AI Video Camera Prompts
Give every camera move a clear path and purpose
Camera movement should reveal information or follow the subject. Define the starting shot, direction, speed, and ending shot so the camera has one clear task.
Source review: . Examples are original editorial drafts, not measured generation results.
- 01Name the starting and ending shot sizes
- 02Simplify the camera when action is complex
- 03Keep one primary move per short shot
A camera instruction needs four parts
The opening shot establishes where the audience starts. Direction explains whether the camera approaches, recedes, or moves around the subject. Speed controls pacing. The ending shot defines where the movement stops.
“Cinematic camera movement” supplies no path. “Push slowly from a wide shot to a medium shot and stop steadily above the waist” does.
Three reusable camera prompts
Begin in a wide shot of an elderly man sitting alone on a bench by the sea. Push forward in a straight line at a very slow speed, moving from a wide shot to a medium close-up and stopping steadily above his chest. He only raises his head slightly toward the water. Do not shake or change direction. Overcast soft light, quiet realistic cinema.
A girl in a yellow raincoat walks forward along a wet street. Track from her left rear at the same speed, maintaining a medium shot and constant distance. She follows a straight path and the umbrella moves naturally. Do not overtake her, cut to the front, or add an orbit.
Begin in a medium shot of a hiker adjusting a backpack on a ridge. After finishing, the hiker looks toward the horizon. Pull back slowly and rise slightly, transitioning to an extreme wide shot that reveals mountains and a sea of clouds, then hold. Keep the character in place and preserve the background structure.
Six practical camera moves
- Locked shot: micro-expressions, hand actions, and close observation.
- Slow push-in: direct attention from the environment to a subject.
- Natural pull-back: reveal context after an action finishes.
- Steady tracking: follow walking, running, or vehicle motion with a clear direction.
- Subtle lateral move: reveal depth while keeping movement restrained.
- Slow orbit: work around a static subject or simple pose; simplify the character action.
Four combinations that create conflicting instructions
For an intentionally complex move, use explicit time segments or separate shots. ByteDance's Seedance 2.5 examples use timed instructions for narrative, shot-size changes, and camera movement.
- Fast running with a large orbit
- A facial close-up that must also reveal the full landscape
- A locked camera that also follows a moving subject
- A short shot that pushes, slides, rises, and rapidly pulls back
References
Model features can change. Check the current official pages before relying on a version-specific capability.
- ByteDance Seed. Seedance 2.5 timed camera example. Accessed 5 Sept. 2026.
- ByteDance Seed. Seedance 1.0 multi-shot generation. Accessed 5 Sept. 2026.