How does Camera Movement Work in Film?

Camera Movement

The pan is a term used for rotating the camera during a scene whilst keeping the camera in it's current placement. Two types of pan movements are the whip pan and the slow pan, both having different purposes. The whip pan is the film equivalent of quickly turning to look at something, and creates a sudden jolt of energy, whereas the slow pan gives the audience time to take in the landscape in a scene.

Tilt shots are often used to reveal something to us, and divert our attention from what is currently happening in a scene. The dolly zoom is a smooth movement which entails moving the camera through a space in a scene, creating a different visual experience. When the dolly and zoom movements are used at the same time, it shows the viewers that the character who is the subject of this scene is having an intense internal experience. The steadicam is a movement which creates the same effect as the dolly shot, however as the camera is placed/mounted on the shoulder of a cameraman, the camera is able to move more gracefully and steadily. The handheld shot is a more shakey intense camera movement which can cause the viewer to feel a higher sense of panic, tension, or anxiety during a scene. 

The ultimate challenge for the director of a film in terms of camera movement is figuring out how to  combine these camera movements in a unique way which affects the audience in the way the director intends to. When creating these sequences, it is important that directors ask themselves if it they are using these movements in a way which compliments the story. Camera movements should be able to effectively move the audience's point of attention in a way which is relevant to the overall story of the visual text and what is occurring in the scene.