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1[[quoteright:250:[[Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/FrankMurder_7871.jpg]]]]
2[[caption-width-right:250:"Personal space, Dave..."]]
3
4Instead of a standard {{zoom}}, use three or more shots, varying in distance but focused on the same point, cut together rapidly. Commonly used for shock value. Each cut is often accompanied by a {{sting}}.
5
6Common subjects are corpses and monsters, but it is not exclusively a horror technique. Also commonly used when someone is saying something PunctuatedForEmphasis; the camera will cut closer to the character's face with each word.
7-----
8!!Examples:
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10[[foldercontrol]]
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12[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
13* This technique is used twice in the fourth opening theme of ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist2003'', in time with the music, to focus on two of the villains. A rare effect to see, but catchy nonetheless.
14* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' does this many times to unbelievable effect.
15* This is done on Koro-Sensei in the first opening of ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom''.
16* The effect is used in the anime adaptation of ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'', on a shocked expression of Rei when he learns that [[spoiler:Mamiya was abducted by his old rival Yuda in the past]].
17[[/folder]]
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19[[folder:Comic Books]]
20* Parodied in a short history of ''ComicBook/MortadeloYFilemon'', where they have to resolve a case on a TV studio. Mortadelo removes the safety lock of a crane that has a TV camera mounted on it while recording a news program, and as the latter falls over the television host we see his horrified face being zoomed on the camera's screen followed by a "CRASH!" and static.
21* ''ComicBook/ThePunisherMAX'': "Mother Russia" features Frank [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/punishermaxrussia10.jpg methodically and silently beating a man to death against a wall]], the "camera" cutting ever closer to his eye (said man having demonstrated he WouldHurtAChild in front of Frank).
22[[/folder]]
23
24[[folder:Films — Animation]]
25* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Up}}'' this is how we find out that Carl's house is now surrounded by a massive construction project.
26* Done in ''WesternAnimation/TheBraveLittleToaster'' just before the HeroicSacrifice.
27* Done for laughs in ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove'', where Kronk is holding the unconscious emperor over a waterfall, where the camera zooms out and out and out... until finally the waterfall isn't even visible, and the focus is on a monkey eating a bug.
28-->'''Narrator Kuzco:''' Uh, what's with the chimp and the bug? Can we get back to ''me''?
29* Seen in ''WesternAnimation/TheGreatMouseDetective'' right when Ratigan finally snaps and has a VillainousBreakdown inside Big Ben, cutting into [[RedEyesTakeWarning his eyes starting to become wild]].
30* Done near the end of the song "Under the Sea" from ''WesternAnimation/{{The Little Mermaid|1989}}''.
31* Also done near the start of "Savages (Part 2)" in ''WesternAnimation/{{Pocahontas}}'', focusing in on the marching, armored form of Ratcliffe.
32* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks'': The "Under Our Spell" sequence starts with one centered on Adagio's mouth.
33* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', the scene where Mei recognizes her mother as the giant red panda that crashes the 4*Town concert starts with a wide shot of the crowd, then zooms in to a narrower shot of the crowd and finally cuts to Mei and her friends' shocked expressions.
34[[/folder]]
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36[[folder:Films — Live-Action]]
37* ''Film/DeathOfACyclist'': Two staggered zooms are intercut with each other. There's a staggered zoom in on the headline "MUERTE DE UN CICLISTA" that zooms in to the word "MUERTE", intercut with a staggered zoom into Juan's face as he reads, ending with a closeup of his eyes.
38* The introduction of Creator/BorisKarloff's Monster in ''Film/{{Frankenstein|1931}}'' (1931) is done as three cuts rather than a zoom.
39* ''Film/{{The Idiot|1951}}'': Creator/AkiraKurosawa does this as Akama watches Kameda walk away through the peephole in a door, zooming in on Akama's eyes. It's a striking moment, as Akama is a CrazyJealousGuy, Kameda is going to talk with the woman Akama wants, and Akama's eyes are filled with homicidal rage.
40* Used by Creator/QuentinTarantino in the first ''Film/KillBill'' movie, when O-Ren Ishii and her bodyguards enter the restaurant.
41* Director Sogo Ishii, of ''Film/{{Gojoe}}'' is very fond of this. He often does it in reverse: extreme close-up, close-up, medium shot, long shot.
42* A similar effect is used for the discovery of a dead farmer in Creator/AlfredHitchcock's ''Film/TheBirds'' (1963).
43* ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy2005'' used this as the camera zooms out past the Vogon ships at the beginning. [[OverlyLongGag Fifty-five times]].
44* ''Film/FerrisBuellersDayOff'' uses this in the infamous museum scene of Cameron staring at A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.
