Aspect ratio question

btownproductions

btownproductions

Well-known member
Hi, after searching through the forums here, and on google, I still can't seem to find the right answer to my question. (Maybe I was wording it wrong or something, but I could only find answers for using the DVX and an anamorphic adapter). I want to try filming in 2.39:1, but I'm not quite sure how to properly mask off my monitor for framing.

I'm shooting with an HVX and a 35mm adapter (I don't think the adapter makes a difference with this though). Just curious how I'd know where to mask off my monitor to get the proper aspect ratio for composing my shots. Also, once I bring it into post is there a simple way to crop my shots without it taking an insane amount of time? (I'm using Premiere Pro CS3), Or am I stuck manually cropping every single shot?

Thanks,

Patrick
 
In Premiere, simply create a text layer that's just a two black bars and stretch it over all the footages and it will overlay for all.
 
Huy Vu said:
In Premiere, simply create a text layer that's just a two black bars and stretch it over all the footages and it will overlay for all.
Click to expand...

Lol, I think I had a bit of a brain fart there, I realized that right after posting (damn, you're fast). But I still don't know how to get the right sized bars, for the proper ratio... How would I figure that out? Also, I want to mask off my camera monitor as well, so it will be easier to frame my shots properly.

Thanks, for the ultra-fast reply though!
 
btownproductions said:
Lol, I think I had a bit of a brain fart there, I realized that right after posting (damn, you're fast). But I still don't know how to get the right sized bars, for the proper ratio... How would I figure that out? Also, I want to mask off my camera monitor as well, so it will be easier to frame my shots properly.

Thanks, for the ultra-fast reply though!
Click to expand...

For Premiere I would just get a frame that already has the bar applied and just match the black bars to that. I've provided one for you below in 1080p, you can resize it for 720p and so on

http://huyvu.smugmug.com/photos/503713363_7xepC-X3.jpg

As for the HVX, it doesn't have a guide so that's tricky. Someone who's more familar with the process can step in here, but what I would do is take the frame that I've provided and bring it back into the HVX (for example by burning the image to tape and then playing it on the HVX LCD) and then taping it off that way.
 
You need to take your 4X3 screen and figure out the 2.39 to 1 ratio. The screen will be 2.39 units long and 1 unit wide. Get a calculator and a fine scale rule. I did this years ago, it's not too tough.


Then get a sheet of clear overhead projector gel material & sketch out the frame both outside & inside, use an exacto knife and cut it out. Then take a fine permanent felt pen and lightly trace the inside of the frame; you'll need this to see the frame edge. Tape in on to the LCD.
 
Awesome! Thanks a lot Huy. Is that frame you gave me 2.35:1 or 2.39:1?
I'm hoping to shoot 2.39, but with the small amount of difference I'm sure it doesn't really matter that much, just that I figured I might as well use that instead of 2.35, since it's an aspect ratio that seems to have died off a long time ago.
 
Thanks a lot Huy, I've been sitting here trying to use illustrator to make one out of a low-res picture I found on google, but yours will be much easier to use. :beer:
 
Ok, there might be a stupid answer to this, because I'm pretty tired right now. But I can't export the clip I've made to tape or P2 for some reason?? I can import from my P2 card fine, and capture from the tape. But when I go to export in the menu, no matter what setting I seem to have my camera on, the export to tape option is greyed out, so I can't select it, and there is no elusive "export to P2" option that I keep hearing about whenever I search for an answer to this...

Ahh, so frustrating when you're running on very little sleep.
 
Yeah, I tried that as well... It was probably something stupid I forgot to do, oh well.. when all else fails: Go to windows movie maker. Haha, I got it onto my tape first try with WMM, sometimes the simplest tools, are the best thing for the job lol!

Thanks for the help guys, Now I've got my monitor masked and ready to go, and I created a template from that grab you gave me Huy, so I can use that to line up the mask on my timeline once I bring in some footage.
 
What are everyone's thoughts on shooting the main portion of a movie in 16:9, while shooting other portions of it at 2.39:1?

For example in "The Dark Knight" Most of it was shot at 16:9, but for certain shots they switched to 2.39:1 (You can see the black bars appear on the top and bottom of the frame periodically throughout the movie), this switch happens periodically even within the same scene in the movie... Is this generally considered acceptable if it adds to the feel of a certain shot?
 
btownproductions said:
What are everyone's thoughts on shooting the main portion of a movie in 16:9, while shooting other portions of it at 2.39:1?

For example in "The Dark Knight" Most of it was shot at 16:9, but for certain shots they switched to 2.39:1 (You can see the black bars appear on the top and bottom of the frame periodically throughout the movie), this switch happens periodically even within the same scene in the movie... Is this generally considered acceptable if it adds to the feel of a certain shot?
Click to expand...

If we're thinking of the same thing, you're referring to the bluray edition? I think when it's in 16:9, it's IMAX, the rest being in scope. I definitely thought it was weird and kind of jarring how it kept going from a full frame to letterbox. But I'm also more into consistency. I find if you're switching ratios, it's better to pick whatever ratio is widest, and pillar-boxing if you need to go to a smaller frame. But there should be a reason for it, otherwise it's unmotivated. I just made a film where we occasionally see through the point of view of a camera, at which point it goes to a pillar-boxed 1.33 image within a scope frame. The same is done in Boogie Nights. I find it a lot less awkward, visually.
 
Yeah it is the Bluray edition I was reffering to, I haven't seen the DVD release of it. They mention in the bonus features about using Imax for some shots, and the rest being in scope, I just figured that they would have cropped it to a standard frame size throughout the movie instead of switching, unless they did the switching for aesthetic reasons.

Pillar boxing seems less jarring, really? I would have thought the other way around... Although, I don't recall seeing a movie switch to pillar boxing (I've seen Boogie Nights, but it was quite some time ago). That's an interesting thought nonetheless. I don't have a need to switch between aspect ratios, it was just a thought I had while testing out filming in scope, and wondered what everyone thought of it.

The only way I could see effectively pulling off a switch would be with some sort of epic intro sequence filmed in scope, and then switching back to 16:9 for the remainder of the film.
 
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