom away from the target.
crash zoom out. Movement: snap the lens rapidly away from the main visual target. Speed: very fast and punchy. Framing: keep the target readable as the surrounding space appears. End: land on a bold wider composition.
Best for: Explosive reveals and hard tonal shifts.
Dolly in
Dolly/TrackCamera body physically pushes forward toward the subject.
dolly in. Movement: move the camera physically forward in a straight line toward the main subject. Speed: smooth controlled push. Framing: keep camera height, lens direction and subject position consistent while distance closes. End: finish in a tighter composition.
Best for: Intimacy with parallax — closing on a subject as the world slides past.
Dolly out
Dolly/TrackCamera body physically retreats from the subject.
dolly out. Movement: move the camera physically backward in a straight line away from the main subject. Speed: smooth controlled retreat. Framing: keep lens direction and camera height consistent while more environment enters frame. End: finish in a wider composition.
Best for: Endings and isolation — pulling away to leave a subject in space.
Tracking shot
Dolly/TrackCamera travels through the scene with the subject.
tracking shot. Movement: move through the scene with the main subject. Speed: match the subject pace. Framing: keep the subject consistently readable while the environment moves around them. End: maintain a clear moving composition.
Best for: Sustained motion — staying with a subject as they move through a space.
Follow shot / over-the-shoulder
Dolly/TrackCamera trails behind the subject at shoulder height.
follow shot from behind. Movement: move behind the subject along their route at shoulder height. Speed: match the subject pace. Framing: keep the back, shoulder or head as the foreground guide while the route ahead stays readable. End: continue following with the subject leading the frame.
Best for: Immersive journeys — putting the viewer in the subject wake.
Reverse tracking / walk-and-talk
Dolly/TrackCamera moves backward in front of a walking subject.
reverse tracking shot. Movement: move backward in front of the walking subject. Speed: match the subject forward pace. Framing: keep front-facing face and body framing stable as the background moves behind them. End: hold a clear front-facing moving composition.
Best for: Walk-and-talk dialogue and confident forward momentum.
Side tracking
Dolly/TrackCamera glides parallel beside the subject.
side tracking shot. Movement: move parallel beside the subject along their direction of travel. Speed: match the subject motion. Framing: keep the subject in side profile or three-quarter profile at a stable distance. End: continue the parallel movement with clear horizontal motion.
Best for: Profile motion — showing pace and progress across the frame.
Low tracking
Dolly/TrackGround-level travel alongside the subject.
low tracking shot. Movement: move at ground or below-waist height alongside the subject movement path. Speed: match the subject, footsteps or wheels. Framing: keep the low detail readable while the ground plane moves through frame. End: finish with the low perspective clearly maintained.
Best for: Kinetic energy — feet, wheels, and speed felt from the ground.
Truck left
Physical MovesWhole camera slides left on a horizontal path.
truck left. Movement: move the camera physically to the left on a straight horizontal path. Speed: smooth constant lateral travel. Framing: keep the lens facing the same direction while the scene slides across frame. End: finish on a clean lateral composition.
Best for: Lateral reveals across a scene without changing the lens angle.
Truck right
Physical MovesWhole camera slides right on a horizontal path.
truck right. Movement: move the camera physically to the right on a straight horizontal path. Speed: smooth constant lateral travel. Framing: keep the lens facing the same direction while the scene slides across frame. End: finish on a clean lateral composition.
Best for: Lateral reveals across a scene without changing the lens angle.
Pedestal up
Physical MovesWhole camera rises straight up, lens kept level.
pedestal up. Movement: move the entire camera vertically upward in a straight line. Speed: smooth constant lift. Framing: keep the lens level and pointed in the same direction during the vertical move. End: finish with the higher framing clearly readable.
Best for: Rising to a new eyeline while holding a level horizon.
Pedestal down
Physical MovesWhole camera lowers straight down, lens kept level.
pedestal down. Movement: move the entire camera vertically downward in a straight line. Speed: smooth constant descent. Framing: keep the lens level and pointed in the same direction during the vertical move. End: finish with the lower framing clearly readable.
Best for: Dropping to a low eyeline while holding a level horizon.
