Shooting video in letter box (16:9)

I'm going on vacation and plan on shooting a lot of video and making a little short movie of all the things that we do. I just wanted to get some opinions of those more experienced in shooting video on how it looks in letter box, or would you reccomend just the standard dimensions for shooting the video.
thanks.

Hi Brian!
As someone who has only shot videos in 16:9 ratio for the past 8 years, my opinion (that is all it is) is that 4:3 is just SO 20th century! Here in Europe you can barely give away an oldfashioned 4:3 TV. Now they are nearly all in widescreen - be they flatscreen or CRT - and all TV here in the UK is broadcast in widescreen.
It is much more than a fashion thing: 16:9, cinemascope, whatever version you think of, came into being because it much more accurately reflects the human eyes' angle of view. It looks better, and you see it better.
So having got that out of the way , I would be failing in my duty if I did not remind you that iMovie requires a digital DV stream fed to it by firewire. You should concentrate on mini-DV cameras recording on digital tape, and at all costs avoid anything that records on mini-hard disks, or any other format, or those that cannot connect to your Mac by firewire.
And no, modern cameras (even mine, which is 8mm analogue and 8 years old) do not produce 16:9 by 'chopping off the top and bottom of the picture', a fact easily confirmed by the viewfinder: you will see the same height in both 16:9 and 4:3, but in 16:9 you will either see the full picture in a modern viewfinder or screen, or a 'squashed' view of the scene (which is what mine does).
When you import the footage into iMovie, in order to preserve the 16:9 ratio, select 'DV widesacreen' in preferences, and uncheck 'automatic letterboxing'. Oh, and set your camera to 16 bit sound!

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Hi Robert
Thanks for answering. I didn't know where to post other than the bluetooth forum which is relatively quiet and had no answers forthcoming.
Yes the voice isn't reaching the amp although it is registering on the input bar in the Sound System Prefs, just won't "play through" as it were. I can't see how it could be done I was just hoping someone might see something I am missing.
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FCP 4 can it produce 16:9 letter box or anaorphic shots to DVD & 35mm film

I'm going to shoot a feature length movie in the near future. I have the anamorphic lens and will purchase the wide-angle lens for my Panasonic DVX-100A. I'm considering upgrading to the G5 with the latest Final Cut Pro software, probably DVD Studio 4. I'm going to shoot in 16:9 24fps Progressive mode. I eventually want have the option from the mini DV master to make 16:9 formatted DVD's and transfer to 35mm film.
My question is; what mode will you suggest to shoot in-letter box or squeeze frame? Should I use the anamorphic lens or just use the wide-angle lens? Will the latest Final Cut Pro DVD software address all of these issues? Thanks.

My question is; what mode will you suggest to shoot in-letter box or squeeze frame? Should I use the anamorphic lens or just use the wide-angle lens? Will the latest Final Cut Pro DVD software address all of these issues?
For the best 16:9 image quality, use the anamorphic lens and, as far as camera settings, shoot in standard (4:3) mode. The image will be distorted - it'll be squeezed - on tape, but you can tell Final Cut Pro to correctly unsqueeze it very easily.
Do not shoot in Squeeze mode (or Letterbox mode) if you're using the anamorphic lens - you'll end up with a doubly distorted image that will give you nightmares in post-production.
If you need to use the wide-angle lens, you won't be able to use the anamorphic lens (from my understanding of how the lenses on a DVX100A work) though. If you're going to be shooting in (uncontrolled?) conditions where the wide-angle lens is needed, then - and only then - shoot in Squeeze mode and use the wide-angle lens.
Personally, though, I would put off purchasing the wide-angle lens if you already have the anamorphic lens. Shooting with the anamorphic lens produces a better 16:9 image than when shooting in Squeeze mode.
And, yes, Final Cut Pro 5 will give you what you need. And, when it comes time to produce DVDs, DVD Studio Pro 4 should be fine as well.

Why do these black letter box borders appear?

