Focus Pulling for Film Production Training

Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate the ability to set up and calibrate a follow-focus system on various camera rigs.
• Apply techniques for maintaining focus on moving subjects during dynamic shots.
• Analyze shot requirements and plan focus pulls in collaboration with the cinematographer.
• Evaluate environmental factors such as lighting and depth of field to adjust focus strategies.
• Implement safe handling and maintenance procedures for camera and focus equipment.
• Communicate effectively with the camera and lighting teams to ensure seamless focus transitions.

Target Audience

This course is designed for aspiring and current camera assistants, focus pullers, and film production crew members who wish to specialise in focus pulling. It is also suitable for directors and cinematographers seeking a deeper understanding of focus techniques.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment

Course Outline

Practicals

Overview

Practical sessions are integral to this course, allowing learners to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world focus pulling scenarios. Through hands-on exercises with professional equipment, learners develop muscle memory, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work under pressure on a film set.

Practical Activities

• Basic Focus Pulling Exercises — Learners practice marking and pulling focus on static subjects using follow focus units and tape measures. (8h)
• Dynamic Focus and Rack Focus — Learners perform rack focus shots and follow focus on moving subjects with dolly and handheld camera movements. (8h)
• Challenging Conditions and Troubleshooting — Learners practice focus pulling in low light, wide apertures, and simulated equipment failures. (8h)
• Integrated Scene Practical — Learners work in teams to pull focus for a multi-scene short film with actors, lighting, and camera movement. (12h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total

Component	Out of	Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored)	100%	30%
Daily Average (multiple choice)	100%	20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice)	100%	50%
Final Total	—	100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

How it works

• Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
• Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
• You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
• If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.

Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates	Discount
5	3% off
10	6% off
15	9% off
20	12% off
25	15% off
30	18% off
50	30% off
75	35% off
100	40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.