Aspect Ratio Issues

[Mark Suszko]

Are we talking one projector, one screen, or, multiple screens ganged together to act like one screen? Because if it’s multiple screens or projectors, the way this is commonly done is to build it in AfterEffects and then have a special computer-driven playback unit, using softwre like Watchout or Wings AV Stumpfl, break up the single, super-wide master file into matching chunks and distribute it all in realtime to the screens. The guys in the live/stage forum are a great source for your further questions if this is the scenario you face.

[Eduardo Guerrero]

Hello Mark!,…thanks for such a quick reply!!!

Here’s the exact answer from the live stage crew manager:

“1 Screen, 4 Projectors.
We dont have any of those softwares.
The projectors are going to be blended to 1 single projection area.
The idea is to make the material from the beginning with these pixel dimensions
1920X192.
All we need to do is make it bigger with Hippotizer.
The playback software is EVS. Native software…
That is what we have…”

As you can see they don’t have those two software alternatives you mentioned earlier.
In your opinion,…What would be the best way out to this?

Thanks again!!!

[Michael Gissing]

Not a job for FCP. Non standard aspect ratios are not good in FCP.

How is going to be shot? or is it animated? Either way a tool like After Effects is a better bet.

[Mark Suszko]

I agree with Gissing. AfterEffects is the popular and best-understood tool for making weirdly-proportioned master files for such projection jobs. You’ll find the most online tutorials and experienced advice online for this approach, and time is of the essence to you. Do pursue this question with the guys in the COW’s Live and Stage Forum, because this kind of thing is what they eat for breakfast, and you’ll get better, more experienced help than I can give.