Design and preview camera movement
Preview dolly, pan, orbit and other moves before applying them.
On this page
What this helps you do
Preview dolly, pan, orbit and other moves before applying them.
When to use it
The static composition works and a shot now needs a deliberate movement over time.
Before you begin
Use the desktop app and check the edition requirement: Pro / active trial. The current published version is shown above. Confirm the selected item and playhead before changing anything. This audit does not verify a physical Windows device.
Step by step
Screenshots: Mac v1.7.0 Follow each step with the real app interface below. Select an image to enlarge the marked area.
- Select the intended camera and choose a movement intent and interval.
Figure 1 Camera movement contains base presets and overlays. Check the affected time range first. - Check start, end, amount, direction and easing, then preview. Creating camera movement does not move the characters.
Figure 2 Camera movement contains base presets and overlays. Check the affected time range first. - Watch for the subject leaving frame, occlusion and walls. Cancel or adjust the preview before applying it.
Figure 3 Check composition in the camera image, including the start, turns and end during playback. - After applying, play back the result and verify Undo. Refine the camera keys or independent movement settings when needed.
Figure 4 Channels and curves in the real curve editor show how transform values change over time.
Camera-motion duration is independent of program adoption duration: editing a cut does not edit motion, and the camera holds its last arranged pose afterward.
Changes in 1.6.0
While paused, dragging a camera or its focus updates the camera monitor and multicamera cards continuously, before release. Camera paths use soft blue to distinguish them from green actor paths. In multicamera mode, drag either end of the camera-motion bar to resize its motion range or drag the body to move it. This edits that camera motion only, preserving program cuts, actors and other cameras. Release commits one edit; Esc cancels. Resizing retimes the camera’s current motion arrangement.
Changes in 1.7.0
Replacing a dynamic movement preset preserves the camera’s existing clock mode. Keys on a full-program camera can move to either side of its cut-in point. Old projects do not change timing automatically; select a new mode explicitly and inspect the whole shot.
Settings and edit scope
| Control or concept | Meaning and boundary |
|---|---|
| Preview / apply | Preview should not commit a project edit; Apply commits the arrangement. |
| Orbit | An independent movement around the aim point, not a polygonal approximation. |
| Dolly zoom | Links focal length and distance; subject motion and occlusion can still change the silhouette. |
Check the result
The applied move matches the preview, frames the subject as intended and can be undone.
Troubleshooting and recovery
Camera movement is not automatic obstacle avoidance or a guarantee of identical subject pixels under arbitrary motion. Inspect each interval.
If the result is unexpected, stop playback, check the selected item and time, and use Undo before making another change. Keep a backup rather than repeatedly overwriting the project.
Keep learning
Include your app version, operating system and the error message. Never include your license or API key.