DV Info Net

DV Info Net (https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/)
-   Documentary Techniques (https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/documentary-techniques/)
-   -   Blurring background during interview (https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/documentary-techniques/143650-blurring-background-during-interview.html)

Mike Barber February 28th, 2009 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliff Etzel (Post 1011055)
Since I work with a pair of SONY HC7's, the depth of field even at the long end of zooming still keeps the background in focus during my lit interviews.

Are these interior or exterior interviews? How far from the background is your talent? How open is your aperture? Focal length plays one part in DoF; aperture width plays another.

Nathan Moody February 28th, 2009 07:55 PM

I was actually the subject of an interview shoot a few months ago and the production company who shot our office put up a black, open weave material (akin to bobbinet or shade cloth for use in gardens) to increase apparent DoF behind me as the interview subject. I'd guess the camera was 8' away from me, and the material was about 2' behind me...I don't know what their camera settings were. I'll be testing this myself soon, but just a note that I've seen scrims used to blur backgrounds in person and in the resulting footage, and it does indeed look really quite convincing, bokeh-wise. Apologies, I don't know the name of the material.

Marcus Martell March 5th, 2009 05:11 AM

Hi, the camera should be not 2 close to the interviewed kid right?The more the iris is open the more the Depth of Field decrease right?
Correct me if i'm wrong

thxMM

Mike Barber March 5th, 2009 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus Martell (Post 1022632)
Hi, the camera should be not 2 close to the interviewed kid right?The more the iris is open the more the Depth of Field decrease right?

You are correct about both. If your subject is too close, they may be outside the minimum focal distance, thus they will be out of focus.

And a wider iris (more open) does contribute to a shallower DoF. A long focal length also contributes, which is why DoF becomes more shallow the farther you zoom in. What also happens is a compression of Z space, which means the perceived distance between foreground and background appears to be less.

Marcus Martell March 9th, 2009 01:19 PM

Any example about the rules of this important technique?


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:49 AM.

DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2025 The Digital Video Information Network