Aspect Ratio Doubts

Hey all,
I consider myself to be a pretty experienced filmmaker/editor, but one thing I have never quite understood (much to my embarrassment) is... Aspect Ratio.
I know what it is in film, but once we enter a Final Cut/DVD Studio Pro/TV arena, I got very lost and frustrated.
Here's my latest dilemma:
I shot a 15 minute film on the HVX-200. When asked what ratio I wanted to shoot in, I told the DP "2.35:1" for that beautiful cinemascope feel.
I captured my footage, cut the film, and applied a 2.35:1 matte over the final cut.
Then, in Compressor, I outputted the file as a Widescreen film.
Today I watched it on a friend's Widescreen TV, and there were black bars on top and bottom. Wasn't the whole point of shooting 2.35:1 that I would get a full cinemascope frame when playing the film on a monitor?
I would also like to understand the difference between matting in FC and exporting a file in Compressor with the WS setting on. Is 16:9 the equivalent of 1.85:1? W
Basically I would really appreciate a general overview of aspect ratios, because it's driving me off the wall.
Thank you so much.
Roberto

Is 16:9 the equivalent of 1.85:1?
Not exactly but pretty darn close. 16:9 is actually 1.78:1.
Flat ratio (1.85:1) films are actually encoded with small letterbox bars but, because of the overscan inherent in most TV inputs, you don't see them.
As already mentioned by Studio X, 2.35:1 is way wider than 1.78:1, hence the black bars. For more detail, check out Widescreen-O-Rama over at The Digital Bits.

Similar Messages

A Little question about Pixel Aspect Ratio

This doubt has been bugging me since I started edit HD formats.It's about pixel aspect ratio.
Let's supose I have received some material in HD format,for instance.But I will deliver this material in another format, DV NTSC,for instance.
The Pixel aspect ratio format of the material what I received and the way how I will deliver are different.What can I do to avoid this problem? Do I need to apply some plugin to solve this problem or when I export the final sequence Final Cut does this automatically?
thank you

The software takes care of it for you.
As long as your conversion maintains the overall aspect ratio (ie 16:9), it is irrelevant what the individual pixels are doing.
For example, if I convert DVCProHD 720p to ProRes 720p, it will look fine even though the DVCProHD started out with 960 pixels in the x dimension and the ProRes will have 1280.
x

Background images w/aspect ratio true and clipping

I'm trying to create a site where the background image takes
up 100% of the screen, minus a 30px border around the app.
perimiter. The sizing method I'm trying to replicate is at
http://www.letstakepictures.info.
Notice that when the window is resized to any dimensions the
background image:
1) Resizes proportionately w/out distortion
2) Maintains its aspect ratio at all times
3) All other image information is clipped when the window is
resized unproportionately i.e. 30% high 100% wide.

The method of obtaining a 16:9 ratio explained within
my last post (click here to view Part I)
has left me with a distorted preview that is
difficult to accurately achieve what I was able to
without distortion.
The timeing of all my keyframes has been effected and
is hard to adjust due to the squished preview.
Judging by eye, where to zoom and how it will affect
the final output cannot be revealed until I've
compressed the file and imported in DVDSP. Which I
can then get a true preview within the simulator.
Actually, the method described should have left you with an UNDISTORTED preview. Perhaps it wasn't the fix you needed at all. There is no way you should have to go as far as the DVDSP simulator windown to see an undistorted image.
What you describe - viewing squished footage in FCP - means you have not set up FCP properly for the material with which you're working.
Maybe best if you start again at the beginning, as there are no doubt some important details missing here. My understanding is you are trying to make anamorphic 16:9 DVDs incorporating still images and video footage (which may or may not be 16:9).
The way to do this properly is to start out with an anamorphic FCP project and format your material correctly within that project, working with anamorphic sequences that will translate seamlessly to a 16:9 DVDSP project.
It sounds, though, that some of your FCP sequences are still, in fact, 4:3.
Tell us more.

