Have you heard the rule “keep it simple, stupid”? Yet, on the lookout for impressive shot composition, brilliant blocking, and mind-blowing camera movement, we tend to forget about the most basic tools in our filmmaking kit. Surely, everyone knows how to set the correct focus. However, not everyone thinks about the incredible power it possesses for storytelling. So, why don’t we appreciate the focus in film for a couple of minutes, and explore various techniques and reasons for its use in videos? Even if you are a pro at focusing and know everything about deep space, flat space, shallow depth of field, and even split diopters, I think it’s important to refresh your knowledge once in a while. In my experience, it’s quite common for elements as basic as the focal point to be overlooked when creating the visual language for your film. Also, I promise that we will look at some film examples, including the latest Christopher Nolan film, “Oppenheimer”. Getting the terms straight: focus and depth of field Because the cameras on a smartphone are as integral a part of our lives as, say, a toothbrush, even children know what a focus in film and photography means. However, to understand it on a deeper level, we have to talk about the depth of field first. Director Kyle Wilamowski gives a straightforward explanation of this term that is simple to understand in the MZed course “Fundamentals of Directing” : Depth of field is the distance between the nearest and...
Published By: CineD - Friday, 8 September, 2023