History Main / RackFocus

* In the beginning of ''Film/{{Avatar}}'', the focus shifts from Jake's face to the floating drops of water(?) to introduce the fact that it's [[ThreeDMovie 3D AND RIGHT IN MY BLOODY FACE!!]]. However the technique can be annoying later on as explained above.

In theory Rack Focus should be made redundant in new [[ThreeDMovie 3D films]] because the viewer would be able to change focus at will. Of course because it is a simulation of 3D this isn't quite true and the technique remains. This sometimes causes frustration as the viewer wants to change focus but cannot.

* In the ''[[Videogame/TeamFortress2 Team Fortress]] Comics #5'', "Old Wounds", rack focus is emulated in one panel [[http://www.teamfortress.com/tf05_old_wounds/#f=20 here]].

[[IThoughtItMeant If you were expecting]] a trope about shots focussing on womens' racks, see MaleGaze.

[[IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] MaleGaze, a camera shot designed to focus on a woman's rack.

Not to be confused with MaleGaze, a camera shot designed to focus on a woman's rack.

* A rather famous animated example comes from the opening song of ''Disney/TheLionKing'', when the focus shifts from a line of [[MisplacedWildlife leaf-cutter ants]] on a branch in the foreground to a herd of zebra thundering by below.

* Used beautifully in ''WesternAnimation/LegendOfTheGuardiansTheOwlsOfGaHoole'' with a flying owl in the background and one of its feathers in the fore, as seen in the [[http://youtu.be/x8RKCmkOyB4 trailer]].
* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' uses it to rather clever effect: As Woody is trying to escape out the window of the daycare restroom, the camera pans to the mirror opposite as the janitor looks right at Woody's reflection and [[HeyWait comments "What the heck?"]] Then the focus shifts to show he was actually looking at a patch of scum on the mirror that's just big enough to obscure Woody.

* Executed well at the beginning of ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' when the focus shifts from Jake's face to the floating drops of water(?) to introduce the fact that it's [[ThreeDMovie 3D AND RIGHT IN MY BLOODY FACE!!]]. However the technique can be annoying later on as explained above.

* In an episode of ''Series/{{Glee}}'', Santana, placed in the immediate foreground, makes a rude crack about all-boys schools being an endless source of gay jokes; the camera then pulls a dramatic rack focus to the other end of the room to capture Kurt's irritated reaction.

* Used in ''{{Webcomic/Homestuck}}'', in a single panel, [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=006701 here]].

* In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E3LessonZero Lesson Zero]]" of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', there is a particularly well done instance of this at the end of the episode, where we focus on a worried Spike to Celestia lecturing Twilight in the library after the latter had caused a ruckus just to find a lesson to learn.
** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E19PuttingYourHoofDown Putting Your Hoof Down]]" has an even better example, switching focus between Fluttershy and a boarded-up door.

* The ''Series/GameOfThrones'' [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oNpmSAvpGQ cover]] done by Music/LindseyStirling and Peter Hollens used this when the latter found a chess piece; it moved the focus from his face near the ground to the small brown chess knight.

* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', this effect is simulated to shift focus between Ellen and Abraham's axe in [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2009-08-26 this strip]] and the page image.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

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[[folder: Film - Animated ]]

* Used beautifully in ''{{Legend Of The Guardians|TheOwlsOfGaHoole}}'' with a flying owl in the background and one of its feathers in the fore, as seen in the [[http://youtu.be/x8RKCmkOyB4 trailer]].

[[folder: Film - Live-Action ]]

[[folder: Live-Action Television ]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

In motion picture and film-based television production, this is often done by a separate person (the "focus puller" or "first camera assistant") rather than by the primary camera operator. In video production, the cameras usually aren't large enough for this to be necessary, and on consumer-level gear, it might not even be possible because of the way autofocus is usually implemented. [[hottip:*:Now that video-equipped [=DSLRs=] (originally designed for newspaper photographers creating web content) have made inexpensive, near-film-quality video a reality for all but NoBudget directors, rack focus is something nearly any camera operator can do, but it requires either a very steady hand (and tripod), a pile of expensive Hollywood-style equipment (the big guys are starting to use [=DSLRs=] too), or a software hack like Magic Lantern that can automate the process by taking over the camera's autofocus mechanism. Needless to say, like every other pro trick that amateurs pick up, it can be horribly misused, and as [=DSLRs=] and their smaller EVIL brethren become cheaper and more popular, it probably will be.]]

* Used in ''Webcomic/Homestuck'', in a single panel, [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=006701 here]].

[[quoteright:320:[[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lindseystirling_rackfocus_4081.jpg]]]]

[[quoteright:298:[[Webcomic/ElGoonishShive http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/RackFocus_5445.png]]]]

Not to be confused with a camera shot designed to focus on a woman's rack. That's MaleGaze.

[[quoteright:298:[[Webcomic/ElGoonishShive http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/RackFocus_5445.png]]]]

Alternatively called "Roll Focus" or, in film, "Pull Focus". Requires deft manipulation of the DepthOfField.

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