Camera focus in cinematography is important for creating meaning and engaging audiences. There are different types of focus like soft focus, deep focus, and shallow focus. Lighting also plays a key role, with different techniques like high key lighting used for comedies and low key lighting for horror. Three point lighting with a key light, back light, and fill light is commonly used. Camera angles, lighting placement, and focus help tell the story and set the mood.

1. CinematographyCinematography
ContinuedContinued
Focus and Lighting

2. Camera FocusCamera Focus
• How the camera focuses on things is very
important to creating meaning in cinema
and engaging us as spectators.
• The camera acts as our eyes in the scene,
focusing on different people or objects.
This allows us as an audience to identify
important narrative points and create
relationships with characters.

3. Types of FocusTypes of Focus
• Soft Focus:
• Soft focus was used a lot in the ‘Golden Age’
of cinema.
• It was used primarily on women to give them a
glowing look and to soften their features.
• It can also be used in excess to cause
disorientation and confuse an audience (for
example if a character has been struck)

5. Types of FocusTypes of Focus
• Deep Focus:
• Deep focus allows everything in the shot
to be in focus at the same time.
• It was made popular by Orson Welles in his
infamous film Citizen Kane

8. Types of FocusTypes of Focus
• Shallow Focus:
• This type of focus is the opposite to Deep
Focus. In this shot only the foreground is in
focus, but the background remains a blur.

10. Types of FocusTypes of Focus
• Pull Focus:
• This type of focus shifts between 2 points.
• It can be used to draw an audiences
attention, or to shift between 2 characters
in dialogue.
• http://vimeo.com/24761371

11. LightingLighting
• Lighting is an incredibly important part of
cinematography.
• It can completely change the mood of a film
by creating or removing shadows on a
characters face or in a scene.
• By simply changing the lighting these two
hospital corridors have a drastically different
effect on an audience.
Drama Horror

12. LightingLighting
• High Key Lighting:
• This is a very bright lighting set up which is
usually free from shadows.
• Its is used to create a light and open
environment.
• This is normally achieved by using lots of
different light sources.
• What types of films do you think would use
High Key Lighting?

13. • Romantic
Comedies
• Comedies
• Feel Good
Films
• Action Films
• Children’s
Films

14. LightingLighting
• Low Key Lighting:
• This is the opposite of high key lighting.
• This lighting looks to create shadow, which
creates suspense and tension in a scene.
• This is usually achieved by using one light
source.
• What types of films do you think would use
Low Key Lighting?

15. • Horrors
• Suspense
• Thrillers

16. LightingLighting
• These two definitions are very basic and
encompass either end of the lighting
spectrum. There is a wide range of
different lighting techniques between the
two.

17. LightingLighting
• Three Point Lighting:
• Films rarely use one light in a scene. The
most common way to light a scene and
an actor is through three point lighting.
• As the name suggests this used three main
points of lighting.
• The key light, the back light and a fill light.

18. LightingLighting
• Three Point Lighting:
• Key Light:
• The key light is the biggest and brightest of
the lights.
• It shines from the front and bleaches out
any contours in the actors face. It also
creates shadows behind the person.

19. LightingLighting
• Three Point Lighting:
• Back Light:
• This creates a ‘halo’ effect and removes
any defects in the background and
foreground.

20. LightingLighting
• Three Point Lighting:
• Fill Light:
• This fills any shadows created by the Key
light or Back light, for example shadows
across the eyes or nose.

21. LightingLighting
• Overhead Lighting:
• A single light from above a character can
be used to create a sinister effect and
can be unflattering for the actor.
• This will highlight contours in the actors
face and make them look harder,
masculine and colder.

23. LightingLighting
• Under Lighting:
• Although this lights from the opposite
direction it still creates a similar effect.
• Similarly to overhead lighting this hollows
out the eyes and obscures the face.
• It is normally reserved from male
characters.

25. LightingLighting
• Side Lighting:
• This creates a shadow across the actors
face.
• This can be used to symbolise a duplicitous
character, or one with a split personality.

26. AnalysisAnalysis
• Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the
Ring
• Watch the following scene.
• Make notes on how cinematography is
used to create meaning in this scene.
• Remember you’re looking at Lighting,
Camera Framing, Movement and Angles
and Focus.