Last Updated 3 days ago
An iris shot shows a picture through a circular mask. An iris in opens the circle to reveal the image. An iris out closes it, usually ending on black. The effect can introduce a scene, isolate a detail or close on a character’s reaction.
Iris In vs. Iris Out
Iris in: Start on black, then expand a small circular opening until the picture fills the frame.
Iris out: Start with the picture visible, then shrink the opening around a chosen detail until the screen is black.
The circle can be centred anywhere in the frame. Closing it around a face directs attention to that expression; closing it around a small object gives the object the final emphasis. A circular mask can also remain fixed instead of opening or closing.
Iris Shot vs. Fade, Dissolve and Zoom
An iris changes which part of the picture is visible. A fade to black gradually darkens the whole image. A dissolve blends one image into another. A zoom changes the subject’s size in the frame. In an iris transition, the subject can stay exactly the same size while the visible area grows or shrinks.
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How Iris Shots Are Made
An iris effect can be created in-camera with a separate masking attachment. The Paillard-Bolex C8 instruction manual, page 24, describes an attachment mounted in front of the lens whose circular opening can close completely. This is different from simply stopping down the lens aperture, which changes exposure rather than drawing a sharply defined circle around the subject.
In editing, the same effect can be made with a circular mask or an iris transition. Place black outside the visible circle, set its centre over the detail you want to emphasize, and animate its size. For an iris out, make sure the circle finishes fully closed. For an iris in, expand it far enough that none of the frame’s corners remain covered.
For example, Adobe Premiere includes an Iris Round transition with an adjustable centre point. Keep the circle’s horizontal and vertical proportions consistent if you want a round opening rather than an oval.
Why Filmmakers Use an Iris
Iris shots are strongly associated with silent cinema, but they are still available as a deliberate storytelling choice. They can frame a reaction, reveal a location a little at a time, or give the end of a scene a playful or theatrical quality. Their usefulness depends on the scene and the film’s style.
For a film example, Columbia University’s Iris Shot glossary entry includes a short clip from Orson Welles’s The Magnificent Ambersons (1942).
A Simple Editing Exercise
Use a shot with a clear subject and enough room around it. Create an iris out that closes on the subject, then try closing on a different detail in the same shot. Compare what each ending makes you notice. Adjust the duration to suit the action, and watch the complete transition at playback speed before deciding where it should finish.
Related Terms
Fade In — An image gradually appears from black or another colour.
Fade Out — An image gradually disappears.
Mask — Hides or reveals a selected part of the picture.
Editing — Selecting and arranging shots and sounds.