Published: September 3, 2024 | Last Updated: August 28, 2025
Two terms that often get confused and used interchangeably are rack focus and focus pull. In reality, though, there are some subtle distinctions in how they’re typically used in the film industry. Let’s “focus” on the difference:
Rack Focus vs. Focus Pull in a Nutshell
A rack focus is a dramatic, deliberate shift in focus between two distinct subjects or planes. For example, a shot might dramatically shift focus from a character in the foreground to reveal something significant in the background.
A focus pull or “pulling focus” is commonly used to describe the technical action of changing focus during a shot. The broader term includes all instances of focus adjustment, whether subtle or dramatic. This is why the job title is “Focus Puller” rather than “Rack Focus Operator.”
Summing Up
While a rack focus is always a focus pull, not every focus pull is necessarily a rack focus. For instance:
- A Focus Puller might make subtle adjustments to keep a moving subject in focus – this would be called pulling focus
- A dramatic shift from a close object to a distant one to reveal story information would typically be called a rack focus
This distinction isn’t always strictly maintained, which is why you’ll often see them used synonymously, but understanding the nuance can be helpful when communicating on set or discussing film techniques.
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