Use when the user asks about camera movements, shot types, or how to describe camera behavior in a Higgsfield prompt. Contains all named camera controls with descriptions, best use cases, and example prompt phrases.
Always reference camera controls by their exact preset name in prompts. Higgsfield recognizes these names directly.
| Control | What it does | Best for | Prompt phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolly In | Smooth linear move toward subject | Intimacy, revelation, tension build | "Camera Dolly In toward her face" |
| Dolly Out | Smooth linear move away from subject | Isolation, departure, widening context | "Camera Dolly Out revealing the empty square" |
| Dolly Left | Lateral track to the left | Following horizontal movement, revealing scene | "Camera Dolly Left tracking alongside the runner" |
| Dolly Right | Lateral track to the right |
| Following horizontal movement, revealing scene |
| "Camera Dolly Right as the car accelerates" |
| Dolly Zoom In | Dolly forward + zoom out simultaneously | Vertigo, shock, realization (Hitchcock effect) | "Dolly Zoom In — subject stays size as background rushes away" |
| Dolly Zoom Out | Dolly back + zoom in simultaneously | Overwhelm, isolation, world closing in | "Dolly Zoom Out — city swallows the figure" |
| Super Dolly In | Exaggerated fast rush toward subject | Sudden shock, urgent revelation | "Super Dolly In on the handprint on the window" |
| Super Dolly Out | Exaggerated fast pull back | Dramatic reveal of scale, sudden context shift | "Super Dolly Out to reveal the entire burning city" |
| Control | What it does | Best for | Prompt phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crane Up | Camera rises from ground/subject level upward | Reveal scope, transition intimate→grand | "Crane Up from the soldier's hands to the war-torn landscape" |
| Crane Down | Camera descends from high position | Introduce location from above, personalize | "Crane Down from the skyline to the lone figure on the street" |
| Crane Over The Head | Overhead god-like perspective, directly above | Vulnerability, surveillance, choreography | "Crane Over The Head — top-down view of the crowd" |
| Levitation | Smooth upward float, dreamlike | Mystical, transcendence, out-of-body | "Camera Levitates from her feet to her serene face" |
| Control | What it does | Best for | Prompt phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 360 Orbit | Full circle around the subject | Emotional isolation, dramatic emphasis | "360 Orbit around the boxer in the ring" |
| Arc | Semi-circular sweep around subject | Revelations, emotional turning points | "Camera Arcs slowly around the two detectives" |
| Lazy Susan | Slow turntable rotation, subject centered | Product shots, character intros, costume reveal | "Lazy Susan around the antique watch on the table" |
| Robo Arm | Precision mechanical arc, complex path | Choreographed scenes, product reveals | "Robo Arm sweeps from headlights over the roof of the car" |
| Control | What it does | Best for | Prompt phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crash Zoom In | Rapid sudden zoom toward subject | Shock, realization, emphasis on a detail | "Crash Zoom In on the bloody handprint" |
| Crash Zoom Out | Rapid sudden zoom away from subject | Disconnection, sudden wider context | "Crash Zoom Out revealing the battlefield" |
| Control | What it does | Best for | Prompt phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| FPV Drone | Fast agile drone-like weaving motion | Chase sequences, aerial action, kinetic energy | "FPV Drone chasing the motorcycle through the warehouse" |
| Action Run | Low follow shot behind running subject | Chase, escape, pursuit | "Action Run — camera low behind him, matching his sprint" |
| Handheld | Organic shaky hand-held feel | Documentary realism, intimacy, chaos | "Handheld camera jostling with the crowd" |
| Head Tracking | Camera locked to character's head movement | First-person intensity, disorientation | "Head Tracking as the boxer staggers after the punch" |
| Snorricam | Camera mounted on actor, background sways | Stress, drunkenness, heightened emotion | "Snorricam locked on her face as the room spins" |
| Control | What it does | Best for | Prompt phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet Time | Subject frozen/slow-mo, camera sweeps around | Action climax, impact moments | "Bullet Time around the leaping assassin" |
| Dutch Angle | Camera tilted diagonally | Psychological tension, instability, dread | "Dutch Angle as the conspirators whisper" |
| Fisheye | Wide lens distortion, curved perspective | Surreal, skateboarding, experimental | "Fisheye lens capturing the skateboarder's trick" |
| Whip Pan | Fast lateral blur pan | Dynamic transitions, follow rapid action | "Whip Pan from the thief to the officer" |
| Overhead | Direct top-down bird's-eye | Choreography, spatial relationships, vulnerability | "Overhead shot of the dancers forming patterns" |
| Control | What it does | Best for | Prompt phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyperlapse | Moving camera + time-lapse combined | City transformation, travel sequences | "Hyperlapse down the boulevard from dawn to dusk" |
| Timelapse Human | Fixed camera, human activity fast-forwarded | Daily routines, urban pulse | "Timelapse Human — subway platform, people rushing" |
