4:3 to 16:9

[Marc Brak]

Well, try and export a 4:3 video as 16:9 and it will look stretched.

So, really all you can do is export as 4:3, then import into a 16:9 project, upscale to fit the canvas, and export again (as 16:9).

[Vincent Rosati]

If you’re using letterboxed 4:3 (simulated 16:9) you’re probably going to have to upscale your video to fill the frame.
If your video is interlaced, it must be deinterlaced before scaling.
It’s better to do deinterlacing in AE, but you can do it in Premiere via right-click on the clip in the original 4:3 sequence – Field Options/Always Deinterlace.
Note, that this deinterlacing technique will reduce your vertical resolution by 50%. 🙁
If necessary, search the COW archives for “deinterlace” – it’s a whole other subject.

Create a new 16:9 project.
Import the 4:3 project, and drop your 4:3 sequences into the new project’s 16:9 sequences.
Select all of your source material in the project window, right-click and conform the footage to 16:9.
Apply Effect/Distort/Transform to the sequence, uncheck Uniform Scale and transform the width to 75%.
Your scaling proportions are now at 4:3 (or 100%:75%). Now, you determine the proportions that you need – If you scale your width up to fit to 103%, your height should be 137.3%. (103/3×4=137.3)
Scaling is best done with the Resizer plugin for AE or PP2.

Converting formats is a time consuming business that should be avoided at all costs.

[Davidquad]

i think i’ll go with using the letterboxer in magic bullet suite for after effects, i aint getting paid enough to warrant the time neede to do it that way. thanks for the replies!