45* The introduction of Daniel Day-Lewis' character Bill "The Butcher" Cutting in Martin Scorsese's ''Film/GangsOfNewYork'' follows this trope to a T. The overall effect is heightened by the addition of both a badass longcoat and an American eagle patterned glass eye.
46* Used in ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'' at the start of the airport chase sequence.
47* In ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'' this is used to pull back from the ''Reliant'' just before the Genesis Device detonates.
48* Pictured above: in ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', Creator/StanleyKubrick combines this with QuieterThanSilence when the camera zooms in on HAL 9000's eye on the front of the space pod that he kills Frank Poole with, and the sound of Frank's breathing cuts off abruptly.
49* Creator/StevenSpielberg rarely uses this technique, but a notable exception occurs near the end of ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' with the staggered zoom on Elliott's face, synched to the music, as he's about to hit the police roadblock. Spielberg was able to do this because he agreed to let Music/JohnWilliams record the score for the film's finale first, then edited the footage to fit.
50* ''Film/{{West Side Story|1961}}'' does this, starting from an aerial view of most or all of New York City and cutting closer and closer in a series of jumps until it finally gets down to a single neighborhood of just a few blocks before the film cuts to street level. No stings in this one; it's eerily silent until the final cut when ''Jet Song'' starts.
51* ''Film/ChildrenOfTheCorn'':
52** Used in [[Film/ChildrenOfTheCornIVTheGathering the fourth film]] when June is running away from her house, and turns back to look at it. A staggered zoom then shows a scythe breaking through a window on her front door.
53** When Jamie sees one of the ghost children in [[Film/ChildrenOfTheCornRevelation the seventh film]] skipping in the asphalt in the middle of the night, the camera does a staggered zoom on the kid's face.
54* ''Franchise/FridayThe13th''
55** Used in ''[[Film/FridayThe13thPartVIJasonLives Jason Lives]]'' when Jason puts on his mask, and we get a closeup on his one good eye just before the title screen.
56** A staggered zoom is used on Jason in ''[[Film/FridayThe13thPartVIITheNewBlood The New Blood]]'' when the FinalGirl Tina finally comes face to face with him.
57** When Rennie tries to run down Jason with car in ''[[Film/FridayThe13thPartVIIIJasonTakesManhattan Jason Takes Manhattan]]'', a POV shot accompanied with a staggered zoom shows that she is once again seeing a vision of younger Jason.
58** Used on Diana's eyes in ''Film/JasonGoesToHellTheFinalFriday'' when she sees Jason's reflection from a mirror.
59* The chilling last shot of ''Film/{{Greed}}'', where the film zooms out to show [=McTeague=] handcuffed to a corpse in the middle of a desert.
60* A staggered zoom onto Opanas's face in ''Film/{{Earth|1930}}'', right before he says "[[EvilStoleMyFaith there ain't no God]]" and turns the Orthodox priest away from his home, the morning after his son Vasyl's murder.
61* ''Film/OnlyOldMenAreGoingToBattle'': As the men of the fighter pilot squadron sing and relax in the mess hall, there is a cut to one of their planes being made ready for combat. There is then a staggered zoom out from the plane, emphasizing the mortal danger that awaits them.
62* ''Film/{{Dames}}'': One shot features a single chorus girl in the far distance on a bare stage. Four staggered zoom cuts take us to a closeup of her face. A conventional zoom out reveals her to be just one part of a huge chorus.
63* ''Film/{{Elf}}'' uses one the first time Buddy sees Jovie - the staggered zoom focuses on her face as she puts the finishing touches on a Christmas tree in Gimbels Department Store.
64* ''Film/MonOncleDAmerique'': The final sequence shows a series of shots of grim urban blight, then shows an elaborate mural on the side of a building, a {{painting|s}} of a lush green forest. Then the camera goes into a closeup via a series of Staggered Zooms to show that the mural of the forest looks like meaningless blotches of paint when examined close up.
65* ''Film/{{War and Peace|1966}}'' uses this for the first shot of Natasha, the central female character in the story.
66* ''Film/{{Ecstasy}}'': Five cuts in a row zoom us in to Adam's window, as Eva approaches with sex on her mind.
67* ''Film/{{Yesterday|2004}}'': A staggered zoom out from Yesterday and the doctor at the clinic, when Yesterday finds out the result of her blood test. She has AIDS.
68* ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'' uses a staggered zoom out [[spoiler:during the last few seconds of the bomb's countdown before it blows up Ego's brain/core.]]
