How Do Camera Movements Create Emotions?

Crane down - A crane shot moves the audience down into the scene, creating a feeling of being dropped into the character's world.

Crane up - A crane up moving from focusing on the character into a wider frame of the background shows the viewer how small the character is in comparison to the obstacle that he has to overcome.

Crane high to low angle - When the camera moves into a low angle onto the character, it evokes a sense of fear since the character appears very authoritative and strong. 

Handheld - Handheld movement has shakiness, which causes the scene to seem very dangerous and unsettling. 

Quickpan - A quickpan can suddenly change the emotion of the scene, since it reveals a new danger that the character has to overcome. This movement has the power of directing the emotion.

Quick push in - The sudden movement shows a feeling of shock and surprise.

Slow dolly in - The movement towards the character can bring the audience closer towards the subject of the film. This can either create tension by establishing an uncomfortable feeling or create understanding for the character by allowing the audience to share the emotions. 

Slow dolly out - Moving the camera away from the character can make the character seem abandoned. Therefore, the viewer feels empathy for the character and wants him to overcome the obstacle. 

Dolly across - A movement across shows the emotional direction of the scene since it reveals the source of conflict.

Glidecam shot - A smooth glide creates a dramatic, epic feeling.

Handheld shot - The handheld shot's shakiness produces a edgy feeling like the action is being forced onto the viewer.

Glidecam 360 reveal - The 360 reveal creates anticipation for upcoming action since it surveys the surrounding in search for a situation to focus on.

Zolly - This is a shot that is an interesting combination of the zoom and the dolly. The subject remains the same size, while the background gets larger or smaller. It feels like an "out-of-body experience" to the character which can create an dramatic and emotional scene.

Zoom - A movement into or out of the scene. It can shift focus onto a specific subject or away from something to create a broader feel.

Pan - The movement to the left and right while the base stays fixed. Only the camera direction changes to give an overview of the location. It establishes the location of the scene, providing perspective for the upcoming action.

Tracking - This movement shifts the entire camera from left to right in a fluid motion.

Tilt - The base is fixated, while the camera direction shifts up and down. These shots are usually used to introduce characters and give them a sense of power.

Dolly - Similar to tracking, this is the movement of the camera in and out in a fluid motion.