My love for the Split Diopter shot knows no bounds. It’s a cinematic device that is both obvious and supremely effective. I’ve explored it in depth here and here.
I now triumphantly return with even more visual storytelling examples from Brian De Palma’s epic thriller DRESSED TO KILL:
12 of the 20 Split Diopter shots in DRESSED TO KILL
To reiterate…the most effective use of this optical device is to emphasize a story point and for it not to be a visual gimmick. De Palma incorporated this technique across every film he directed and it is a staple of his visual style.
It is part of his process in conveying information to the audience in a striking and specific way. De Palma employed the Split Diopter shot during emotional or extremely important moments in his films.
Here are all 20 Split Diopter shots in DRESSED TO KILL:
Until next time…
