Extending depth of field to achieve critical focus during tracking shot
The Cinefade variable depth of field effect is known as a creative storytelling tool that is often used as a visual effect to accentuate a particularly dramatic moment. The Cinefade system can however also be used as a practical tool to make the DP’s and AC’s job on set easier.
We had a chat with DP Kevin Fletcher who used the Cinefade system on a complicated tracking shot to aid his 1AC in achieving critical focus. Starting on an extreme close-up, the depth of field was kept broad to increase the likelihood of maintaining perfect focus. As the camera tracked backwards to a wide shot, the Cinefade was used to imperceptibly decrease depth of field in order to maintain the shallow depth of field look and communicate the character’s sense of isolation.
Oliver from Cinefade had a chat with Fletcher to find out more about his thought process.
Watch ‘Away’ promo
Interview with DP Kevin Fletcher
OC: Tell us about the promo you shot for Netflix series ‘Away’ and what you were trying to achieve.
KF: The director Greg Jardin wanted to shoot a single shot in which the character Emma played by Hillary Swank is floating upside down in zero gravity. Starting on an extreme close up of her eyes, the camera slowly pulls back and rotates through 180 degrees to reveal the inside of a space ship. Meanwhile, a tear comes out of her eye, sunlight shines through the window and hits her face and a photograph floats through space. So, in some ways quite simple but very technically complex to actually pull off.
OC: Tell me more about the technical difficulties you faced and how you overcame them.
KF: First of all, we were limited for time because Hilary was working on the show itself and was obviously very busy. Moreover, whenever you are hanging talent upside down from a harness, it is not only physically exhausting for them but you also have to consider blood flow to the face. So I knew that I would only get very few takes and on a technical level would have to maximise our chances at nailing the shot.
pCam screenshot for depth of field calculation
I didn’t want to shoot at an f8, as it is an emotional scene in which the character feels isolated from her family, from everyone on earth in fact and it was important to me to separate her from the background on the wide shot with a shallow depth of field. I quickly realised that this was going to be a very tough focus pull, even for a great focus puller. On a 35mm lens the focal distance is about 15 inches to get a close up of her eyes, so we’re talking about less than half an inch of depth of field at the beginning of the shot. Maintaining sharpness while tracking back was going to be hard and I wanted to help my focus puller Tolar Armitt as much as possible.
I had seen the Cinefade at a demo before and always thought of it as a creative tool but then realised that it could be the solution to our problem. I could have a broader depth of field at the beginning of the shot during the close up and a more shallow depth of field during the wide with no light change. It was a bit of a challenge to get approval from production because the effect wouldn’t actually be visible. It’s not an aesthetic choice but I managed to convince them.
OC: It’s great to hear that the Cinefade system helped your focus puller nail the shot. Talk me through the technical details of the shot…
KF: I was shooting 6K on the full frame Sony Venice 3:2 with a 35mm Zeiss Supreme Prime lens and managed to get two stops out of the Cinefade going from a f4 to a f2. That doubled our depth of field and bought about an extra half-inch, which any focus puller will gladly take. I would have gotten more but I was limited by the light output of the existing set.
I was controlling the Cinefade from the cPro hand unit myself while Tolar was concentrating on his focus monitor. We talked about his comfort level to determine when I could go shallow, so I transitioned to a f2 once we were far enough away on a MCU.
BTS of ‘Away’ teaser
OC: How many takes did you end up doing?
KF: We only did a few takes after doing a fair amount of rehearsals with a dummy, as there were a lot of moving parts and everyone had to nail their task. When the time came, we were basically operating like a human motion control.
We had myself and my AC but also the technicians operating the Scorpio crane with Oculus head doing a 180 degree turn, two grips pushing a light outside the window, someone holding the key light who then had to get out of the way, one person on the dimmer board hitting certain cues and the stunt team to help Hilary spin around.
I needed a top-shelf team for this project and was able to help my focus puller out with the Cinefade system, which was invaluable. I will definitely use it again.
OC: How do you see yourself using the Cinefade creatively in future?
KF: Tolar and I really enjoyed learning how to operate a new tool and it worked really well. Isolating a character during an emotional moment is an obvious creative use, similar to how they used it on Mank. I look forward to exploring the possibilities of this tool like for example a long shot in which the depth of field changes over time so the viewer doesn’t even notice it is happening. I find that very interesting…
Follow Kevin Fletcher on Instagram @k__fletch and check out his work here. To find out more about the Cinefade VariND and its different features and uses go to www.cinefade.com and follow @cinefade.