| Timelapse Landscape | Fixed camera, nature/landscape over time | Weather change, seasons, sunrise/sunset | "Timelapse Landscape — mountain valley sunrise to dusk" |
| Low Shutter | Slow shutter, motion blur on fast movement | Speed, urgency, intoxication | "Low Shutter on the spinning dancer — silhouette blurs" |
| Control | What it does | Best for | Prompt phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through Object In | Camera passes through a narrow object into a new space | Reveal secrets, creative transition | "Camera glides Through Object In — through the keyhole into the dusty study" |
| Through Object Out | Camera exits through a narrow space revealing exterior | Confined-to-open transition | "Through Object Out — pulls back through the cabin window into the blizzard" |
| Mouth In | Camera zooms into a character's open mouth | Surreal transitions, entering memory/dream | "Mouth In transition — camera enters the storyteller's mouth into the fantasy world" |
| Control | What it does | Best for | Prompt phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car Chasing | Low ground-level follow of speeding vehicles | High-speed pursuits | "Car Chasing — camera hugs the side of the black car through the streets" |
| Car Grip | Camera mounted on vehicle, rides with it | Immersive vehicle sequences | "Car Grip — fixed to the hood, shaking on every bump" |
| Buckle Up | Jarring, turbulent shaking camera | Rough rides, turbulence, loss of control | "Buckle Up as the car skids around the corner" |
| Control | What it does | Best for | Prompt phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Angle | Camera looks up at subject | Power, dominance, heroism | "Low angle looking up at the general on horseback" |
| High Angle | Camera looks down at subject | Vulnerability, smallness, exposure | "High angle looking down at the child in the empty hall" |
| Eye Level | Neutral height, conversational | Dialogue, documentary, grounded scenes | "Eye level, two characters facing each other" |
| Bird's-Eye View | Directly overhead, looking straight down | Maps, choreography, god-like perspective | "Bird's-eye view of the marketplace from above" |
| Worm's-Eye View | Extreme low, looking straight up | Towering scale, surreal, otherworldly | "Worm's-eye view looking up through the forest canopy" |
| Ground Level | Camera resting on the ground surface | Intimacy with terrain, small subjects, impact | "Ground level — ants marching across cracked earth" |
| Canted Angle Left | Tilted horizon, left lean (Dutch Tilt) | Unease, tension, psychological distortion | "Canted angle left as the hallway stretches ahead" |
| Canted Angle Right | Tilted horizon, right lean (Dutch Tilt) | Unease, tension, psychological distortion | "Canted angle right — the interrogation room feels wrong" |
| Static Oblique | Angled perspective, off-axis framing | Stylized composition, unease, visual interest | "Static oblique angle on the staircase" |
| Over-the-Shoulder (OTS) | Camera behind one subject's shoulder, facing the other | Conversation framing, shot-reverse-shot | "OTS from behind the detective, facing the suspect" |
| POV / First Person | Camera IS the character's eyes | Immersion, horror, subjective experience | "POV — hands push open the heavy wooden door" |
| Two-Shot | Two subjects framed together | Relationship, confrontation, dialogue | "Two-shot of the couple walking along the pier" |
| Cowboy Shot | Framed from mid-thigh up | Western standoffs, character swagger, action-ready | "Cowboy shot — hands hovering near the holster" |
| Control | What it does | Best for | Prompt phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extreme Long Shot (ELS) | Vast landscape, subject tiny or absent | Establishing location, isolation, epic scale | "Extreme long shot — lone figure crossing the salt flat" |
| Long Shot / Wide Shot (LS/WS) | Full body visible + surrounding environment | Establishing character in context, action scenes | "Wide shot of the dancer on the empty stage" |
| Medium Long Shot / Cowboy (MLS) | Mid-thigh up | Character stance, western standoffs, group dynamics | "Medium long shot — the three outlaws face the sheriff" |
| Medium Shot (MS) | Waist up | Dialogue, interviews, general narrative | "Medium shot — she leans against the bar, arms crossed" |
| Medium Close-Up (MCU) | Chest up | Emotional conversation, reaction shots | "Medium close-up as he reads the letter aloud" |
| Close-Up (CU) | Face fills the frame | Raw emotion, intensity, intimacy | "Close-up on her face — tears welling, jaw tight" |
| Extreme Close-Up (ECU) | Single feature (eye, hand, mouth) | Tension, detail, psychological intensity | "Extreme close-up on the twitching eye" |
| Insert Shot | Detail of an object or action | Plot detail, time pressure, texture | "Insert shot — the clock hand ticking past midnight" |
Layering two compatible movements creates richer shots:
| Combination | Effect | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Dolly In + Dutch Angle | Closing tension + instability | Villain reveal |
| Crane Up + 360 Orbit | Epic reveal of scale + isolation | Final battle end |
| FPV Drone + Crash Zoom In | Kinetic energy + sudden focus | Chase climax |
| Handheld + Action Run | Raw realism + pursuit urgency | Escape sequence |
Avoid conflicting moves: Don't combine Dolly In with Dolly Out, or Crane Up with Crane Down in the same shot — it creates visual contradiction.
