{
 "slug": "slow-zoom-in",
 "name": "Slow zoom in",
 "category": "move",
 "group": "Zoom and lens",
 "media": [
  "video"
 ],
 "checked": "2026-10-13",
 "effect": "Builds tension or focus without the camera moving; the background flattens.",
 "use_when": "A realisation, a dramatic line, a product that should feel more and more important.",
 "phrase": "slow zoom in on her face, the camera stays in place while the lens tightens the frame",
 "pitfalls": [
  {
   "text": "A zoom changes the lens and flattens the picture; a dolly moves the camera and keeps the depth. Say which one you mean.",
   "evidence": "film-craft",
   "source": "Director Chair field notes on video prompting"
  }
 ],
 "per_model": [],
 "external_refs": [
  {
   "site": "aicameramovements",
   "url": "https://aicameramovements.com/",
   "what": "a looping example clip of this move and a free prompt card (link only)"
  },
  {
   "site": "shotdeck",
   "url": "https://shotdeck.com/",
   "what": "real film examples of this camera move (paid, link only)"
  },
  {
   "site": "flim",
   "url": "https://flim.ai/",
   "what": "film, ad and music-video stills of this camera move (free tier, link only)"
  }
 ],
 "licensed": [
  {
   "site": "aicameramovements",
   "name": "Slow zoom in",
   "text": "slow zoom in. Movement: slowly increase lens focal length toward a tighter frame. Speed: gradual and even. Framing: keep the main visual target readable as it becomes larger in frame. End: finish on a stable tighter composition.",
   "credit": "AI Camera Movements (aicameramovements.com)",
   "source_url": "https://aicameramovements.com/previews/hq/05-slow-zoom-in-hq.mp4",
   "group": "Zoom/Lens",
   "intensity": null,
   "cue": null,
   "shot": "Shot 05",
   "family": null,
   "aliases": [],
   "media": {
    "video": "/media/aicameramovements/05-slow-zoom-in-hq.mp4",
    "card": "/media/aicameramovements/05-slow-zoom-in-hq-card.mp4",
    "poster": "/media/aicameramovements/05-slow-zoom-in-hq.jpg",
    "card_poster": "/media/aicameramovements/05-slow-zoom-in-hq-card.jpg",
    "width": 1280,
    "height": 720,
    "duration": 15
   }
  }
 ],
 "site_names": [
  "Slow zoom in"
 ],
 "related": [
  "dolly-in",
  "slow-zoom-out",
  "crash-zoom"
 ],
 "rights": "own-work",
 "evidence": "film-craft",
 "source": {
  "url": null,
  "note": "Move names and the seven groups from aicameramovements.com (names and structure only); behaviour and numbers in our own words from Director Chair field notes on video prompting and the first Director Chair spec"
 },
 "body": "## Move card\n\n- **Camera:** stays put while the lens tightens\n- **Pace:** slow and even\n- **Keep:** the main subject readable as it grows\n- **Ends:** a calm tighter frame",
 "shown_with": null,
 "url": "https://directorchair.ai/move/slow-zoom-in",
 "markdown": "https://directorchair.ai/move/slow-zoom-in.md",
 "prompts": {
  "seedance-2.5": "Scene: [your subject] in [your setting].\nShot 1 (0:00 to 0:05): one continuous shot\nOptics and camera: Slow zoom in on the subject's face, the camera stays in place while the lens tightens the frame. Camera: stays put while the lens tightens. Pace: slow and even. Keep: the main subject readable as it grows. Ends: a calm tighter frame.\nReference clip (Slow zoom in): https://directorchair.ai/media/aicameramovements/05-slow-zoom-in-hq.mp4",
  "seedance-2.0": "Scene: [your subject] in [your setting].\nShot 1: one continuous shot\nOptics and camera: Slow zoom in on the subject's face, the camera stays in place while the lens tightens the frame. Camera: stays put while the lens tightens. Pace: slow and even. Keep: the main subject readable as it grows. Ends: a calm tighter frame.\nReference clip (Slow zoom in): https://directorchair.ai/media/aicameramovements/05-slow-zoom-in-hq.mp4",
  "kling-3": "[your subject]. The scene is [your setting]. Slow zoom in on the subject's face, the camera stays in place while the lens tightens the frame. Camera: stays put while the lens tightens. Pace: slow and even. Keep: the main subject readable as it grows. Ends: a calm tighter frame.\nReference clip (Slow zoom in): https://directorchair.ai/media/aicameramovements/05-slow-zoom-in-hq.mp4",
  "veo-3.1": "Slow zoom in on the subject's face, the camera stays in place while the lens tightens the frame. Camera: stays put while the lens tightens. Pace: slow and even. Keep: the main subject readable as it grows. Ends: a calm tighter frame. [your subject] in [your setting]. Framing and subject stay as in the start image.\nReference clip (Slow zoom in): https://directorchair.ai/media/aicameramovements/05-slow-zoom-in-hq.mp4"
 },
 "licence": {
  "code": "MIT",
  "text": "CC BY 4.0",
  "third_party": "Clips and card texts inside a \"licensed\" block belong to their makers and are shown with permission and credit."
 }
}