Film grammar / Camera movements
Dolly Zoom
Dolly and zoom in opposite directions: the background warps, the subject stays.
What it is
The dolly zoom (the "Vertigo effect") moves the camera toward or away from the subject while zooming the opposite way. The subject stays the same size but the background stretches or collapses - a physical sensation of dread or revelation.
When to use it
Hitchcock's Vertigo and Spielberg's Jaws made it famous. Used sparingly, it is still one of the strongest single effects in cinema.
How to prompt it
Few video models do a true dolly zoom yet. The most reliable phrasing is "dolly zoom (Vertigo effect): the camera moves back while zooming in, subject stays the same size, background stretches". Test it on a static subject first.
Dolly zoom, Vertigo effect: the camera moves backward while zooming in, a man sitting alone in a hospital corridor stays the same size while the corridor stretches behind him.
Related push-in shots
Night Bus Stop
slow push-inwide
The Room
slow push-inmedium
Blue Glow
slow push-inclose-up
Bamboo Duel
slow push-infull
Set
slow push-inmedium
The Vault
slow push-infull
Dead Mall
slow push-inextreme-wide
The Cottage
slow push-inwide
Porch
slow push-inwide