Hi, I created a stop motion AVI file which I imported into Sony Vegas and then exported into PhotoShop. When I export from Sony Vegas into photo shop, thses black letter box edges appear on the video file, as seen on the lefthand image.
If anyone could tell me what they are and how to get rid of them, I'd be very grateful.
Thanks,
Chris

You know you're posting in the forum for FrameMaker publishing software,
right, not a Photoshop or video forum? To it's not really the right
audience.
That said, it looks to me as if your image is a 4x3 aspect ratio video set
into a 16x9 canvas -- the black boxes are the dead area in which you don't
have an image. To fix it, correct the size of the canvas or frame size to
match the video images.
Art Campbell
          [email protected]
"... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52 Vincent and
a redheaded girl." -- Richard Thompson
                                                      No disclaimers apply.
                                                               DoD 358
I support www.TheGrotonLine.com, hyperlocal news for Groton MA.

Need Advice on Shooting Video in Public

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Thanks in advance for any help!

First, I am not an attorney, but have played one on TV. Next, I must state that I strongly believe in one's rights, regarding likenesses, property depictation, etc., but have a little story.
While shooting a series of brochures for the U of Denver School of Law, and in particular for their Transportation Law School in this case, my clients researched just such an issue, though regarding still images. I do not have all of the gory, legal details at this late date, but the finding was that so long as the units (rigs, passing autos and buses) were operating on public roads, they could be photographed, and the images used, even for commercial purposes, like the Law School's brochures. Though the railroad lines are not "public" in quite the same sense, as the highways are, they were also fair subjects to use. Airlines also fell into that category, though there was a little issue of using images of private aircraft, where their N numbers were shown. In those cases, a bit of Photoshop work satisfied the legal department. Not exactly sure what that was about.
In my case, the images were to be used internationally, but DU Law cleared everything with DOT for both the Feds and for the state of CO.
A quick call to the State AG's office, as suggested, should be just fine, and should easily clear things up. In your case, you have the potential for both the State of NY, and also the Feds to be involved, as the highways might be state, or Federal, depending on the exact highway.
Good luck, and let us know what the AG's office has to say.
Hunt

HD converting to 16:9 letter box

This is something that baffles me. I did some captures from an HD camera in FCE and did some rough edits creating 2 or 3 sequences will different scenes and closed out of the project. A co-worker did a capture using SD and 4:3, and did his work. When I went back into work up a video with my previously captured footage and sequences into a final edit, the browser for doing ins and outs was seen as 16:9, but the timeline browser was showing a letterbox set up and previous titles that I had added were spilling out onto the letterbox. I did not change any settings when I went back into FCE, and the only setting change I am aware of that my co-worker did was in the easy setup for capturing his video. Why am I getting a letter box in the sequence browser now, when previously I was seeing it 16:9 fullframe? I also imported some other video also HD 16:9 and it worked up as fullframe HD 16:9.
I didn't check the timeline sequence settings, but would they change if previously it was 16:9 fullframe? Any suggestions would be wonderful....thanks..
jerry
sioux city

Tom, So just by resetting the easy setup from whatever my co-worker uses to the 108060i will allow me to work fullframe in HD 1080? I might be beating a deadhorse by asking very specifically but I just want to make sure I am not assuming the wrong thing. Thanks so much for your help.....
jerry
sioux city

Cannot shoot video ever since iOS update

Ever since I updated my mini ipad with the iOS I can't shoot a video

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One reason they're not allowing any might be that they're working on something themselves, I think there's a lot more to come for camera.app, like video, self timer and even photobooth like effects, maybe 2.1 or 2.2, but right now it seems they're working on the 3G fixes, which kind of annoys me personally since I'm not going to switch to 3G, HATE the glossy plastic and that it's not level on the back, if you set it on the table it wobbles around all the time.

Letter Box Effect / image quality ?

When you use the "letter box" effect, you can adjust your image in the frame, slidding it up and down. When doing so, do you loose any image quality (definition etc.)?
Many thanks.

