By Mark Shapiro, Editor at Internet Video Magazine
Don’t just stand there. Move!
Whether you use a gimbal or a tripod, remember to move that video camera.
Here are six secrets of creative movement for your smartphone video camera.
These movements will instantly boost the cinematic quality of your footage and add visual interest to any scene.
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1. The Push-In (Dolly In)
Secret: Slowly move your phone forward toward the subject to create intimacy or drama.
Use it when: You want to emphasize a subject’s emotion or draw attention.
Example: A character realizing something important — push in slowly to increase emotional tension.
[📱] → → → [🎯 Subject]
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2. The Pull-Out (Dolly Out)
Secret: Move your phone backward away from the subject to reveal more context or create distance. This is extremely effective when pulling out and panning right or left at the same time.
Use it when: You want to reveal the environment, You want to show isolation or context and/or You’re transitioning from intimate to detached
Example: A lone figure on a mountaintop — start close up on their face and then pull out to show the vast surroundings.
[🎯 Subject] ← ← ← [📱]
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3. The Slide (Trucking your Camera)
Secret: Slide your phone left or right while keeping the subject centered or parallel.
←←← Camera Subject Camera →→→
[📱] [🎯] [📱]
Use it when: You want to reveal something, follow movement, or show spatial relationships.
Example: Moving alongside a walking person or sliding past a wall to reveal a hidden character. This is a very cool effect and can be extremely effective for transitions between scenes.
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4. The Arc
Secret: Move in a curved path around the subject to give a sense of 3D space and depth.
Use it when: You want to add
dynamic flow and show the subject in relation to the environment.
Example: Circling around a musician playing, to show both emotion and the crowd. Start with a close up of the musician playing on stage and then sewing around to show the enthusiastic audience!
You can dance with your camera.
📱
↘ ↖
📱 🎯 📱
↗ ↙
📱
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5. The Tilt Reveal
Secret: Tilt your camera up or down to reveal key information or shift focus.
[📱] 🔼 Tilt up: Ground → Sky
[📱] 🔽 Tilt down: Sky → Ground
Use it when: Revealing a surprise or transitioning between details and wider scenes.
Example: Starting on someone’s shoes and tilting up to reveal their expression or costume.
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6. The Follow (Tracking Shot)
Secret: Walk or move with your subject from behind, side, or in front.
This is extremely effective when using a gimbal. A very cool effect is when the camera is attached to the moving person so that their face is in focus and the background is rapidly changing.
📱 ⇨ 🚶♂️
Camera follows walking subject.
Use it when: You want the audience to feel like they’re part of the scene.
Example: Walking behind someone through a crowd or alley to build suspense or immersion.
Combine Your Moves!
Your smartphone is small and compact and is built to move. Static shots are boring. Keeping moving – it is a visual dance. Whether you are using a small gimble or are holding your smartphone, move it around.
See this image combining two moves – pull out to reveal and a pan.