Negative constraints: For temporal/consistency artifacts related to camera (contradictory movements, camera not working, static I2V) and their prevention phrases, see
../shared/negative-constraints.md— Temporal/Consistency Artifacts section.
These best practices apply to Cinema Studio 3.0's generation engine, available exclusively on Business and Team plans.
For any single shot, specify only ONE primary camera move. Do NOT stack multiple moves (e.g., dolly push + pan left + tilt up). This is the #1 cause of jitter, unwanted rotation, and failed generations.
Wrong: Camera: dolly push forward while panning left and tilting up to reveal the skyline
Right: Camera: slow dolly push from medium shot to tight close-up over 8 seconds
If you need multiple camera moves, break them into separate shots using Cinema Studio 3.0's Custom multi-shot mode.
| Genre | Primary Camera | Secondary | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product / E-commerce | Orbit, slow push-in, static | Crane down reveal | Handheld, whip pan |
| Lifestyle / Social | Handheld, static, slow pan | Dolly alongside | Dutch angle, crash zoom |
| Drama / Narrative | Slow push-in, dolly pull-out, tracking | Crane up | Fast moves, snap zoom |
| Music Video | Whip pan, snap zoom, fast tracking | 360 orbit | Static (too boring) |
| Horror | Slow creep (dolly in), static hold, Dutch angle | Crane down | Fast tracking (breaks tension) |
| Action / Chase | FPV drone, tracking, handheld run | Crash zoom | Static, slow orbit |
| Landscape / Travel | Crane up, slow pan, drone flyover | Dolly out reveal | Handheld, tight shots |
| Comedy / Social | Static (deadpan), snap zoom | Whip pan | Slow dramatic moves |
These phrases produce consistent, predictable results:
| Intent | Reliable Phrase |
|---|---|
| No camera motion | locked-off static camera, no movement |
| Slow approach | slow dolly push from medium shot to tight close-up over 8 seconds |
| Follow subject | handheld tracking following the subject, subtle shake, not chaotic |
| Reveal scale | crane shot rising from ground level to overhead |
| Circle subject | smooth 180-degree orbit at eye level, constant distance |
| Dramatic zoom | crash zoom from wide to extreme close-up on impact |
| POV movement | FPV camera weaving through the environment at walking pace |
The safest way to achieve complex camera motion is to clone it from a reference:
Match the camera movement from @Video1. A dancer performs on a rooftop at sunset.
This bypasses the One-Move Rule because the model extracts camera data directly from the reference rather than interpreting text instructions.
Action reference and camera reference can come from DIFFERENT videos. Separate them clearly:
Reference @Video1 for the character's movement and choreography.
Reference @Video2 for camera movement only.
A martial artist performs a spinning kick in a dojo.
Cinema Studio 3.0's "Smart" shot control delegates camera planning to the model. When you select Smart mode:
Smart mode prompt example:
Genre: Drama. A woman sits alone at a café table, stirring her coffee absently.
She notices someone through the window and her expression shifts from sadness to surprise.
(No camera instruction needed — Smart mode will select genre-appropriate drama camera work.)
higgsfield-motion — Named motion presets (VFX overlays applied with camera moves)higgsfield-cinema — Director Panel (18 Cinema Studio camera movements)higgsfield-image-shots — Camera angles and implied movement for still imageshiggsfield-prompt — MCSLA formula, prompt structurehiggsfield-style — Visual styles to pair with camera choicestemplates/ — Annotated genre-specific prompt templates demonstrating camera use