# Aim Camera and Target

A camera with a target object stays pointed at that object as the subject moves. Set the target once; the camera tracks across the shot's animation timeline. The right tool for car follow-shots, character tracking, and any scenario where the camera should stay locked on a moving point.

![Build mode with the aim target widget placed on a chair in a busy outdoor cafe scene. The target appears as a crosshair anchored to the chair's position, with the picture-in-picture overhead view in the top-left](/files/iFjYW5Z4iTZJnpZMTmO5)

## What it does

Authoring camera tracking by hand means setting a rotation keyframe every frame the subject moves – tedious, error-prone, and a hassle to adjust. Aim Camera and Target replaces the per-frame rotation work with a single binding: this camera follows that object. Move the subject, change the subject's animation, swap the subject for a different one – the camera continues to point at whatever object is bound as the target.

## How to use it

The flow crosses both Build and Compose modes. Place the target in Build, bind the camera in Compose.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

#### Drop an aim target on the subject (Build mode)

In Build mode, position the aim target on the object you want the camera to follow. The target shows as a crosshair anchored to the object's position. Use the picture-in-picture overhead view to verify exact placement; the target is precise enough that off-by-a-bit becomes off-by-a-lot at long focal lengths.

![Top-down framing of the cafe scene with the aim target's wireframe selection widget visible on the chair, surrounded by other props. Use this view to position the target precisely](/files/1dQpNTJVZgNFqTW5ubOC)
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Switch to Compose and open the shot

Switch to Compose mode and add a shot (or pick an existing one). The shot's camera is what's about to get bound to the target.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Bind the camera to the target

With the shot active, bind the camera to the aim target placed in Build. The camera rotates to point at it; if the target animates within the shot's timeline, the camera tracks live.

![Compose mode with the camera locked on the chair as the subject. As the camera moves through the cafe, it stays pointed at the target without manual rotation keyframes](/files/AtNlzRqDQwz0i2suUWlH)
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Scrub to verify

Scrub the shot's animation timeline. The camera follows the target through every keyframe – no per-frame rotation work needed.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## When to reach for it

* **Vehicle follow shots.** A car moving through a scene with the camera tracking it from a parallel position. Set the car as the target; move the camera position over time; the camera stays pointed at the car.
* **Character tracking.** A character walking through a set, camera following at a respectful distance. Same pattern.
* **Object hand-offs.** A character throws a ball; the camera follows the ball. Set the ball as target, the camera tracks the throw arc automatically.

When not to reach for it:

* **Static framings.** A locked-off shot doesn't need a target – just point the camera and don't animate it.
* **Hyper-specific framings that need to drift off-target on purpose.** Aim and Target locks the camera on; if you want the camera to deliberately wander off, animate the camera's rotation directly without a target binding.

## Limits and known issues

* **Targets are object-level, not bone-level.** You can target a character, but you can't target the character's *face* specifically. The camera aims at the character's pivot, which is usually near the hips. Adjust the offset to push the framing toward the head.
* **Multiple targets aren't supported.** A single camera can have one target at a time. For "follow A, then transition to follow B" you'd use two shots, each with its own target binding.
* **Target swaps don't animate.** Changing the target mid-shot causes a snap rather than a smooth transition. To transition between subjects, use two shots.

## Related

* [Camera controls](/compose/camera-controls.md)
* [Shots](/compose/shots.md)
* [Animation](/compose/animation.md)
* [Working with objects](/build/working-with-objects.md) – setting an object as a target.
* [Object details](/build/object-details.md) – per-object metadata that affects how an aim target reads.
* [Control shot composition](/overview/how-to/control-ai-composition.md) – the full Compose-mode framing workflow.


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