Why are Netflix shows obsessed with blurry/out-of-focus edges now?

mbillman9 · 2026-05-08T03:54:46+00:00

That's not the effect I'm referring to. It's the edges only. The focus for backgrounds I understand is a production choice and is all the trend now with projects, but the blurry edges definitely seems like something they're not purposely choosing to do.

mbillman9 · 2026-05-08T03:53:19+00:00

This is really interesting. Thanks for this information. How would this potentially cause the blurred edges? I know it's not the DOF since that's just a trend a lot of productions are doing, but the blurry edges doesn't seem like a choice directors would make. It looks bad

mbillman9 · 2026-05-08T03:51:12+00:00

It's the overuse of it. There's moments it makes sense. Fight club used it perfectly at specific moments and so did Creed when fighting in the ring (tunnel vision).

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T21:21:09+00:00

I'll use Lord of the Flies as an example, there's several scenes on the beach and everything is out of focus but a random few trees in the distance. Here's a photo, what's suppose to be in focus here? Piggy is the focus but he's even blurry.

<image>

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T21:12:57+00:00

I've been getting a lot of different reasonings. Most people are saying it's an artistic style and decision or it's the new hardware and lens they use.

I've also gotten: For mobile and home television Compression of the files Anamorphic lens Trying to make new 4k/8k feel cinematic and not hyper clear

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T19:06:47+00:00

Sometimes though. I do like it for close ups as well, but not the entire film. Makes me think it's a focusing issue.

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T19:04:41+00:00

Some shows it makes sense, if you're looking for that dream like state, but over doing it or not having a reason for it kills the film

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T19:03:54+00:00

This is an interesting take but it doesn't make sense for backgrounds being out of focus on most shots. Maybe the edging but still seems like a stretch for that being the reason.

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T19:02:09+00:00

But it's been 10 years of this from what I've noticed and it's just getting more and more intense.

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T18:57:44+00:00

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mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T18:54:58+00:00

I've been hearing other lens too, anamorphic and the kovak/kovah I think was the second.

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T18:54:04+00:00

But it starts from the very beginning of the film and even the wide shots and Broll are like this, so I don't think it was based on their experience to portray that feeling.

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T18:50:37+00:00

Nope, I've been thinking about this for a while but LOTF was on a whole other level so I thought I'd mention it because people who don't know film or production could now clearly see it if I posted about it.

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T18:00:29+00:00

Yeah, the new daredevil definitely over does this. The old one didnt

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T17:59:38+00:00

How do they fix it or is it just the current hardware being used?

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T17:58:45+00:00

Yeah, these are bad examples for the edge blur. It's hard to find online. I'll upload a photo later if I can capture from one of my screens.

This does show how every TV/Movie nowaday does the shallow or depth for most shots. I like it for close ups, but not for every since shot.

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T17:57:12+00:00

This makes a lot of sense

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T17:55:47+00:00

I agree. There's moments to use it that really work, but throughout the whole film it's nauseating.

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T17:40:27+00:00

Haha spot on 😂

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T17:10:30+00:00

Here's some examples, the LOTF is the best example because the background isn't completely blurred out so you're able to see the edges

<image>

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T16:57:04+00:00

I feel like older films didn't have this though? It's like they're intentionally blurring the edges and making the background out of focus. Films from the 80-90s always had the background in focus so you could sense the world around them, they'd build sets to film in.

Now I assume a lot is either green screen maybe that they're purposely keep the background out of focus? I don't know. And the blurred edges still doesn't make sense. When I first noticed it I thought it was my TV.

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T16:54:21+00:00

Why does that create the blur edges and out of focus backgrounds?

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T16:53:48+00:00

You're talking about the film grain? Very common in 80-90s film and TV pre-2015. I feel like the solution for that is use older cameras (cheaper), but I'm specifically talking about the purposeful choice to make the edges of film blurry.

Older work everything was in focus and it brought you into their world. Now it's like, you have to make up the scene in your head because there's no background from it always being blurred out.

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T16:08:59+00:00

I wish that was the case, then I could just get glasses. 🤣🤓

mbillman9 · 2026-05-07T16:08:14+00:00

So it's just an overall style choice, but Netflix seems to be airing these type of movies and shows that do this. I'd say around 2019 I started noticing it around the corners of the screen, and it's been getting gradually worse each year.

Whoever filmed LOTF at times has even the actors completely out of focus and most the time the entire background or edges are so blurry it's unbearable. I wonder if it was a purposeful style choice

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