A Good Camera operator combines a strong visual sense for form and

composition, an aesthetic sensitivity for the programs overall concept

and approach, and the physical skill and coordination necessary to
operate the camera smoothly. Before operating a camera one should
become familiar with the most common camera movements.

Movement of the camera with respect to the subject is called camera

movement.
1. Zoom
2. Movement of camera head
3. Movement of camera with mounting
Changing the focal length of the lens through the use of a zoom control.
While the camera remains stationary. To “zoom in” means to change
the lens gradually to a narrow angle position, there by making the scene
to appear to move closer to the viewer; to “Zoom out” means to change
the lens gradually to a wide angle position, there by making the scene
appear to move farther away from the viewer. A special effect zoom is
the snap zooms which is an extremely rapid zoom in or zoom out used
to emphasize the dramatic point or to punctuate an important moment
in the program.

Command “Zoom in” or “Zoom out”, some directors refers to “pull” in

or “pull out” for example start with the close up of the host, and pull
out to revel the guest.
A. Pan
B. Tilt
The horizontal movement of the camera on the stationary tripod or
pedestal.

Command ‘pan right’ or ‘pan left’ sometimes the director may give
more specific instructions such as pan right with the host as he walks to
the table.

A pan across a scene should never wonder aimlessly but should have a
definite starting point and a definite ending point.

Classification of Pan:

A. Follow Pan: - Follow pan is the common camera movement in

which the camera pans as it follows a moving subject.
B. Survey pan: - this is slow panning movement of the
camera; this is used to establish the whole scene.

C. Interrupted Pan: - This is a long-smooth movement of

the camera that suddenly stopped to give visual
contrast. This is used to link a series of isolated subject
and to highlight a particular subject.

D. Swish Pan: - Swish Pan means fast panning between

two subjects. This is used to change the attention of the
viewer from one subject to another. Swish pan is also
known as whip pan, zip pan or blur pan. Swish pan
turns so rapidly from one subject to the next that the
intermediate scene becomes a brief, streaking blur.
 The vertical movement of the camera on a stationary pedestal or
tripod. Pointing the camera upwards and downwards is tilting. Tilting like
panning allows you to visually connect subject or areas that are spaced
apart. Otherwise, you would need to intercut different shots, or use a
longer shot to include both subjects.

Tilting can be used: -

1. To emphasize height or depth-tilting up from a mountaineer…… to
show the steep difficult face to be climbed.
2. To show relationships – as the camera tilts from the rooftops
watcher….. down to his victim in the street below.

Command: “Tilt up” or “Tilt down

➢ Dolly: -
The movement of the camera on its mount towards or away from the subject
in more or less a straight line by means of a mobile camera mount. When you
“dolly in” you move the camera closer to the object, when you dolly out or dolly
back you move the camera farther away from the object. The director should
usually tell how fast or slow the speed of the dolly should be dolly movement
requires change in focus and proper framing through out the scene/shot.

➢ Truck: -
Moving the camera laterally by means of a mobile camera mount to the left with
the camera pointing at the right angle to the direction of travel. To “truck right”
means to move the camera mount to the right with the camera pointing at a right
angle to the direction of travel.
There is the big difference between a truck and a pan. The pan changes the
cameras horizontal field of view from a top a stationary pedestal. The truck actually
moves the camera, establishing a new shooting angle which results in much different
view of the subject or scene photographed.
➢ ARC: -
An ARC shot is a camera move around the subject. A camera ARC is similar
the camera moves in a rough semicircle around the subject. Arc is a combination
of a dolly and a truck the arc is a semicircular movement of the camera and its
pedestal.

➢ Pedestal: -
The movement of the camera up or down as the centre telescoping column of
the pedestal is raised or lowered.
Command: - “Pedestal up” or “pedestal down” the pedestal control on camera changes
its point of view just as though you viewed a scene sitting down and then stood up to
look around. The pedestal movement can be used to great advantage by the camera
operator and the director. It is important to realize that pedestaling up or down is not the
same thing as tilting up or down .
 Tilting the camera simply changes its angle of view from a
fixed operating height pedestalling actually varies the camera height
and results in a much different visual perspective of the scene which is
photographed.

Crane:
A crane is the movement of the camera a top the long arm of a
crane.
Command: - “crane up” or “crane down”. Some times the command
“Boom up” or “Boom down” is used. A horizontal movement of the
crane arm is called “tonguing” and the command is ‘tongue right’ or
‘tongue left’