Render Previews Size and Aspect Ratio

We are currently editing several projects that have an odd editing dimension but a standard output dimension. These videos are for a live event with rows of four projection screens set somewhat tightly together. From a production standpoint, we wanted to have content flow freely across all four screens. We prefer not to have to visualize this, so we set up a "Desktop" mode, square pixel sequence within a project with a dimension of 2560 x 540. The 2560 dimension is because most of the footage is from the Panasonic P2 camera (HVX200P). This camera shoots video at a rectangular pixel dimension of 1280 x 1080. The pixel aspect ratio is 1.5. So 1.5 times 1280 = 1920, the final output square pixel dimension. In this case the final output WOULD be 1920 x 2 or 3840 x 540 high. 3840 divided by 4 = 960 x 540. So we're outputting standard def widescreen to each screen. Premiere automatically creates the final output through nesting the 2560 x 540 sequence twice in a DVCPROHD 1080i sequence of standard size. The two 2560 x 540 sequences, one on video layer 1 and the other on video layer 2 are positioned so that the video that corresponds to screen one is positioned top-far right and the second instance of the sequence is positioned bottom far left. The final output file is an avi in the Canopus HQ codec at 1920 x 1080. This output file is a video that is actually four standard def videos in one 1920 x 1080 video. The Grass Valley Turbo 2 outputs this standard hi-def file to a Vista Spyder which will isolate and project the four videos-in-one, to the appropriate four screens.
This type of project would not have been possible without CS5 and Mercury. Premiere is handling this oddity extremely well.
One minor issue for the support gurus:
When we render the Desktop mode square pixel 2560 x 540 sequence timeline, we get what appears to be random, mixed render results. Sometimes this odd shape renders perfectly, other times it renders out to small dimension that is less than half size. Other times if renders out with pieces of the elements small. but positioned with spaces between them. Playing around with sequence render settings and playback resolution, sometimes SEEMS to cause the render to correct itself. Sometimes a computer restart SEEMS to correct the issue. Any thoughts?

Colin Brougham wrote:
Barring previewing, are you able to export to your intermediate/final movie without problems?
The final exported video is 1920 x 1080. I have test exported in a number of formats without any problems at all.
The 2560 x 540 version, (BEFORE it is "processed" through 2 instances of itself in a standard DVCPROHD sequence) is for editing purposes only, so we can actually see how the video will play across four projection screens.
The remaining issue I'm trying to work out is, how to best get the finished video into the grass valley Turbo 2. The Turbo 2 takes an AVI file transcoded into the Canopus HQ codec natively without having to transcode. The only way to get an avi from Premiere Pro CS5 into the Canopus HQ codec is to first export the finished video as an uncompressed avi from Premiere, import it into either "Edius" or "Procoder 3" and export in the HQ codec. The export from Premiere CS5 + Mercury takes 15 minutes. The export (HQ encoded file) from the trial version of Edius takes around 10 minutes. IMO grass valley should create a plug-in for Premiere CS5 and shouldn't allow the quickest export to be Canopus exclusive. I seriously doubt many Premiere CS5 users will switching to Edius any time soon.
According to grass valley, the Turbo 2 will accept an MPEG-2 Pgm Stream, whatever the heck a Pgm Stream is???. I did a Google search without success. Of course Premiere will export an MPEG-2 file, but how the Pgm Stream relates to this, I have no idea. There are a mind boggling array of settings and the preset seems to export a rather compressed looking video.
My current thinking is to try to convince the boss to buy Procoder 3.
BTW:
the 3840 x 540 version sequence renders fine part of the time and then for whatever reason starts creating a preview that is about 35% of the correct dimension... So back to the original Sequence settings of 2560 x 540

What are the ideal specs for a DigiBeta master tape when authoring a "widescreen anamorphic" 16:9 SD DVD (original aspect ratio is 14:9)?