69* In ''Film/TheDayAfter'', this technique is used to pull back from Kansas City just before it is struck by an EMP from a warhead detonating high above. An additional effective touch is that the sound of the city's blaring air-raid sirens abruptly cuts off during one of the jumps.
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72[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
73* ''Series/{{The Avengers|1960s}}'': Combined with the use of {{Dutch Angle}}s at the start of "Return of the Cybernauts", when one of the eponymous robots smashes its way into a victim's home.
74%%* ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' loved this.
75* ''Series/BrooklynNineNine'': Onto Holt in Season 4 premiere "Coral Palms Part 1", when he realizes that if they don't investigate the case they might be left indefinitely in witness protection in the worst place on earth, Florida.
76* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
77** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E6TheCavesOfAndrozani "The Caves of Androzani"]], when the Doctor decides to confront one of Jek's androids to see if it'll differentiate between human and Time Lord physiology, the shot transitions to the android's point of view via a staggered zoom into the giant lens on its face.
78** Parodied in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E1TheEleventhHour The Eleventh Hour]]". The camera shows the things the Doctor is focusing on, but because he's still suffering from regeneration sickness, he focuses on a lot of unimportant things before noticing the important plot detail.
79* Famously used in the intro to ''Series/HawaiiFiveO''.
80* ''Series/ItsOkayToNotBeOkay'': Sang-tae is finally able to explain his fear of butterflies in episode 12, telling Gang-tae that their mom was killed by someone wearing a distinctive butterfly brooch. Cut to Gang-tae remembering the photo of Moon-young's family that he discovered earlier, and a Staggered Zoom onto the distinctive butterfly brooch that Moon-young's mother was wearing in the photo. Gang-tae comes to the extremely disturbing conclusion that the person who murdered his mother was his girlfriend's mother.
81* Part of ''Series/{{NCIS}}''[='=] SignatureStyle.
82* ''Series/KodokuNoGurume'' has a trademark three shots that zoom outward to indicate when the main character becomes hungry OncePerEpisode, though sometimes it continues zooming out to highlight its comedic absurdity.
83[[/folder]]
84
85[[folder:Music Videos]]
86* In Music/PepeDeluxe's "Super Sonic Sound System" video, every time the spokeswoman says the words, "Super! Sonic! Sound! System!", the camera zooms closer to her lips with each word.
87* Used in Music/DepecheMode's "Personal Jesus" video when Dave Gahan sings "Reach out and touch faith".
88* One of two different music videos[[note]]specifically, the video that was made for the "U.S. remix" / "album track 1" version of the song[[/note]] for "Ready to Go" by Music/{{Republica}} uses this effect, along with rapidly zooming in-then-right-back-out, continuously throughout '''most''' of its entire runtime.
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91[[folder:Video Games]]
92* ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'' uses this early on when [[spoiler:the heroine encounters her own dead body in a bathtub]]. Each cut only lasts a few frames, followed by a screamer.
93* Used in a trailer for ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', in order to show the relative size of the spaceship Shepard is viewing.
94* Used twice in ''VideoGame/{{Guacamelee}}!'' First, a staggered zoom-out as the luchador flies into the gigantic OminousFloatingCastle to show that, holy crap, the thing means business. And then, a staggered zoom-in on the luchador himself during his BigHeroicRun towards the FinalBoss to show that ''he'' means business.
95* Done in comic form in the "President Madagascar" strip, a MemeticMutation of the flash game ''Pandemic II'' where [[DontExplainTheJoke the game can become]] {{Unwinnable}} [[DontExplainTheJoke if Madagascar closes its only seaport]].
96* Used in ''VideoGame/PaperMario'' whenever Gourmet Guy eats something ''really'' good. It starts with this, and then the camera spins around, and then it cuts to Gourmet Guy running and flying around the room.
97* Used a couple of times in ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOpsII'', allowing the player to get a good look at a villain when they'd otherwise be too far away.
98* Happens in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', when [[spoiler:Link finally confronts Ganondorf: upon entering the room, Link immediately sees Zelda in the crystal Ganondorf captured her in, and the camera zooms in on her]].
99** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess,'' the cutscene introducing the Hidden Village ends on 3 dramatic shots of the door where Impaz is hiding before the music and gameplay begin in earnest.
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102[[folder:Webcomics]]
103* Used [[http://www.earsforelves.com/archives/130 here]] in ''Webcomic/EarsForElves'' to show Tanna's feelings of being worthless because she can't shoot well and her sadness about being alone. Due to the medium, the speed of the cuts can't be shown, but the placement of the three panels on the page is equivalent.
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106[[folder:Web Videos]]
107* Used in WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment review of ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' movie to mock its ending.
