Mixed ARs in the one video.

farss wrote on 10/9/2006, 7:09 AM

My creative quandary is I've shot a very wide subject, no way to fill the 16:9 frame. Think lots of distracting nothingness top and bottom of the frame. So I'm thinking to letterbox this in the 16:9 frame, maybe 2.35:1. Any thoughts on this?

Now here's where it gets messy. The closeups of the talent DO fill the frame but would probably look better in 4:3. So I'm thinking to pillarbox them into the 16:9 frame.

Any thoughts on the whole split screen thing and mixing up ARs in general. I've seen it done ( whole recent movie was done this way) and think it can be quite effective or is it all just too much?

Bob.

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 10/9/2006, 7:35 AM

Bob, that's done quite regularly over here these days, just finished editing a film for a client that is exactly this. Each scene has a different SAR. At first it was jarring, but then it settled into a very nice rhythm and it holds the viewer's attention, IMO. First like this I've ever done, but it's quite fun.

garo wrote on 10/9/2006, 8:24 AM

Let us "ferrners" in on the normanclature: what is SAR?

((Garo))

Spot|DSE wrote on 10/9/2006, 8:31 AM

SAR=Screen Aspect Ratio
PAR=Pixel Aspect Ratio