I just received the masters for a new SD DVD. I would like to author a "widescreen anamorphic" SD DVD horizontally squeezed widescreen image stored in a standard 4:3 aspect ratio DVD image frame. (On 4:3 displays, mattes should preserve the original aspect ratio. On 16:9 displays the image will fill the screen at the highest possible resolution.)
Below I've listed the specs of the Digi Beta master tapes the producers have sent to me for digitizing. I'd like to know this: What are the ideal specs for a DigiBeta master tape when authoring a widescreen anamorphic SD DVD, using material with an original aspect ratio of 14:9?
I've also listed my guesses below. Please let me know if my guesses are right. If not, please suggest alternatives (and if possible explain why.)
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF EXISTING MASTER:
Tape: DigiBeta
Original Aspect Ratio: 1.55 (14:9)
Vid Rate: 29.97 fps
Pixel Aspect: NTSC - CCIR 601
Frame Size: 720 x 480
Anamorphic: Full-Height Anamorphic (16:9 image displayed in letterboxed, non-distored 4:3)
Display Format: 4:3 Letterbox
MY GUESS AT IDEAL TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (for a DigiBeta, that is):
Tape: DigiBeta
Original Aspect Ratio: 1.55 (14:9)
Vid Rate: 29.97 fps
Pixel Aspect: Square
Frame Size: 720 x 540
Anamorphic: YES
Display Format: 16:9 Anamorphic (horizontally squeezed widescreen image)
Please feel free to ask for clarification or further information you need to answer my question.
Thank you so much in advance for your help!
Best, Noetical.
BTW, I can't wait for the day when everything has gone digital and we get digital intermediates instead of tapes to digitize!

Hi Nick...thanks for taking the time to reply to my question.
Nick Holmes wrote:
What you have there is a mess.
NTSC pixels are never square.
NTSC is 720x486, even when it is Anamorphic.
You shouldn't be using an already letterboxed master to make an Anamorphic version. Get the master that was made before the letterboxing stage.
When you make an Anamorphic DVD it should display as 16:9 full screen automatically on widescreen TVs.
The same DVD will automatically letterbox on 4:3 TVs.
Um yeah...duh. That's exactly what I was trying to explain in the preface of my question. I'm sorry if I didn't make it clear...all these things you mention are the reasons I'm putting together a list of the technical specs of the DigiBeta I need so I can have them send that instead of the stupid letterboxed version.
Look, I'm sending this request to some intern at their offices in England, asking for a master with which I can make an Anamorphic DVD. They already sent me this master, which as you and I both agree is an idiotic asset to use for these purposes. As such, I was hoping for advice on a more precise way of requesting the master that I need than asking for "the master that was made before the letterboxing stage." Upon reflection, perhaps I'll just do that. If you or anyone else has a suggestion about something I should add to my request that would improve the odds of them sending the tape I need, please repond. Thank you!
BTW, It's been a long time since anyone has responded to something I've written or said as though I'm an idiot. I remember now that I don't really like it. (Moving along...)

XML file from '08 has a different aspect ratio in FCP 6?

I have the new canon vixia hg 21 which is avchd and FCP 6 isn't recognizing it. Using Imovie to recognize the files works fine, the problem is that when you export from imovie '08 into FCP via xml, it imports fine, but I get a display issue with black bars surrounding the footage, only in the canvas. It appears fine in the viewer and in it's own sequence in the timeline. But when you mix the different camera footage together, the other being the Canon XH A1, it appears as a different aspect ratio??? What the? and for the life of me, I've re imported using 16:9, no difference...I have no idea what's going on.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

You should really take this to the Final Cut Pro forum as the codecs and the interface is different for Final Cut Express.

How to fix an error in sequnece setting (aspect ratio)?

Hi,
I have been working for a while on a project in CS4. I have created a sequence in it with an aspect ratio (AR) of 4:3 - worked for hours on it - but I should had the sequence created instead in 16:9. I realised it a bit too late...
So how do I fix it?
Apparently amending the sequence setting for AR cannot be done - please let me know if there is any way of doing this.
Someone suggested editing the PRPROJ file of the project - but when I opened it I was unable to detect under the sequence name (I found a few entries with it) where I can easily change the sequence to 16:9.
So then I found people suggesting I copy/paste all the assets from the sequence into a new one that is correctly configured with 16:9. When I did this - CTRL+A and Copy, then paste into a new sequence in the same project - it copied all the clips and I think also all the transitions. But the key element that it did not copy over were all the changes I have done to the sound - I have been editing via the sound mixer (in Write mode) the sound, and then also made changes to the master track volume levels. These were not copied over.
I really don't want to have to do the mixing all over again. If someone can explain how I can fix the problem in any way I would be most thankful.
While I am here asking - another 2 small questions that have been bugging me:
How I can copy and paste volume keyframes from either the master track or a clip and apply it on another clip/section of the clip that would be very helpful. This would for example be useful if I am able to find a certain volume level that I would like to apply to the desired section without the need to sit and "record" (using the Write function) those settings on the desired area. If there is any means to apply the properties on audio track this way - that would be really useful and time saving.
A best practice hint: when you try and create a sound level for a project - what PC volume level setting do you set in your PC that you use as a benchmark by which we then work out the sound level that would be created in the project? Obviously if I push my PC volume al the way up I would probably mix my sound in the project too low. And if I set the PC volume too low - than I would probably be setting the overall sound level too high and get distortion. As the movies I created would be burnt onto a DVD - what is the volume level on the PC (if there is any means of establishing a standard volume) that I need to match first before I go and figure out what level of sound the finished DVD would have? Of course I can work on say a 50% and then apply gains and volume increases based on that 50% of the max sound my PC plays out. But that sounds pretty much like a random setting and not optimised for other devices.
My system:
Windows 7, 32-bit
CS4, v. 4.2.1
This looks like a fairly basic question but I am unable to find a good answer to it...
Many thanks to the person who shows me how this can be done without me going crazy over the need to start all over again...
Eroka00

Hi Ann,
Your tip saved me a lot of time indeed....!
So I created a new sequence, made sure it was 16:9, copy pasted all of the assets, but then had to do the following:
1. Copy/Paste Attributes for all the video clips (these do not transfer);
2. As you suggested used the whole of the old sequence as a nested sequence in the new one, eliminating the video altogether.
I still had a nagging issue that the project would not render or export well - but that turned out to be an issue with rendeiring large files (the video was an uncut clip of almost 10GB, andother of 6GB). Splicing these into 10 minute segments and rendering them separately did the trick.
It's ben amlong Xmas weekend and endless hours spendt on this project. Yaikes!
Thanks for the workaround idea!

Can you help me solve my aspect ratio issue?

Hey guys,
I'm posting this in hopes that someone can help me solve an aspect ratio issue with a project that I have to finish by tomorrow.
I'm trying to avoid having to re-edit the entire thing.
I shot the project with my Nikon D7000 DSLR. in 720p 30p (29.97)
I am running Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 (the trial version). I have the full version of Adobe Premiere Pro CS3.
The reason I was working with the trial is that CS3 can't handle the H.264 MOVs that the D7000 records.
You can work with a timeline, but if you try to export anything, it never works. I always have to convert my footage to ProRes MOVs with MPEG Streamclip before I can work with them is CS3. That takes a lot of time and a lot of hard drive space. After much research, I found out that CS5 is the way to go for DSLR footage. I just need to save up my pennies for the upgrade.
So I thought I'd edit this short (1 minute) project with the trial to see how CS5 works with the D7000 footage.
Upon installing the trial program, I found that the project presets were limited. I knew this ahead of time because it's clearly stated on the Adobe's website.
But I wasn't aware how limited they are.
Since "DSLR 1280x720p 30p" is not an option with the trial, I was going to use HDV 720p 30p. But that was not an option either!
So basically, my only option for 16x9 30p was "DV NTSC Widescreen". It's my understanding that this is 864x480 (in square pixel aspect ratio) or 720x480 (in widescreen pixel aspect ratio) I needed the output file to be 864x486. I downsized the footage to 69% in the "Video Effects: Motion" setting so it looked correct in the project. I didn't think about those extra 6 pixels until I outputed the file and saw thin black lines on the top and bottom. My guess is that Premiere is adding black pixels because my project is technically 720x480 (1.2121)
Any thoughts on how I can get a clean 864x486 export? I'd rather not re-edit the whole thing...which I would have to do in CS3 after I spent a few hours converting the original files in MPEG Streamclip. I don't know if there is a way to export something out of CS5 and then open a new project in CS3 to make this work.
Thanks in adavance!
- Jordan

On export, just crop a few pixels off of each side; that'll let the image scale correctly to the output frame size without black bars.
I'm not running the trial, but you should still be able to create a custom sequence preset using the Desktop editing mode. Just switch over to the General tab when you create a new sequence, and choose "Desktop" from the editing modes. Set the rest of the parameters as you need them.
Even easier: once you've imported your footage, just drag a clip to the New Item icon at the bottom of the project panel; a sequence will be created matching your footage parameters. You can edit at full-resolution, and then export to your desired frame size when complete--you'll probably still need to crop a few pixels (in the Export Settings window) to eliminate the black bars.

Importing from iMovie 08 to FCE4 - aspect ratio!!

Hello All,
I have clips recorded in iMovie 08 (captured from built-in iSight cam) which I'm trying to import into FCE4. Using the standard FCP XML export in iMovie and opening in FCE4, the aspect ratio of all clips is lost.
I am using the built-in iSight cam to record a video blog (please don't give me flack about not using a dedicated cam), is there a way to preserve the 16:9 aspect ratio from iMovie? I have used the motion settings on the clips to attempt to restore the original aspect ratio (-33 seems to be close), but this seems terribly unscientific and mostly guess work. Thanks.

In the browser (view as list) check the Anamorphic Flag associated with both the imported clip and your sequence: both should be set. My guess your sequence is not 16:9, in this case you only have to set that flag in the browser to fix it.
Setting Aspect Ratio = -33 in the Motion tab restores the right proportions of the original video but creates top and bottom bands in a standard 4:3 video and reduces the original video vertical resolution. The anamorphic flag, instead, fixes the video aspect ratio without losing video quality.
Hope it works
Piero

Working with several video formats aspect ratios need help...

Hi folks I have searched around quite a bit but I need more specific advice based my situation...I am editing a docu about Japanese biker gangs shot on several different SD cameras:
MY FOOTAGE
1.Sony Vx-2000 fitted with a Century Optics 16:9 converter lens bayonet mounted
2.Canon Xl2 shot in 16:9 mode
But I also have:
ARCHIVAL/ACQUIRED FOOTAGE
1. Contributor's camera SD 4:3 aspect ratio
2.Contributor's camera SD 16:9 aspect ratio
3. Transferred from VHS into SD 4:3 aspect ratio
I would like to standardize the aspect ratio for the project but I am getting confused as sometimes the footage shot on the sony (which should be true 16:9) appears elongated vertically at times.
Are my settings off?
Also, I have "title safe" wireframe on in the Canvas and the images all exceed the outer box. I don't have a TV so it's hard to check what (if anything) gets
lost. I guees most TVs can handle 16:9 without letterboxing....
Do I have to worry about that? Which box should I crop to if I letterbox? The out or inner? Or the outside of the screen? Should I just letterbox the whole project?
BTW eventually I am planning on Uprezing the project to HD using Magic Bullet when outputting.
The overall question is: Who has experience dealing with multiple aspect ratios in one timeline? Can you offer any advice on a work flow to output successfully?

Sorry to butt in, haven't read the entire thread.
Suggest you plan from the beginning to create one timeline but encode for two separate output formats.
Standard procedure for bringing multiple formats is to convert them to a single format as they are ingested. Decide early what the timeline format will be and transcode everything to that codec before anything is brought into the timeline.
When your project goesgolden, export a single self-contained movie and take that to Compressor to create release movies that will be played on Blu-ray, SD DVD, online, or in Power Point, whatever you need.
bogiesan
Message was edited by: David Bogie Chq-1

Removing Black Bars on iMovie Projects (Aspect Ratio / Resolution Problem)

Hey folks,
I jusr recently recorded a video using fraps on my PC while playing World of Warcraft. I've transfered this over to my mac to import into iMovie and upon importing the file (using a DV Widescreen profile) there are two black bars on either side of the video.
I believe this is because my monitor is using a different aspect ratio (max resolution is 1680x1050, in otherwords not 16:9 as the profile indicates).
How can I configure iMovie to conform to the aspect ratio of the origional imported video? I know if I import the video and get it edited to the final version I want to encode, there is an option using the Divx codec to remove these bars - But i'd like to keep the video using the H.264/.Mov standards (Divx looks like crap IMO!)
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
- Evan

Hey folks,
I jusr recently recorded a video using fraps on my PC while playing World of Warcraft. I've transfered this over to my mac to import into iMovie and upon importing the file (using a DV Widescreen profile) there are two black bars on either side of the video.
I believe this is because my monitor is using a different aspect ratio (max resolution is 1680x1050, in otherwords not 16:9 as the profile indicates).
How can I configure iMovie to conform to the aspect ratio of the origional imported video? I know if I import the video and get it edited to the final version I want to encode, there is an option using the Divx codec to remove these bars - But i'd like to keep the video using the H.264/.Mov standards (Divx looks like crap IMO!)
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
- Evan

Is it possible to burn a DVD from FCPX in 16:9 aspect ratio?

