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How do I get this aspect ratio?
Hi, I’m shooting standard def 16:9 footage with the Canon XL2 and High Def with the HV20. I’m trying to burn my DVDs with the aspect ratio shown in the following clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWyt4CAKE5E&NR=1
I believe this ratio is 2.35:1. It resembles most DVDs you would buy on Amazon or at the store. How do I get this? Do I have to shoot with a specific lens? The shooter who put the above clip on You Tube was using the Sony EX1, and I suspect he masked the image rather than using a different lens. Anyone know?
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6 Replies
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This is 4×3 Letterboxed. Just create a 720×480 Sequence and size your 16×9 clip there. Encode 4×3 for DVD.
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SD Video has just 2 ratios, 4:3 and 16:9 anything you see like this is normally 16:9 with a black mask that puts black bars top and bottom. This is the most Hollywood are released on DVD, they are still just 16:9 masked to give the shame aspect as displayed in theaters. FCP has these mask built into the Widescreen filters.
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The sample is a lot more narrow than 16:9 letterboxing. But Eoin needs to keep the DVD 16:9 or else the image will swim if displayed on a 16:9 TV with black bars all around. You still want the left and right sides to be all the way across a 16:9 tv and the only way get this is to keep the footage as 16:9 that has been masked top and bottom.
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If I want to do it without masking anything, I believe I’d have to be shooting with an anamorphic lens. Is that correct?
Michael, you are correct in saying that the image in the clip is narrower than 16:9 letterboxed. The only way I can imagine I can get this 2:35.1 effect is by masking (which I don’t want to do) or by using a special lens. Anyone know which lens and can I use it with most digital cameras?
I believe that a lot of filmmakers (take Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood), didn’t shoot 16:9 but shot “anarmorphically”, with special lenses… This gives the 2:35.1 aspect ratio that fits on a cinema screen and is why the black bars are thicker when watching the film on a DVD release (the DVD has preserved the 2:35.1 ratio). I’m wondering do I have this right?
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There is no such aspect ratio on video video on a DVD is always 720×480 (in NTSC) With 4:3 the pixel aspect is .9 and with 16:9 it is 1.2 but the count is always 720×480. So if you want this look (like most Hollywood movies on DVD) you would should/edit 16:9 (anamorphic if shooting/editing in SD). The you mask to the narrower aspect ratios to achieve the look you want.
The only thing shooting with a anamorphic lens on a 16:9 would do is to optically put the bars on for you. You are still dealing with the chip size and pixel count. What you do gain is a wider field of view when shooting. The problem you are going to run into is finding a lens that is made to do this, I’m sure Paul was working with a bigger budget. So you got gain any resolution with the lens, just the scope of the shoot.
Hope this is at least semi-clear.
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Last time I looked into it, there was no good way to shoot video anamorphically. If you’re using a 35mm adapter, anamorphic lenses will make your image much wider than 2.35. Research https://www.cinematography.net/ for info on this.
Also, unless you’re shooting with a pro DP and AC and a heavy lighting package, you will not manage an anamorphic production.
As to the DVD production… film that was shot anamorphically will get transfered to tape as 16×9, letterboxed, resulting in the DVD looking the way you’re describing.
Max
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Blu-ray producer
New York
Area4.tv
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