Zoom, 3D Punch, And Animation

Motion tools help viewers follow technical detail without making the whole video feel busy. Use them to emphasize what changed, where to look, or why a moment matters.

Zoom

Use zoom when the important UI is too small, the recording includes too much surrounding space, or the viewer needs to focus on one region.

• Add a zoom at the playhead for a focused moment.
• Adjust the zoom target in the preview or inspector.
• Tune smoothness so the move feels intentional.
• Keep the zoom active long enough for the viewer to read the content.

Zoom is especially helpful for code, terminal output, browser developer tools, and dense dashboards.

Smart Zoom

Smart Zoom places and frames zooms for you based on what happened during the session, so you can skip manual keyframing on busy recordings.

• It reads the activity captured during recording: cursor movement, clicks, IDE selections and file or function context, and Chrome browser telemetry such as clicks, selections, and route changes.
• It weighs those signals to pick the focus region, choose a zoom scale, and frame the shot. Tighter scales come from focused IDE selections or web element interactions, while generic scrolling stays gently framed.
• The camera is stabilized with a dead-zone so it stays calm instead of chasing every cursor sample.
• For code, framing nudges toward the leading edge so selected lines stay readable instead of being centered behind a webcam or panel.

Smart Zoom needs activity to work from. The richer the captured context, the better its suggestions:

• The editor extension adds IDE cursor, selection, and function context.
• The Chrome browser extension adds privacy-aware browser interaction context.

Suggested zooms land on the timeline as normal, editable zoom segments. Review each one, then retime, reframe, change the scale, or remove it like any manual zoom. Smart Zoom is a starting point, not a locked decision.

Pan and Reframe

Pan and reframe moves shift attention without necessarily making the content feel like a dramatic camera effect.

• Use reframe when the important part of the screen moves.
• Use manual framing when automatic framing does not match your story.
• Preview the transition before export, especially after aspect-ratio changes.

For vertical clips, reframing can be more important than scale. A 9:16 canvas often needs the subject centered more aggressively than a 16:9 tutorial.

3D Punch

3D punch tilts or pushes the screen recording for emphasis. It works best as a short visual accent around a key moment.

• Add a 3D punch at the playhead.
• Choose a subtle or dramatic preset as a starting point.
• Tune tilt, depth, perspective, entry, and exit duration.
• Use it sparingly so it stays meaningful.

Good uses include revealing a result, highlighting a before/after change, or giving a launch clip a stronger visual beat.

Spotlight

Spotlight emphasis dims surrounding content and keeps a selected region visible.

Use spotlight when the screen is too busy for a callout alone. It pairs well with narration like "look at this value" or "the important part is here."

Animation Presets

Presets are starting points, not final decisions. Apply one, preview it in context, then adjust timing and intensity.

• Subtle presets fit tutorials and documentation videos.
• Dramatic presets fit launch clips and social clips.
• Smooth zoom presets are useful when the viewer needs to read during motion.
• Gentle reframe presets work when the subject moves gradually.

Timing Motion

Motion should support the edit rhythm.

• Start a zoom slightly before the moment the viewer needs detail.
• Hold long enough for reading.
• Exit after the point is made.
• Avoid cutting away in the middle of a motion unless that is intentional.

Review motion together with subtitles, cursor pulses, keyboard HUD, callouts, and webcam placement. Those elements all compete for attention.

Troubleshooting

If motion feels distracting, reduce intensity, shorten the transition, or remove competing overlays. If text is still hard to read, increase zoom or use an annotation instead of relying only on camera movement. If a vertical crop misses the subject, reframe the segment after choosing the final aspect ratio.