A track in is a camera movement in which the camera physically moves forward toward the subject along a dolly track, slider, or similar ground-based rail system, closing the distance between the lens and the subject and producing a gradual tightening of the frame. The track in is one of the fundamental camera movements in cinematography, distinct from a zoom in because it involves physical camera displacement through space, which changes the parallax relationships between near and far elements rather than simply magnifying the image optically.

As the camera tracks in, the field of view narrows as the subject fills more of the frame, and the background elements appear to shift and expand slightly relative to the foreground due to the changing viewing angle and parallax. This combination of subject enlargement and background shift gives a track in a physically real, spatial quality that a zoom cannot replicate. A slow track in builds tension, intimacy, or dramatic emphasis, drawing the viewer closer to the subject and signaling that the moment is important. A faster track in can convey urgency or aggression. The track in is used in virtually every genre of filmmaking and is one of the most versatile expressive tools available to a cinematographer. In AI video generation, "track in," "dolly in," "push in," and "move the camera forward toward" all communicate this movement, and the terms are largely interchangeable in prompt usage.

Combining a track in with specific subject framing instructions, such as "track in slowly from a wide shot to a medium close-up on the subject's face," helps AI generation tools understand both the movement and the intended start and end framing, producing clips that use the track in as a purposeful narrative device rather than simply as motion for its own sake.