Arc left
Physical MovesShallow curved move around the subject to the left.
arc left. Movement: move on a shallow curved path around the main subject toward the left side. Speed: smooth measured curve. Framing: keep distance, height and subject readability consistent while the angle changes. End: finish from a new left-side angle.
Best for: Adding dimension — a gentler cousin of the full orbit.
Arc right
Physical MovesShallow curved move around the subject to the right.
arc right. Movement: move on a shallow curved path around the main subject toward the right side. Speed: smooth measured curve. Framing: keep distance, height and subject readability consistent while the angle changes. End: finish from a new right-side angle.
Best for: Adding dimension — a gentler cousin of the full orbit.
Orbit clockwise
Physical MovesFull circle around the subject, clockwise.
clockwise orbit. Movement: circle clockwise around the main subject at a consistent radius. Speed: smooth controlled orbit. Framing: keep the subject centered while the background rotates around them. End: complete the intended arc or full circle with stable framing.
Best for: Hero reveals — a true 3D turn that shows every side of a subject.
Orbit counterclockwise
Physical MovesFull circle around the subject, counterclockwise.
counterclockwise orbit. Movement: circle counterclockwise around the main subject at a consistent radius. Speed: smooth controlled orbit. Framing: keep the subject centered while the background rotates around them. End: complete the intended arc or full circle with stable framing.
Best for: Hero reveals — a true 3D turn that shows every side of a subject.
Push past / pass-by shot
Physical MovesGlide forward past a foreground object into the space beyond.
push past. Movement: move forward past a visible foreground object, edge or opening. Speed: smooth forward glide. Framing: let the foreground pass close to the lens while the space beyond becomes clearer. End: arrive inside or beyond the foreground layer.
Best for: Layered depth — using a foreground wipe to reveal a new plane.
Pass-through objects
Physical MovesMove toward and continue through a surface or barrier.
pass-through movement. Movement: move forward toward a visible object, surface or barrier and continue into the space beyond. Speed: smooth centered glide. Framing: keep the opening or surface centered as the transition point. End: arrive inside the revealed space beyond.
Best for: Impossible transitions — passing through walls, screens, or portals.
Handheld shot
Human CameraOperator-height frame with natural organic sway.
handheld shot. Movement: hold the camera at human operator height with natural body movement. Speed: responsive and organic. Framing: keep the subject readable while the frame has subtle sway and micro-adjustments. End: finish with a natural handheld composition.
Best for: Documentary immediacy and raw, human presence.
Chase shot
Human CameraFast reactive pursuit of a moving subject.
chase shot. Movement: follow a moving subject quickly along the action route. Speed: fast, reactive and physically close. Framing: keep the subject visible while allowing energetic reframing. End: stay connected to the subject in motion.
Best for: Action and urgency — staying glued to a subject in flight.
Body-mounted camera / Snorricam
Human CameraCamera fixed to the subject; the world moves around them.
body-mounted Snorricam. Movement: keep the camera fixed relative to the subject torso or face while the subject moves. Speed: match the subject body motion. Framing: keep the subject close, centered and facing the camera as the background moves around them. End: finish with the subject still locked in frame.
Best for: Disorientation and intensity — the subject still, the world reeling.
Crane up
Drone/CraneSmooth vertical lift through open space.
crane up. Movement: travel smoothly upward through open space. Speed: slow controlled vertical lift. Framing: keep the subject or location readable as the camera rises. End: finish with the higher scale clearly visible.
Best for: Grand reveals — rising off a subject to expose the wider world.
Crane down
Drone/CraneSmooth vertical descent through open space.
crane down. Movement: travel smoothly downward through open space. Speed: slow controlled vertical descent. Framing: keep the subject or location readable as the camera descends. End: finish with the lower subject or destination clearly visible.
Best for: Descending into a scene or arriving on a subject from above.
Drone push in
Drone/CraneAerial forward glide toward the subject.
drone push in. Movement: fly smoothly forward through open space toward the subject or destination. Speed: controlled aerial glide. Framing: keep the route and destination readable as the camera approaches. End: arrive at a closer aerial composition.
Best for: Sweeping approaches — flying in on a location or hero subject.
