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Focus

Deep Focus in Film

Deep focus keeps foreground and background sharp simultaneously, letting the director stage meaning in layers within one frame. It demands small apertures, big light and deliberate blocking. Citizen Kane and Welles made it a thesis; Kurosawa, Tati and the Coens kept the tradition of frames you can read twice.

Deep Focus: examples from real films

One frame per film — thousands more are searchable with a free account.

deep focus example from House by the River: A dark, patterned wallpaper surface contains a distinct shadow of a person in profile. The shadow appears
House by the River (1950)
deep focus example from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: A dark stone hall filled with students sitting on benches watching a large chalice. An el
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
deep focus example from Dersu Uzala: A man swims through a shallow, fast-moving rocky river channel. The subject carries a dark, possibly wooden, obje
Dersu Uzala (1975)
deep focus example from The Nightmare Before Christmas: A narrow alleyway sits between a multi-story brick building and a smaller structure with a slo
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
deep focus example from Contraband: A vast expanse of deep space filled with glowing star clusters and gas clouds. Countless bright stars shine throug
Contraband (2012)
deep focus example from Let The Sunshine In: A stone train platform at La Souterraine station has a green roof and benches. Railway tracks run paralle
Let The Sunshine In (2017)
deep focus example from Toña Machetes: A sparsely furnished room with plain plastered walls and stone floor tiles. A man stands in the corner on a mat
Toña Machetes (1985)
deep focus example from The Killer: A dark, expansive room contains rows of empty wooden desks and filing cabinets. A lone man sits on the edge of a d
The Killer (1989)
deep focus example from 3 Ninjas: A limousine is parked on a wet dock at night beside a large ship hull. The vehicle headlights illuminate the foregro
3 Ninjas (1992)
deep focus example from Eva: A bathroom interior features ornate floral wallpaper, a marble bathtub, and framed art. The room is quiet with no people
Eva (1962)
deep focus example from We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest: An urban intersection in Oakland features the historic Fox Thea
We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest (2020)
deep focus example from Ginger & Rosa: A wooden bus shelter stands on a pebbled beach during the blue hour twilight. One person sits on a bench readin
Ginger & Rosa (2012)
deep focus example from Octopussy: A twin-engine airplane flies over a barren desert landscape during a clear day. A man in a dark suit clings to the
Octopussy (1983)
deep focus example from Tales From Earthsea: A tranquil sea stretches toward a rolling, grassy hillside under a vast sky. Dark, thick clouds hang abov
Tales From Earthsea (2006)
deep focus example from The Long Day Closes: A dark brick wall surface with visible mortar lines fills the entire frame. The texture is heavily obscur
The Long Day Closes (1992)
deep focus example from Girlhood: A man walks along a paved path next to a building with dark slate pillars. A stone wall and overgrown wild plants li
Girlhood (2014)
deep focus example from Cheekatilo: A dimly lit residential driveway at night featuring a bench and parked car. Two women sit together on a bench whil
Cheekatilo (2026)
deep focus example from The Wild Boys: Dense clusters of papyrus plants and broad-leafed greenery fill a marshy area. The sky above is a muted pinkish
The Wild Boys (2017)
deep focus example from Bad Boys: A True Story: A stark white visitation room has a metal table and white tiled walls. A man in an orange jumpsuit lea
Bad Boys: A True Story (2003)
deep focus example from First Blood: A rustic wood-walled retail store contains various sporting goods, shelves, and a wooden bear. A man charges thro
First Blood (1982)
deep focus example from No Regrets for Our Youth: A dark, spare room at night overlooks a city skyline through a large window. A man in a suit stands
No Regrets for Our Youth (1946)
deep focus example from Voyage of Time: A large, pale effigy with an animal head stands near a wide, calm body of water. Ropes attached to the figure'
Voyage of Time (2016)
deep focus example from Bludgeon: A crowd of people in medieval-style armor stands behind a wooden barrier outdoors. Numerous national flags are held
Bludgeon (2018)
deep focus example from A Prairie Home Companion: A narrow exterior concrete stairwell is framed by dark, rough-textured brick walls. A single woman s
A Prairie Home Companion

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Films known for deep focus

More focus techniques