Taking 4:3 Footage and turning it into 16:9…Possible? How?

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

You don’t need to “zoom in” at all.
You may want to move the image up or down to reveal the best part of the frame in the center “16×9” area.

There are several ways to add black bars at the top and bottom.

You can use the Widescreen Filter on the actual clip…

or simply add another Video track above the 4×3 footage on your timeline.
On it, edit the “Slug” and mask out the center area to the 16×9 aspect/position you want (with Mask Shape > Rectangle > Invert).
This will allow an easier way to “slide” the image up or down (you’d actually move the clip itself with the Motion tab) and the mask would just sit where it was supposed to be on the track above.

[Nick Brenner]

First create 16×9 sequence – select anamorphic box.
If you want it to go from 4×3 to 16×9 and have the image fill the whole frame, then you have to blow up the footage in Motion – Scale – set scale to 133 I think. If you are happy with black bars down the side of an actual 16×9 image then just place it onto a timeline.

The above is for real 16×9. You may want to merely add black bars to the top and bottom of the 4×3 image in a 4×3 sequence to mimic the look of a widescreen production shown on a 4×3 screen. In this instance you don’t need to scale you video. Add the widescreen filter from under Mattes. Obviously if this is then viewed on a real widescreen TV it will look 4×3 with side bars plus your widescreen bars.
cheers Nick

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