ABSTRACT
A shallow depth of field can be a useful tool to reveal or conceal characters, by having them enter or exit a predetermined area of sharp focus. In a reveal, this technique can make a dramatic visual statement about the importance of a character in a story, by protracting the time it takes an audience to see them in full detail, adding suspense and tension to their appearance. The shallow depth of field is usually achieved by setting the focus to a short camera to subject distance, at times complemented with a wide aperture to produce a higher level of blurriness in the middle ground and background of the shot. The Machinist , director Brad Anderson’s psychological thriller about Trevor Reznick, a factory worker who suffers from extreme insomnia and becomes emaciated because of it, includes a brilliant use of shallow depth of field in a visual conceal that ironically serves to reveal the cause of his condition.
