Installing Cinemachine
Use the Unity Package Manager (in the top menu: Window > Package Manager) to select Cinemachine for installation. If you don't see the package, look for a dropdown menu above the list and select “All packages”.
Cinemachine is free and available for any project. If you already have it installed, you may update to the latest version.
For games
Cinemachine speeds up game development. It frees your team from expensive camera-logic development and allows you to iterate and prototype new ideas on the fly while saving settings in play mode. From first-person shooter to follow cam, from 2D to 3D, from real-time play to cutscene, Cinemachine camera modules have been perfected over many years.
Configure the camera so it automatically rotates to keep your subjects at any position in screen space. Composer allows for real-time procedural composition with controls for follow lag, width/height damping and even motion look-ahead to adjust framing like a pro.
Attach the camera to any object or set it to follow any object, with a wide range of options and behaviors. Set up how you’d like the camera to follow the object and it will do so under varying conditions.
Easily manage 3rd-person action-adventure orbit cameras with an industry-proven sophisticated orbit camera rig, With numerous controls for orbit speed, shape, recentering, damping and input type. Blend multiple Free Look cameras depending on game events for incredible control.
Cinemachine supports a number of 2D-specific features, including orthographic rendering and 2D framing, where you can compose, track and follow objects. Setting up a powerful 2D camera is incredibly easy.
Easily target a group of objects and adjust the weight and influence of each object in the group. Target Group provides dynamically configurable ways to track, compose, and adjust FOV and even camera position based on what multiple subjects are doing.
Specify how any two cameras will blend together. Useful in state-machine type setups where sophisticated blending relationships are desired. Since it’s an asset, you can create custom camera blend setups per level.
The Impulse module provides a complete camera shake system. Setup Impulse sources on objects and the camera will respond appropriately based on scale and distance with a 6 dimensional shake that you can hand-craft or procedurally generate.
Customize your shots by mixing between up to 8 virtual cameras, and control the mix manually, through Timeline, or by code. Mixer is an incredibly versatile system where multiple camera attributes can be combined to create the perfect shot under varying conditions.
Easily manage and automate wall and object avoidance for any Cinemachine camera without any need for code. Collider provides multiple methods to help keep your camera from getting tangled with things in the world.
Define interior boundaries for your cameras that automatically prevent the camera from leaving specific volumes or areas, all with lower overhead than colliders.
Easily add handheld motion or any other type of shake to cameras without keyframing or using presets or manual controls. Cinemachine’s multilayered Perlin noise system also has a visual graph display so you can see exactly what’s happening.
Easily control the priority of cameras in large state-machine setups so that the most desired camera plays in any scenario.
Easily configure multiple Cinemachine “Brains” to allow for picture-in-picture, split screen or quad split screen. Assign Cinemachine cameras to any or all “Brains” and even blend from single to split screen and back.
Automatically and always get the subject the right size on screen in scenarios where the positions of characters could be variable. Camera will dynamically set zoom to ensure subjects are the desired screen size, no matter what. Great for interactive dialog scenes.
Create custom looks for each Cinemachine camera and blend between them. Cinemachine supports post-processing profiles and will cut or blend those settings along with whatever the cameras are doing.
Always cut to a good shot. If something gets between the character or subject, Clear Shot will pick the best camera based on evaluation of the shot. An amazing feature for replays or cutscenes with variable scenarios.
Easily configure multiple Cinemachine “Brains” to allow for picture-in-picture, split screen or quad split screen. Assign Cinemachine cameras to any or all “Brains” and even blend from single to split screen and back.
Automatically and always get the subject the right size on screen in scenarios where the positions of characters could be variable. Camera will dynamically set zoom to ensure subjects are the desired screen size, no matter what. Great for interactive dialog scenes.
Create custom looks for each Cinemachine camera and blend between them. Cinemachine supports post-processing profiles and will cut or blend those settings along with whatever the cameras are doing.
Always cut to a good shot. If something gets between the character or subject, Clear Shot will pick the best camera based on evaluation of the shot. An amazing feature for replays or cutscenes with variable scenarios.
For film and video
Cinemachine is your virtual DP, knowing where to aim and focus. Experiment with dollies, tracking, shake and post-FX in real-time. It's procedural, so changes just work. Animation changes after layout are no problem – Cinemachine knows how you want your shots and dynamically adjusts, even if the performances change. Cinemachine won an Emmy for revolutionizing the field of cinematography.
Video on the left: Behind the scenes on "Baymax Dreams"
The camera automatically composes the action with compositional control, just like how a camera operator works. Imagine setting up a slew of layout, changing the animations, and having the shots still work even if animations change! Composer revolutionizes the preproduction and layout process.
The camera automatically follows the action, just like a camera operator would. Transposer gives you myriad controls for how cameras should follow the action. Just set up your shots – change the performances and the shots still work.
Post-processing, color grading, lens emulation, depth of field – and more – live on each shot. If you change the edit, the color grade changes with it. Blend shots on Timeline and everything else blends too. A new, powerful and incredibly fast way of working.
Timeline lets you blend Cinemachine clips, creating animation. Set up your shot sequences and blend them over the desired duration. You’ll get smooth camera motion up and running in seconds.
Automatically and always get the subject the right size on screen in scenarios where the positions of characters could be variable. Camera will dynamically set zoom to ensure subjects are the desired screen size, no matter what. Great for interactive dialog scenes.
Cinemachine lens packs allow you to set a list of favorite lenses as dropdown selections. Add consistency to your project by limiting focal lengths to a preset kit, just like on a film set.
A powerhouse for film and games
Cinemachine offers an abundance of powerful features. Targeting, transposing, grouping, noise, post-processing integration, split screen, mixing, blending, and more. Get started with our practical series of tutorial videos.
image: Pine by Twirlbound
This blog post gives you some tips for getting the best out of Cinemachine in your 2D game and tells you how this tool can significantly speed up your development.
Cinemachine was built to make it easy for everyone to add dynamic and beautiful shots to their projects. And it works hand in hand with Timeline, both for games and for film.
For our collaboration with Disney Television Animation on the broadcast-quality short films “Baymax Dreams,” we were recognized with a Technology and Engineering Emmy® Award for excellence in engineering creativity that has materially affected the television viewing experience.
