What Is Inclined Plane Focus? The Look from "Civic Duty"

[SALLYNABIL]

I heard an expression called "inclined plane focus", it is a technique used to put the focus on one part of the face (e.g. the eyes) whereas the rest of the face remains hazy and unclear. It was used in Civic Duty.

Does anyone know about this so that he/she can provide me with information?

 

[element80]

Do whatever you can to manipulate your depth of field. You can probably make it happen by getting as little depth of field as possible. Three ways to accomplish that are:

a wide open iris
a long lens
being focused at a close distance

Open the iris up all the way, and then mess around with your focal length and distance from the subject until you get the results you want. Odds are, you won't actually be focused on the person's nose, but at a point closer, so that the nose is at the far end of your DOF, and the face is out of focus.

 

[SALLYNABIL]

Thank you very much element80 for this explanation. I wonder if you remember examples of using this technique in other movies and with objects other than human faces so that I can understand how it is dramatically employed to convey a certain meaning.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

Maybe you're thinking of a tilt-focus or swing-shift (bellows) lens effect.

 

[SALLYNABIL]

I am a member at the ASC online. Could you just refer me to a link that would give me some elaboration on this technique, whether it is inclined plane focus or tilted-focus as you say?

Thanks

 

[David Mullen ASC]