Making Better Movies with Moviestorm Vol 1: Basic Camerawork

DEPTH OF FIELDShoot and edit the scene with everything in perfect focus.Now reshoot it, but focus only on the key points of interest in each shot. Do not change anything except the depth offield.Reshoot it a third time, changing anything you like. Change the camerawork, choreography, lighting, editing etc.ReviewHow does focus affect the storytelling? Does the viewer feel directed orconstrained?How important is it to match depth of field in each shot (i.e. if one shot is fullyfocused, can you cut effectively to a shot with only a small amount of the screenin focus)?How does focus affect your shot selection?How does focus affect lighting?How does focus affect choreography and set dressing – i.e. does it matter aboutwhat‟s in the background of a shot if you can‟t see it clearly.Is focus something you feel you need to be aware of as a director, or is it theDoP‟s problem?Follow-up exercisesTry the same exercise, but add different soundtracks. How does the soundtrack affect whether the lack of focusworks?Would you use the same techniques if you were shooting in 3D?26