Confused about the "two" windows in every composition

[c.g._eads]

There appear to be "two" windows in every composition. First off, there's the "window" that is your actual footage. I can best describe this as the footage with the wireframe surrounding it. And then there is the "window" that allows you to see this footage. This is just the basic square that surrounds your footage.

I'm confused about these and the reason it's an issue is because I'm trying to get an *exact*=sized video out of after effects (a high-definition 16x9 image). Which represents the actual "16x9" frame? Is it the window or the wireframe? I'm fairly certain it's the window, but my attempts to get the wireframed footage to fit perfectly in that window have been fruitless. For example, I can reshape the image so that it fits in that box, but in doing so I'll now have black bars at the top and bottom. Or I have to squish the video so it's horizontally distorted. I have gone into the "interpret footage" box for the respective footage, but instead of giving you a simple "16x9" box to click, my only real shot at resizing that window is the "pixel aspect ratio" options. I've chosen 1.2 and 1.44, and they successfully widen that window, but never perfectly. And even if they did, I feel like using this pixel aspect ratio thing is not the correct way to do it.

Is this making any sense? Probably not but that's the best I can describe it. Can anyone help?

 

[d00d]

Easiest way to make a composition that matches your footage exactley is to drag your clip onto the new composition button at the bottom of the project window, or drag your clip into the viewing area and it will place it into a new composition with your proper aspect ratio and resolution.

 

[c.g._eads]

I must be doing something else wrong because that's exactly what I do.

 

[Huy Vu]

The frame inside is probably the safe-display area.