How were the zooming sequences performed?

Question

In [**Limitless**](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1219289/), one of the initial scenes features a unique [**zooming**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zqOVk9YRAo) effect that is a rare find.How was this achieved and do these scenes serve any purpose story-wise or meant as a simple mind trip to generate the feel of the movie?

Answer 1

In the video you linked, the editor just zoomed in on photographs and applied motion blur between cuts. You can actually see a swipe at the first transition that they neglected to hide. In larger budget films, this is done through a mix of CGI and possibly using a "Vertigo zoom", which got its name from the film, Vertigo, but is also famous for its use in Jaws.