Soft Focus as Character Indicator

deliberate camera technique where a specific character is filmed with a softer, less sharp focus compared to other elements in the scene to imply a specific quality about them. This visual choice can suggest a character's moral ambiguity, deceptiveness, emotional distance, or a dreamlike or manipulated state of mind. It separates the character from the crisp reality of their surroundings, signaling to the audience that they are not to be taken at face value.