How to Focus Pull using FiLMiC Pro Camera App

How to Focus Pull using FiLMiC Pro Camera App

1. Open FiLMiC Pro
2. Open Manual Controls
3. Move Focus Wheel to first Focus Point
4. Tap the focus point line on the wheel to set first focus point
5. Move Focus Wheel to the second Focus Point
6. Tap the focus point line on the wheel to set second focus point
7. Now tap the mark you wish to start your focus pull from
8. To start the focus pull, tap on the mark you wish to end the pull at
9. Alternatively, tap on the small arrow if available
10. Adjust the focus pull speed using the variable speed slider

What is a focus pull?

The focus pull (otherwise known as the “rack focus”) is a common technique in professional filmmaking which involves adjusting the focus while the camera is filming. Usually, the shot begins with the focus set on one object and moves to another. Obviously, those two objects need to be at a different distance from the camera lens.

As a creative choice, this style of shot mimics how people observe things in daily life. Our eyes work like cameras and also change focus as we move from near objects to far, and far to near. In our eyes, it happens so naturally we don’t really notice it.

Using a focus pull in a shot is therefore (like most shots) in some ways natural, in other ways it’s also a bit of an exaggeration. But more importantly, if done well the focus pull will help you tell your story or add production value to your video.

Show don’t tell

Much of filmmaking is about telling the audience what to look at. The most basic way is by using a cut. Example: look at this guy walking down the street (wide shot of guy walking). CUT TO: look at this gun he’s holding in his hand (close up of guy’s hand holding gun).

First, we’re telling the audience to look at this guy. Perhaps he’s just a regular office worker and at first we see nothing remarkable about him. But then we REVEAL that he’s holding a gun.

Simply by going from one shot to another shot, we have created a huge plot twist. At first we thought this guy was just taking a stroll. But now (without any need for dialogue or explanation) we have turned that presumption on it’s head. Suddenly, everything got a whole lot more exciting and intriguing.

Now the audience has a ton of questions running in their minds, mostly to do with wanting to know what will happen next. So what is your next shot?

The focus pull

So our guy walks down the street holding a gun in one hand. He hides the gun under his jacket and enters a bar. In the bar, he finds a seat at a secluded table and waits…

CUT TO: close up of the guy’s face. A women enters the frame from a door the other side of the room (naturally, she’s out of focus). FOCUS PULL: from the guy’s face to the woman framed in the door…

What happens next? I’ll leave you to work that out. But there’s a subtle difference in the way this shot could work.

If the guy remains staring ahead and doesn’t notice the woman, the focus pull will feel more objective (detached). Whereas if he turns to look at her and THEN we do the focus pull, the change of focus puts us into his mind. The audience is seeing the world as the guy is seeing it.

The automated focus pull

In professional filmmaking, the person assigned the task of controlling the focus of the camera is called a “focus puller” (or “1st assistant camera”). Their job is to make sure the objects in the image that are supposed to be in focus remain sharp. Doing a focus pull is part of that job.

These days, we can also automate the focus pull using software. The FiLMiC Pro camera app has a feature which allows you to set 2 points of focus and then have the app perform the pull for you. This will probably look smoother than doing it by hand.

Using this auto feature also means you don’t need a dedicated focus puller. So you can create smooth focus pulls whilst operating your camera without the need for extra crew.

Depending on the shot they can be tricky things to get right even with the auto focus pull feature. If there are actors moving around the shot and/or the camera is moving, whilst simultaneously changing focus, then it can take several attempts.

So bear in mind achieving complex focus pull shots is going to add time to your shoot. That said, it is an often used and highly effective storytelling device, when used well. And it’s one you can now achieve with your smartphone.

Read more: Setting ISO using FiLMiC Pro

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