Language: English

Arc

A movement where the camera keeps looking at the character while curving around them for part of a circle. Holding the same distance, the view shifts from front to side, so the character looks three-dimensional and the moment feels embraced. Going all the way around is called an orbit.

Camera seen at an angle from above. On a 2.6 m circle around the character, it curves from front-left to front-right and back.
Camera view. The bunny stays in the center, and the buildings behind turn the opposite way.

How it feels

  • Embrace
  • Depth
  • Rising emotion
  • Romantic
  • Dramatic

When to use it

  • Wrapping around lovers embracing in the rain
  • Emphasizing the moment a character makes a decision
  • Curving from a front view into an over-the-shoulder view
  • Showing a product from several angles

In the movies

Reservoir Dogs (1992) · Source: The Dollar Theater (YouTube) · Original video
La La Land (2016) · Source: Movieclips (YouTube) · Original video

    Not to be confused with

    Orbit
    The same circular path, but an orbit keeps going for a full turn or more. CineBunny calls anything under half a turn an arc.
    Truck
    A truck goes straight sideways with its direction fixed. An arc curves around toward the character, so the character always stays in the center.

    Prompt

    Keyword

    arc shot

    Descriptive

    Arc shot. The camera travels along a curved path around the subject at a constant distance, from the front toward the side, keeping them centered while the background rotates behind them.

    Try these combinations

    • Arc shot: an embrace in the rain

      Slow arc shot around a couple embracing in the rain at night, streetlights, romantic

    • Arc + low angle: just before the final battle

      180-degree arc around a boxer in the ring before the final round, low angle, dramatic

    Related terms