This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
2.5 Aspect Ratios
Just as depth of field and focal length define the image you're captur-ing, the aspect ratio defines the image's display. An aspect ratio simply describes the shape of the viewing screen by defining the relationship between a frame's width and height. The typical aspect ratio for television and video is 4:3, which is also called 1.33:1 in cinematic circles (see Figure 2.12). The first number (4) refers to the screen's width, and the second (3), its height. Film in theaters is shown at 16:9 aspect ratio, also described as 1.78:1 (see Figure 2.13). Now, high-definition television sets (HDTV) are bringing the 16:9 ratio into our homes (see Figure 2.14).
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Figure 2.12 Most television is shown in a 4:3 aspect ratio, while films in theaters are shown at 16:9. Although still rectangular, a 4:3 ratio is closer to a square screen shape than a 16:9 ratio.
Figure 2.13 The 16:9 ratio, sometimes referred to as "letterboxed," is used most often for film.
Figure 2.14 1.78:1, or 16:9, is the aspect ratio of new HDTV and wide-screen televisions, as well as many films.
NOTE
Most films released are kept to a safe 16:9 area, but their actual aspect ratios are 1.85:1 or higher.
How did these aspect ratios become the standard? When the first moving images were put on film, 4:3 was used, and it became the Academy Standard Aspect Ratio (see Figure 2.15). This aspect ratio remained until the 1950s, when wide-screen (16:9) aspect ratios emerged. In the '50s, television became immensely popular, and filmmakers needed a way to get people back to the movie theaters. By using an aspect ratio that was twice as wide as it was tall (2.35:1), they created a new cinematic experience. When an image extends to fill more of your peripheral vision, what you're watching is more engaging.
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Figure 2.15 The 1.33:1 or 4:3 ratio was common in the early days of film.
Today, cinematographers use aspect ratios of 1.33:1, 1.37:1, 1.66:1, 1.78:1, 1.85:1, and 2.35:1. Each ratio is increasingly wider, and which you use is often determined by film stock, such as a large 70mm, or the type of production. The cinematographer must decide which aspect ratio works best for the budget and the overall look of the film. As a digital cinematographer, you have the freedom to experiment and mimic any of these real-world aspect ratios in your animation work.