C300: Black bars at metadata

[Eric Coughlin]

I'd like a camera that offered the black bars for 2:35:1 or whatever aspect ratio I'm shooting at to be able to be already applied in post as metadata (if that's the right term). Arri does this with LUTs; I want it with black bars. If I'm shooting a movie for an editor who doesn't know what they're doing, or the communication down the supply line to the editor is not done well, on some occasions the black bars never get applied, and then what was shot with 2:35:1 in mind, ends up getting displayed at 16:9. In other instances the black bars get messed up such as one time when they applied far too much black bars to the top and bottom making it like a 4:1 movie due to incompetence, which was later corrected after the initial screening, but ugh.

Moreso, whenever I'm editing a project (like right now, which prompted this post), I'm getting tired of having to keep taking the post step of adding 2:35:1 bars. I don't ever want to deal with seeing the full 16:9 image in post unless I'm re-framing or particularly curious what is outside of the intended recorded frame, just like I never want myself or a client to be forced to view a log image unless I take an extra step to do so.

That's all.

 

[NorBro]

A good question I'm surprised never gets brought up.

I've dealt with this issue many times in the past. Eventually I had full control of the delivery(ies) and provided ProRes files (from FCP X) with the correct letterbox. Some may see that as extra work, but it was my suggestion. Copy and paste the letterbox to 200-300 clips, and it's done.

Of course that means the footage has then gone through one generation of processing (and you have to spend the time importing/exporting it), but very high-quality footage rarely ever gets affected.

Maybe there is a plugin that automatically does it upon import with some cameras.

 

[Guest]

I'd like a camera that offered the black bars for 2:35:1 or whatever aspect ratio I'm shooting at to be able to be already applied in post as metadata (if that's the right term). Arri does this with LUTs; I want it with black bars. If I'm shooting a movie for an editor who doesn't know what they're doing, or the communication down the supply line to the editor is not done well, on some occasions the black bars never get applied, and then what was shot with 2:35:1 in mind, ends up getting displayed at 16:9. In other instances the black bars get messed up such as one time when they applied far too much black bars to the top and bottom making it like a 4:1 movie due to incompetence, which was later corrected after the initial screening, but ugh.

Moreso, whenever I'm editing a project (like right now, which prompted this post), I'm getting tired of having to keep taking the post step of adding 2:35:1 bars. I don't ever want to deal with seeing the full 16:9 image in post unless I'm re-framing or particularly curious what is outside of the intended recorded frame, just like I never want myself or a client to be forced to view a log image unless I take an extra step to do so.

That's all.

Yeah, had a guy add letterbod to 2.40:1 making it close to 4:1 too.