I am using FCP X 10.1.1 on an iMac with OS 10.9.3
I have HD video shot in 1080X720. I realize a dvd isn't HD, but I would like to try and get the wide screen aspect. Is that even possible? I would love any sort of assistance! Thanks much!
-R

Yes.
Just go ahead and burn the DVD which will finish up with whatever aspect the project is.
A 16:9 aspect ratio has nothing to do with hi-def, it's just that hi-def in the last 10 years has adopted that ratio but it was used long before then, together with 4:3, for standard def DV.

How can i export a series of images in different aspect ratios to the same height

How can i export a series of images in different aspect ratios to the same height?
I wish to make a slider callery for my website. all the images need to be 750 Pixels high, the width does not matter. I have a mixture of square pandscap and protraite images can i do thing as one export or do i have to do it twice? Once for long edge and once for shot edge?
Thanks

Yes, you can but there is a trick to it.
In the Export Dialog under <Image Sizing> select Widdth & Height.
Then enter 750 pixels for Height.
Put your cursor into the Width field behind all the numbers that appear there and with the backspace key delete the numbers. If you enter "0" it will not accept that. But it accepts when you just delete the field for Width with the backspace key. The Width field will now be just blank.
When you then export all image will have a height of 750 pixels and the width will fall variously according to thne height / width ratio.
Or alternatively you can enter 7.5" for height at a resolution of 100 ppi.

Using "One Step DVD from Movie" on my IMac 10.8.6 using Verbatim DVD-R ("Life Series") 4.7 GB 16X 120, I get a wide angle version of my two minute story rather than the 3X4 standard aspect ratio that I normally get and want. Help!

While using "One Step DVD from Movie" using DVD-R Verbatim ("Life Series" 4.7 16 X 120 min) on my IMac 10.6.8 I get a wide angle aspect ratio on the DVD not the standard 3X4 aspect ratio. The Quicktime Movie is is standard 3X4 aspect ratio and the video video footage is standard 3X4 aspect ratio? Advice will be greatly appreciated.

Try this basic troubleshooting fix :
1 - delete the IDVD preference file, com.apple.iDVD.plist, that resides in your
User/Home()/Library/ Preferences folder.
2 - delete IDVD'S cache file, Cache.db, that is located in your
User/Home()/Library/Caches/com.apple.iDVD folder.
Click to view full size
3 - reboot.
4 - launch IDVD and try again.
Personally I would not the the one step method but create the iDVD project from scratch so you can make sure the widescreen option is not selected in the preferences and you can follow this workflow:
Once you have the project as you want it save it as a disk image via the File ➙ Save as Disk Image menu option. This will separate the encoding process from the burn process.
To check the encoding mount the disk image and launch DVD Player and play it. If it plays OK with DVD Player the encoding was good.
Then burn to disk with Disk Utility or Toast at the slowest speed available (2x-4x) to assure the best burn quality. Always use top quality media: Verbatim, Maxell or Taiyo Yuden DVD-R are the most recommended in these forums.
OT

How do I get SD video (4:3 aspect ratio) to fill the entire screen?

Any 4:3 video I stream has black bars on either side of the picture. I have a Samsung HDTV, and I can stream content using its own pc to tv streaming software and 4:3 videos fill the entire screen. Or if I play a DVD with 4:3 aspect ratio that will also automatically fill the screen. With the Apple TV I cannot make it fill the entire screen. Is this something to do with the signal being transmitted over an HDMI cable?
Has anyone else had this problem, and if so how have you resolved it?

I know it is displaying 4:3 video correctly, however I'd prefer if there was some stretching (non-linear) so that it fills the entire screen. Having 2 big black bars on either side gets very annoying. There doesnt seem to be an option to fill the entire screen when streaming from the apple tv. There are options when streaming from Samsung's own software (I don't want to use samsungs pc share manager as the apple tv's user interface is much better).
Are my options restricted because the signal is transmitted through an hdmi cable? Seems to be what other websites might be suggesting.

Aspect Ratio Doubts

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