A boom down is a vertical camera movement in which the camera descends along a vertical axis using a boom arm, crane, or jib, lowering from a higher position to a lower one while the camera itself remains level and facing forward. Unlike a tilt, which pivots the camera angle downward, a boom down physically moves the entire camera and lens to a lower position in space, changing the height from which the scene is viewed.

Boom downs are executed using cranes, jib arms, telescoping booms, or camera rigs mounted on vertical movement systems. The movement can be combined with other camera motions, such as a simultaneous pan or a forward dolly move, to create complex compound trajectories. Cinematographically, a boom down can be used to descend into a scene from an establishing height, to follow a subject moving downward, or to transition from a wide overview into a more intimate ground-level perspective. The gradual descent creates a sense of arrival or immersion as the camera drops toward the action. In drone videography, a boom down is achieved by reducing altitude while maintaining a forward-facing or fixed angle, and is a common way to reveal a location by starting high and dropping into it.

When prompting AI video generation, "boom down," "camera descends," or "lower from above to ground level" describes this movement. Combining a boom down with a wide establishing shot starting high and a medium or closer framing at the bottom of the movement conveys the full spatial transition the move is designed to create.