Drone pull back
Drone/CraneAerial backward glide revealing more landscape.
drone pull back. Movement: fly smoothly backward away from the subject or destination. Speed: controlled aerial retreat. Framing: keep the subject readable as more landscape appears. End: finish on a wider aerial composition.
Best for: Epic reveals — pulling back to show scale and isolation.
Helicopter shot
Drone/CraneHigh-altitude broad flight path over a landscape.
helicopter-style aerial shot. Movement: move from high altitude along a broad gradual flight path. Speed: steady controlled aerial motion. Framing: keep the landscape or distant moving subject readable at wide scale. End: finish on a stable high-altitude composition.
Best for: Establishing scale — vast landscapes and sweeping geography.
First-person view
SpecialsPOV from the character own eyes, with visible body.
first-person view. Movement: move forward at human eye height from the character perspective. Speed: natural walking or reaching pace. Framing: use visible hands, arms or body edges as the viewer physical reference. End: arrive at the next point of action from the same point of view.
Best for: Immersion and gaming energy — putting the viewer inside the scene.
Tilt-shift
SpecialsMiniature-look with a narrow band of sharp focus.
tilt-shift miniature view. Movement: hold or glide from a high angled view over the scene. Speed: small precise movement. Framing: keep a narrow band of sharp focus across the key subject area with soft blur above and below. End: finish with the miniature-scale view intact.
Best for: Playful miniature worlds and stylized establishing shots.
Infinite zoom
SpecialsContinuous accelerating zoom into the center.
infinite zoom. Movement: zoom continuously inward toward the exact center target. Speed: smooth accelerating zoom. Framing: keep the circular target centered as it expands. End: finish when the next visual world fills the frame.
Best for: Dreamlike loops and seamless world-to-world transitions.
Earth zoom out
SpecialsRapid pull from street to planet scale.
earth zoom out. Movement: pull upward from the starting point through street, city, landscape and planet scale. Speed: rapid expanding zoom out. Framing: keep the original location centered as scale grows. End: finish on a planet-scale view with the starting point still implied at center.
Best for: Cosmic scale reveals and big-idea openers or closers.
Time-lapse
SpecialsFixed camera while time races forward.
locked-camera time-lapse. Movement: hold one fixed camera position while time moves rapidly forward. Speed: fast time compression with a stable camera. Framing: keep the same composition and horizon as motion passes through the frame. End: finish from the same camera angle with visible passage of time.
Best for: Compressing hours into seconds — skies, crowds, and construction.
Camera prompts, answered
- What camera movements work best for AI video?
- Simple, single-axis moves are the most reliable: a slow dolly in, a pan, a tilt, a crane up or a locked-off static shot. Describe one move per shot, state its speed, say what stays fixed, and say how the shot ends. Complex moves such as orbits and arcs work when you name the direction and the arc length and rule out competing motion like zooms or height changes.
- How do I prompt a dolly zoom (the vertigo effect)?
- A dolly zoom combines two opposite moves: the camera physically travels toward the subject while the lens zooms out (or travels away while it zooms in), so the subject stays the same size and the background stretches or compresses. Prompt it explicitly: "dolly in toward the subject while zooming out at the same rate; the subject stays the same size in frame while the background appears to stretch away." Start from the Dolly in and Slow zoom out recipes and merge their Movement lines.
- How do I write a camera movement prompt?
- Use four short parts: Movement (the move and its direction), Speed (constant, slow, accelerating), Framing (what stays level, centered or fixed) and End (the final composition). Every recipe on this page follows that structure, so you can paste it after your scene description unchanged.
- Where do I put the camera move in my prompt?
- Describe the subject and scene first, then add the camera recipe as its own sentence, for example "A detective in a rain-soaked alley at night. Camera: slow dolly in…". Keeping the move separate stops the model from blending it into the action.
- Why does the AI ignore my camera movement?
- Usually because the prompt asks for two moves at once, or never says how the shot ends. Name one move, add what must not change ("keep the horizon level", "no zoom"), and describe the final frame. Image-to-video helps too: a start frame with room in the direction of travel gives the move somewhere to go.
- Can I use these camera prompts with any AI video model?
- Yes. The recipes are plain cinematography language, not model-specific syntax, so they work in any text-to-video or image-to-video prompt. Recreate opens one in the FXI Studio generator with the recipe pre-filled.
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