I, like many others this week, decided to rewatch All the President's Men in honor of Robert Redford's passing. It's a pretty perfect film on multiple levels and still feels remarkably modern, right from the minimalist opening titles. Not to mention its tight script and incredible performances from Redford and Dustin Hoffman as Woodward and Bernstein, the real-life reporters who helped publicize President Nixon's involvement in the Watergate scandal. Gordon Willis served as the film's director of photography, and you can spot his trademarks quickly if you have any familiarity with his style. One of the most influential cinematographers of all time, he never shied away from deep, dark shadows, which are prominent in this film—appropriate for a story about secrets and subterfuge. And then of course there's that iconic Library of Congress pull back, shot from a hundred feet up.But throughout the film, there are very unique shots using a split diopter. Newer cinephiles often find these moments both stunning and confusing. You'll find plenty of Reddit posts wondering how the heck he achieved them. All the President's MenCredit: Warner Bros.What Is a Split Diopter Shot?A split diopter is essentially a half-lens attachment that screws onto your camera's existing lens. Imagine taking a magnifying glass, cutting it down the middle, and mounting one half over your lens. That's the basic concept, though the actual optical engineering is more sophisticated. The split diopter allows one part of your frame to focus on objects that are close to the camera, while...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday