What is a Rack Focus Shot? Definition & Examples from Film

What is a rack focus shot definition examples featured image

Published: October 4, 2024 | Last Updated: October 28, 2024

Rack focus is a focus pull technique that shifts focus between subjects during a continuous shot. Rack focus shots are used to smoothly or subtly direct attention toward key narrative elements, moving seamlessly between different points in the frame.

Rack Focus From VECT0R small
Here’s an example of rack focus from my first short film, VECT0R (2020). I used it to show how the protagonist slowly gained consciousness.

Read more about the difference between the terms rack focus and focus pull.

Reasons to use a Rack Focus

A rack focus is great when you want to direct the viewers’ attention within a scene. Depending on the speed of the focus pull and the distance between the objects, the rack focus can very subtle or quite abrupt.

Show a Characters Shift in Attention

Great examples of rack focus shots from Casino Royale (2006).

Rack focus helps transition between subjects, directing our gaze to different elements without cutting. For example, a shot may begin with a character in focus and then shift to an object they’re looking at.

This shift visually mirrors the character’s thought process or emotional state. The technique keeps the scene fluid, allowing filmmakers to connect different visual pieces without interrupting the action.

Add Drama Using Abrupt Shifts

Here’s a great example of how multiple rack focus pulls divert our attention to various characters within the scene and create tension. Movie: The Host (2006). Genre: Sci-Fi Horror.

Rack focus can also build tension or add dramatic emphasis to important parts of a scene. A sudden shift in focus can reveal something previously hidden or increase the emotional weight of an interaction.

This becomes even more noticeable with a shallow depth of field, isolating the subjects and making the transition more striking. When focus pulls shift abruptly, they can create suspense, drawing attention to details that heighten the stakes in the story.

Reveal Hidden Information

Sometimes, rack focus is used to uncover elements hidden in plain sight. As the focus shifts, a previously blurred object or character becomes clear, allowing new information to emerge without the need for dialogue or cuts.

You often see this in thrillers or noir mysteries, where filmmakers withhold key visual details until the right moment. The reveal provided by rack focus can completely shift the direction of a scene, making it an effective way to deliver surprises or clues.

Technical Aspects of Rack Focus

Rack focus requires technical skill and precision. A focus puller or first Assistant Camera manages this on professional sets by adjusting the lens’s focus while the camera operator handles framing and movement. This coordination ensures that the focus transitions are smooth and match the scene’s timing.

The Focus Puller measures the distance between the camera and the objects or people that will be in focus during different moments in the shot. By marking these distances, the puller knows when and how much to adjust the focus to maintain clarity as the shot progresses.

Read about below-the-line film set roles.

Equipment and Setup

Cine lens gears
Cinema lenses have large, smooth focus gears, allowing for smooth focus pulls.

To perform a rack focus, the camera must have manual focus controls. The same goes for the lenses. Cinema lenses have large, smooth focus gears for this exact purpose, which is also one of the reasons cine lenses are so expensive.

The most basic setup is pulling focus with your hand directly on the lens.

cinelens with manual focus pull
Analog follow-focus for manual rack focusing.

However, most use a follow-focus device for more precise control—either an analog version attached directly to the camera or a wired or wireless remote version.

remote focus pull
Here’s an example of a remote wireless follow-focus system. This is often used when the camera is in motion, such as when attached to a crane, boom, jib, drone, or Steadicam.

Tip: Some hybrid cameras (like the Panasonic GH-series) let you do a digital rack focus in-camera with electronic lenses. Often, you can set the timing of the focus (transition time). Check your camera manual to see if it is possible.

How to Perform a good Rack Focus

Here’s a video explaining how to perform a rack focus

To execute a rack focus shot effectively, follow these steps:

  1. Use a camera with manual focus control or a follow focus device.
  2. Set the apertura to control how noticeable the focus shift is. A shallow depth of field makes the shift more pronounced.
  3. Measure the distance between the camera and the subjects or objects that will be in focus.
  4. Mark the focus points for accurate shifting during the shot.
  5. Smoothly adjust the focus from one subject to the next during the shot.
  6. Ensure the focus shift is motivated by the scene, such as highlighting a character’s thoughts or revealing important details.

Final Thoughts

Rack focus remains one of the most useful techniques in filmmaking. By adjusting the focus within a shot, you can guide the audience’s eyes to key details, relationships, emotional or cognitive states, or moments of tension.

Rack focusing helps tell a story visually without the need for dialogue or editing cuts. Subtle shifts in focus shape the scene’s pacing and meaning. In other words, treat your focus puller nicely!

Up Next: Guide to camera shots, angles, and movements.

By Jan Sørup

Jan Sørup is a indie filmmaker, videographer and photographer from Denmark. He owns filmdaft.com and the Danish company Apertura, which produces video content for big companies in Denmark and Scandinavia. Jan has a background in music, has drawn webcomics, and is a former lecturer at the University of Copenhagen.

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