Crash zoom

A jolt: sudden emphasis, often comic or dramatic.

Use when: Reaction shots, mockumentary humour, a reveal that should feel like a punchline.

Prompt instructions

Scene: [your subject] in [your setting]. Shot 1 (0:00 to 0:05): one continuous shot Optics and camera: Crash zoom onto his face, a snap from medium shot to tight close-up in a fraction of a second. Camera: snaps the lens in or out. Pace: near instant, punchy. Keep: the target readable through the jump. Ends: a bold frame at the new size. Reference clip (Crash zoom in): https://directorchair.ai/media/aicameramovements/07a-crash-zoom-in-v2-hq.mp4

Download reference

Seedance 2.5 reads labelled blocks with timecodes.

Reference clip by AI Camera Movements, shown with permission.

Your subjectYour setting

Move card

Camera: Snaps the lens in or out
Pace: Near instant, punchy
Keep: The target readable through the jump
Ends: A bold frame at the new size

Say it like this

Crash zoom onto his face, a snap from medium shot to tight close-up in a fraction of a second.

Watch out

Crash zooms add chaotic energy; use one per sequence or they cancel each other out.unverified: A 2026 model-syntax study for a prompt builder, summarised in Director Chair field notes on video prompting, not measured by us

The maker's card

crash zoom in. Movement: snap the lens rapidly toward the main visual target. Speed: very fast and punchy. Framing: keep the target readable through the sudden scale change. End: land on a bold tighter composition.AI Camera Movements (aicameramovements.com)
crash zoom out. Movement: snap the lens rapidly away from the main visual target. Speed: very fast and punchy. Framing: keep the target readable as the surrounding space appears. End: land on a bold wider composition.AI Camera Movements (aicameramovements.com)

More clips on this card

Crash zoom out

Fast zoomPrompt

Whip panPrompt

Sources

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 Checked 2026-10-13.

AI Camera Movements: a looping example clip of this move and a free prompt card (link only)

Camera Control: a free 3D stage to place the person and set the lens before you generate

For agents: this card as markdown, as JSON.

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