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A camera move. The camera rotates on its mount from side to side. Usage: "pan left," "pan right." Non-filmmakers often make the error of saying "pan up" or "pan down" — this is actually a Tilt.

Short for panorama.

In some contexts, this sort of movement is called "yaw".

In traditional animation, pan refers to sliding the artwork under the camera (which is suspended vertically and locked in place). In that context, "pan up" and "pan down" are acceptable. Panning each level at a different speed creates Motion Parallax to give an illusion of depth.

Contrast Truck, which is horizontally moving the camera without rotating it. Compare Tilt, vertically rotating the camera, and Dolly, moving the camera along the z-axis (toward or away the subject).

Super-Trope of Orbital Kiss (an Orbital Shot but with kissing), "Pan from the Sky" Beginning (a story begins with the view panning down from the sky), "Pan Up to the Sky" Ending (the view pans up to the sky upon the end of a story arc), and Puzzle Pan (the camera explores the route you should take before you begin).


Examples:


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