First Assistant Camera (1st AC / Focus Puller)
Definition
The First Assistant Camera (1st AC), also known as the Focus Puller, is responsible for maintaining sharp focus on the subject throughout every shot. This is an extraordinarily demanding technical skill, particularly on shots with shallow depth of field or complex camera movements. The 1st AC measures the distance from the camera lens to the subject and uses a follow-focus system to adjust the lens focus ring in real time as the subject moves. They also assemble and maintain the camera, prepare the camera for each shot, and manage the camera department.
Contextual Usage
The DP tells the 1st AC, "On this shot, the actor is going to walk from the mark at 8 feet to the window at 14 feet. I need you to pull focus smoothly from the start mark to the end mark as they walk. Let's do a rehearsal without the camera rolling to check your marks."
About this section
Production — or "principal photography" — is the phase in which the film or video is actually shot. It is the most visible and, typically, the most expensive phase of the entire process. Every day on ...
View all 76 terms