The document defines and provides examples of common camera movements including pan, tilt, tracking shot, dolly, crane, steadicam, handheld, zoom, and reverse zoom. It explains that pan is a horizontal movement that can reveal new information, tilt moves the camera up and down often to size something up, and tracking shots follow the action. Dolly shots allow freedom of movement, cranes lift the camera into the air for high angles, and steadicam gives smooth handheld shots. Handheld shots suggest instability while zooms concentrate focus and reverse zooms show wider context.

1. Camera Movements Definitions & Meaning

2. Pan DEFINITION: The horizontal movement of a camera from left to right or vice versa, where the camera base is static DRAMATIC MEANING: New information is revealed. It could be about the parameters of a location, an important clue, or a hidden character

3. Pan Example: Traffic

4. Tilt DEFINITION: A camera movement in which the base remains stationary, but the head of the camera moves up and down DRAMATIC MEANING: Used as a reveal to- sizing up a building or another character

5. Tilt Example: Raging Bull

6. Tracking Shot DEFINITION: A camera movement where the camera follows the action on rails or tracks DRAMATIC MEANING: Often used to follow action

7. Tracking Shot Example

8. Dolly DEFINITION: A platform on wheels, on which a camera can be placed in order to allow more freedom of movement during filming. Not restricted to simple rectilinear movements DRAMATIC MEANING: Used to follow action

9. Dolly Example

10. Crane DEFINITION: The camera is placed on an arm and allows it to be lifted into the air, often for high-angle shots DRAMATIC MEANING: Can be used to reveal secrets and pertinent events

11. Crane Example: The Player

12. Steadicam DEFINITION: Has the freedom of a handheld shot but its stabilisation device smoothes out the bumpiness of the handheld shot DRAMATIC MEANING: Can be used for point-of-view shots, but also used to suggest dreams and fantasies

13. Steadicam Example: Russian Ark

14. Handheld DEFINITION: The camera is literally handheld by the camera operator. Often bumpy/jerky DRAMATIC MEANING: Often used to suggest instability

15. Handheld Example: The Blair Witch Project

16. Zoom DEFINITION: A single shot which moves towards a particular subject DRAMATIC MEANING: When done very quickly it can displace the audience, but it can also be used to concentrate the viewers’ gaze on something specific

17. Zoom Example

18. Reverse Zoom DEFINITION: A single shot which moves away from a particular subject DRAMATIC MEANING: When done very quickly it can displace the audience, but it can also be used to show the wider picture or context of an image

19. Reverse Zoom Example: Vertigo