I did a quick test and the quality (interlacing, colors etc) seemed to be perfectly preserved with the letterbox effect in a standard definition PAL project when the effect was applied to a video (not still clip). I noticed that if I let the effect convert the non-Ken Burns'ed still THEN the quality was awful.
BTW, the letterbox-effect doesn't seem to suffer from this bug:
In iMovie HD 6.0.3 added titles render the underlying video slightly fuzzy with SD PAL or with 16:9 SD NTSC; with HD projects added titles and effects render the underlying video slightly fuzzy:
http://www.sjoki.uta.fi/~shmhav/iMovieHD_6_bugs.html#titleseffects

Small letter boxed picture

Many broadcasters are now going to 16:9 for all of their 4:3 and/or SD broadcasts. The result for me is a small picture that is letter boxed on both sides as well as top and bottom. The picture appears to be in 16:9 format. I have a 16:9 TV. These pictures should fill the entire screen. This is ridiculous. I'm loosing 30 to 40% of the picture and paying for full screen. I have experimented with STB settings, TV settings, and tried both HDMI and Component connections. Nothing good came of it. If a picture is being broadcast in 16:9 format and watched on a 16:9 format TV, that picture should fill the entire screen. Why have a big screen TV to watch a postage stamp sized picture. Comcast blames the broadcasters and says that it has no control over this BS, just like they say about the insane amount of commercials on the channels that I am paying for. I very much blame Comcast. They are the one who takes my money every month. They are the one who brings these channels into my home, using their equipment. Comcast negotiates contracts with program providers. This gives them the power to protect their paying customers and to set provider requirements. Comcast, wake up, your future is not written in stone.

poppop89 wrote:
Many broadcasters are now going to 16:9 for all of their 4:3 and/or SD broadcasts. The result for me is a small picture that is letter boxed on both sides as well as top and bottom. The picture appears to be in 16:9 format. I have a 16:9 TV. These pictures should fill the entire screen. This is ridiculous. I'm loosing 30 to 40% of the picture and paying for full screen. I have experimented with STB settings, TV settings, and tried both HDMI and Component connections. Nothing good came of it. If a picture is being broadcast in 16:9 format and watched on a 16:9 format TV, that picture should fill the entire screen. Why have a big screen TV to watch a postage stamp sized picture. Comcast blames the broadcasters and says that it has no control over this BS, just like they say about the insane amount of commercials on the channels that I am paying for. I very much blame Comcast. They are the one who takes my money every month. They are the one who brings these channels into my home, using their equipment. Comcast negotiates contracts with program providers. This gives them the power to protect their paying customers and to set provider requirements. Comcast, wake up, your future is not written in stone.
Apologies. It sounds as though perhaps the user settings on your cable box somehow got changed.
For the Pace RNG 110 box, the below may assist, starting on page 11.
http://media2.comcast.net/anon.comcastonline2/support/help/faqs/settopboxes/pacerng110.pdf
For your Motorola cable boxes, the below should assist. Thanks for your patience.
Step 1: Access the User Settings Menu
To access the User Settings Menu, power On your TV and power Off the DVR box.
Press the Menu button on either your remote or the DVR box front panel to call up the on-screen menu. You may use either the DVR front panel or remote to navigate the menu.
Press the up-down arrow buttons to select the setting you wish to change. Press the right-left arrow buttons to select an option for that setting. To exit the setting and move to another setting, use the up-down arrow buttons.
Step 2: Set Your Preference for Watching Wide-Screen TV
The first user setting, referred to as “TV Type,” tells the DVR box what type of TV you have and how you prefer to watch wide-screen programming.
For standard-screen TVs, choose either of the following two options:
>> 4:3 Pan Scan (wide-screen programming is cropped to fill your screen).
>> 4:3 Letterbox (wide-screen programming will appear in its entirety with black bands on the top and bottom of the TV screen).
For wide-screen TVs, choose 16:9.
Step 3: Set Picture Resolution from DVR Box to TV
The next setting is referred to as Y Pb Pr OUTPUT and indicates the picture resolution output from the DVR box to your TV. The choices are 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i.
For most standard TVs, the appropriate setting is 480i. Choose 480p for enhanced definition TVs. For HDTVs, choose either 720p or 1080i. Refer to your TV owner’s manual and choose the setting that indicates the highest picture resolution your television will support.
Step 4: Set 4:3 Override
This setting provides the ability to specify how 4:3 standard definition programs are displayed on your TV. The choices are OFF, 480i, 480p, or stretch.
For most standard TVs, this should be set to OFF (the DVR will default to the resolution selected in the previous setting).
For HDTVs, the appropriate setting is either 480i, 480p, or stretch. If you have a wide-screen TV and select the stretch setting, 4:3 programs will automatically be stretched to a wide-screen 16:9 aspect ratio and display video in the format you specified in Step 3. Consult your HDTV owner’s manual to determine the appropriate setting.
Step 5: Save Your Settings
Press the Power button on your DVR or your remote to exit the menu and save your settings.
*If the on-screen menu does not appear on your TV screen, your TV may not support the default setting. Use the DVR front panel LED to view and change your settings. Use the up and down arrows to navigate categories and the left and right arrows to navigate within categories.

Sequence settings and letter box?

Hi,
I imported DVCAM from a deck allowing final cut to determine the settings. I noticed later that the footage was appearing as 4:3 letterboxed in some sequences and then 16:9 in others, without me adjusting anything. The original sequence had the letter boxed video footage, but when I imported the footage into a new sequence it adjusted it to PRO Res compressor. It is also worth mentioning that the title cards I used in the original sequence got smaller when I put them into the second sequence that showed the footage at 16:9.
Ultimately, I want to know how to make everything 16:9 and how to adjust those settings. Do I need to adjust the sequence? Does it need to be a new project?
Thoughts?
Thanks.

To answer this question another question is more important:
Was the original DV footage Anamorphic or 4:3 letterbox?
For understanding the whole thing about these concepts please read this article on Kenstone's site.
And post back after reading that and still having troubles.
Rienk

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When I use the video category (on the dial) it wont let me change my iso, aperture and shutter speed. Im not sure if its the lens or the camera.

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What's the recommended format for shooting video thats going on websites

I'm basically looking to do video for websites. Since computer screens are displaying progressively. Is shooting (Progressive Frame Rates) always the better option for shooting video. This is if your only final destination is going to be the internet ?
Also, is streaming always the better route ? If you can afford a personal server, isnt streaming the best method of posting multiple video clips ?
Thanks - Appreciate all replies

Just one more note to add to the good ones already here: Make sure your source material is as good as it can possibly be. Maybe I'm the weirdo, but in my experience scaling down and compressing video for Web delivery exaggerates rather than hiding shortcomings in the source material. Most of my content is delivered over the Web, but I shoot everything in high-definition with aggressively contrasty lighting and deeply crushed blacks. You might think it wouldn't matter, since it's all getting downscaled and compressed for distribution anyway, but at least to my eyes, material that's shot in high resolution (and yes, at 23.976) with a lot of in-camera contrast compresses better. You end up with fewer subtle areas of mostly-the-same luminance, like in the backgrounds, and that's where Internet compression really falls apart. By keeping everything in sharp contrast, and especially by underlighting your backgrounds and really crushing your blacks, I feel you give the encoder a little advantage and let it produce a better result.
But that might just be me.

Letter boxing and faded rectangle for subtitles

Hello
two questions, but both related. I only have FCP 5.1, not studio
Im looking to put a letter box black rectangle (top and bottom) across my 4:3 footage. I need to overlay this on top of the clips as there is some imported video that is the wrong size
also looking to create a faded rectangle to go over subtitles...
i guess its the same function for both.
any ideas much appreciated

I have a question for you.
FCP 5.1 isn't available as a stand-alone app. It is only sold as an integral part of Final Cut Studio, and the apps are only to be installed on the same computer, as there is only one serial number for the entire package.
So, how do you 'only' have FCP 5.1 and not Studio?

Shooting video in letter box (16:9)

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