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110[[folder:Western Animation]]
111* The ending of "The Remote" in ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball''.
112--> "Daisy. Daisy... Daisy! Daisy!!! '''DAISY!!!'''"
113* ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'': In "Bullies", this is used to visualize Jackie, Jade, and Valmont's {{Berserk Button}}s being pushed.
114* Used a few times in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
115** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E7Dragonshy Dragonshy]]", zooming out from the mountaintop cave as Fluttershy explains her objection to facing a fully-grown dragon, each jump punctuating the list of things she finds terrifying about them.
116*** In ''WebVideo/FriendshipIsWitchcraft'', this scene is parodied quite nicely, with Fluttershy's story of her [[spoiler:HilariouslyAbusiveChildhood.]]
117** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E3LessonZero Lesson Zero]]", we get a staggered zoom in on Rarity whenever she decries something as "[[PunctuatedForEmphasis The. Worst. Possible. Thing!]]" After the [[RuleOfThree third time]] (when Twilight has to go face Princess Celestia), we get a normal zoom out afterward, with Rarity meekly stating "I really mean it this time!"
118** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E7MayTheBestPetWin May the Best Pet Win]]", when Rainbow Dash announces the final contest will be a race through Ghastly Gorge, the camera pulls back to reveal the hazard-filled canyon. She even [[SayingSoundEffectsOutLoud provides the sting sounds herself]].
119** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E14TheLastRoundup The Last Roundup]]", the camera zooms in on Pinkie Pie when the other girls decide to "bring out the big guns" (i.e. [[spoiler:use her MotorMouth tendencies to get Applejack to open up about why she ran away from home]]).
120* Done on one of Angelica's eyes at the end of the ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' episode "Angelica Breaks a Leg", accompanied by the sound of Charlotte's call buzzer repeatedly sounding, until Angelica's pupil fills the screen with black with one final long buzz.
121* Happens in the ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'' HalloweenEpisode "Sugar Frosted Frights", after Rocko and Heffer remove the sheet Filburt is hiding under and he appears headless (he's actually hiding it under his shell.)
122* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
123** Used in the end of the episode "Bart vs. Australia", when we are shown one stowaway Koala clinging on a helicopter.
124** Also happens in "Krusty Gets Busted" when Bart figures out that Sideshow Bob framed Krusty.
125** Used in "The Old Man and the Key", with the camera cutting closer to Homer's mouth as he tells Grampa he's "[[PunctuatedForEmphasis Never! Driving! Again! EVER!]]"
126** In "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming", Bart and Lisa get trapped in the Air Force base; Marge comforts herself with the thought that at least Bart is wearing clean underwear. Cue a dramatic sting and staggered zoom through his bedroom window to his briefs, still on his bed.
127--->'''Bart:''' Ahhh! Free and easy, Lis'! [[GoingCommando There's nothing like an unfurnished basement for pure comfort.]]
128** At the end of Season 7 premiere "Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part two ", Maggie is revealed to be the shooter, obviously by accident--but the episode ends with a ScareChord and a staggered zoom into Maggie's face as her eyes dart back and forth.
129** In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS7E2122ShortFilmsAboutSpringfield 22 Short Films About Springfield]]", this happens to Superintendent Chalmers after he sees Principal Skinner's kitchen has been set on fire, and questions the latter's claim that it's actually Aurora Borealis in there.
130--->'''Chalmers''': AURORA BOREALIS!? At this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country, localized entirely within your kitchen?
131* ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'': In "The Kaplowey Scroll", Grouchy becomes the victim of one of Jokey's exploding packages, and the camera cuts closer to his face just before he angrily curses [[TheScottishTrope "Kaplowey!"]] and makes Jokey vanish.
132* Happens in the ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode "Wet Painters" when [=SpongeBob=] sees a tiny spot of paint on Mr. Krabs' first dollar.
133* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': "[[Recap/StevenUniverseS2E15KeystoneMotel Keystone Motel]]" has a staggered zoom on Garnet's seemingly stoic face to illustrate that she's still furious over Pearl's actions in the previous episode, "[[Recap/StevenUniverseS2E14CryForHelp Cry For Help]]".
134* Seen in the ''WesternAnimation/WabbitALooneyTunesProduction'' episode "Hareplane Mode" when Yosemite Sam sees that a hair has gotten onto his smartphone screen.
135* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': In "Where My Country Gone?", Mr. Garrison is sent to a Canadian language class as punishment for an anti-Canadian outburst at school. As the class is being instructed on the Canadian alphabet, the camera zooms into his rage-filled expression while eerie music plays, showing that [[FromNobodyToNightmare President Garrison]] [[StartOfDarkness had been born]].
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