Camera Overlays

Camera overlays allow you to annotate your storyboard images with visual indicators showing camera movements. These overlays help communicate how shots should be filmed and make your storyboards more professional and easier to understand for production teams.

Adding Overlays

To add a camera overlay to a beat:

1. Select a beat node in the node view
2. In the Properties Panel, find the Camera Overlays section
3. Click the + Add Overlay... dropdown
4. Select the type of camera movement you want to indicate

You can add multiple overlays to a single beat to show complex camera movements.

Available Overlay Types

Pan & Tilt Movements

Pan Left / Pan Right

• Horizontal camera rotation
• Curved arrow at the bottom of the frame
• Indicates the camera pivoting left or right on its axis

Tilt Up / Tilt Down

• Vertical camera rotation
• Curved arrow on the right side of the frame
• Indicates the camera pivoting up or down on its axis

Boom Up / Boom Down

• Vertical camera elevation
• Straight arrow on the right side of the frame
• Indicates the camera physically moving up or down

Dolly Movements

Truck Left / Truck Right

• Horizontal camera movement
• Straight arrow at the bottom of the frame
• Indicates the camera physically moving left or right

Push In

• Camera moving toward the subject
• Four corner arrows pointing inward
• Shows the camera getting closer to the action

Pull Back

• Camera moving away from the subject
• Four corner arrows pointing outward
• Shows the camera revealing more of the scene

Zoom Operations

Zoom In

• Lens zooming in (tighter framing)
• Frame rectangle with arrows pointing inward
• Shows the subject getting larger without camera movement

Zoom Out

• Lens zooming out (wider framing)
• Frame rectangle with arrows pointing outward
• Shows more of the scene being revealed

Frame

• Static frame reference
• Rectangle overlay without arrows
• Useful for showing the end frame of other movements

Customizing Overlays

Each overlay can be customized with the following properties:

Opacity

• Range: 0-100%
• Default: 80%
• Controls how visible the overlay is on the image

Size

• Range: 10-100% (for pan, tilt, truck, boom movements)
• Range: 50-200% (for push-in, pull-back movements)
• Adjusts the scale of the overlay graphic

Frame Size (for zoom and frame overlays)

• Range: 20-80%
• Controls the size of the frame rectangle
• Automatically constrains position to keep frame within bounds

Frame Position (for zoom and frame overlays)

• X and Y sliders
• Position the frame rectangle anywhere within the image
• Automatically limited to prevent the frame from going off-screen

Color (for non-image overlays)

• Color picker with hex input
• Default: White (#FFFFFF)
• Change the color to match your needs or improve visibility

Managing Overlays

Reordering

• Overlays are listed in the order they were added
• The rendering order matches the list order

Deleting

• Click the × button next to an overlay to remove it
• This action cannot be undone

Multiple Overlays

• You can combine multiple overlay types on a single beat
• For example: Pan Right + Zoom In shows a camera pan while zooming
• Overlays render on top of each other in the order added

Export Behavior

Camera overlays are included when you export your storyboard:

• PDF Export: Overlays are rendered directly on each image
• Image Sequence: Each frame includes its configured overlays
• Final Draft: Overlays appear in the exported script images

This ensures your camera directions are preserved in all exported formats.

Tips & Best Practices

1. Keep it Simple: Use only the overlays needed to communicate the shot
2. Adjust Opacity: If overlays obscure important details, reduce opacity
3. White Works Best: The default white color is visible on most images
4. Combine Movements: Layer overlays to show complex camera work (e.g., Pan + Zoom)
5. Frame for End Position: Use the Frame overlay to show where push-in or pull-back movements end
6. Size Appropriately: Adjust overlay size based on image complexity

Camera Movement Quick Reference

Movement	Physical?	Lens?	Common Use
Pan	No (rotation)	No	Follow action horizontally
Tilt	No (rotation)	No	Follow action vertically
Boom	Yes	No	Dramatic height changes
Truck	Yes	No	Follow parallel to subject
Push In	Yes	No	Intimate, tension building
Pull Back	Yes	No	Reveal context, information
Zoom In	No	Yes	Quick focus change, unnatural feel
Zoom Out	No	Yes	Reveal surprise, context

Understanding the difference between physical camera movements and lens-based zooms helps you choose the right overlay for your creative intent.