Shooting in 9x16

G

Gizmosgadget

Active member
I knew it was a matter of time but I've been asked to shoot a short film in 9x16. I'm taking the gig as I'm interested in seeing where this whole thing goes. As anyone tried it yet? I'm feeling like wide shots would be all but ruled out. I'm open to any ideas.

Cheers.

Craig.
 
Only a matter of time it seems. I have not been asked to do this yet, but perhaps it would be a fun challenge on the right project. Wide as you said is tough unless you can do something interesting with huge headroom etc.
 
Think of a movie shot @ 2:39 and having to present it on an old 4:3 TV. Pan and scan here we come. Shoot it in 16 x 9 or wider and then pan and scan it for a retro look showing backs of heads cutoff and people talking to someone off screen along with nice stiff pans from the optical department.
 
I never understood why cellphone manufacturers didn't just place the camera sensor inside the phone in a way that you would shoot horizontal video by holding the phone vertically. It's so much more comfortable holding the phone vertically when using one hand, that now we're all saddled with millions of ridiculous vertical videos online.
 
Not sure which company does it (maybe all the new phones have this now), but I know there is at least one that automatically pops up a message to turn your phone when you're in video mode and holding it vertically.
 
I imagine the easiest way to do this would be with guides on your monitor - Turning the camera itself on it's side would be a total nightmare.

And let's face it, it's not like it's going anywhere other than mobile for the foreseeable future so it's not like you have to squeeze every last drop of resolution out of it.
 
Upright seems a completely legit format for the right project.. typically fashion where full lenght of the human form is the dominant image - maybe for films about running too.. and maybe films about tower blocks :). The human is much more 9-16 thany they are 16-9

Coming from stills I was a bit stumped doing fashion video until I descovered the 'pan up' - a L-R pan would be the way to represent a wide subject in a narrow format.

Ive worked with my camera on its side - takes some thinking but do-able.
 
Most people hold their phones in vertical position most of the time, so 9x16 video makes sense if your target device is a phone. But I don't think I'd put a lot of work into something with that aspect ratio: you're going for a medium that thrives on quick and easy content, it will probably do WORSE if it doesn't look like it was shot with a phone.
 
morgan_moore said:
The human is much more 9-16 thany they are 16-9
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Yes, but human vision is much more 16:9 than 9:16 - a result of having two eyes set side-by-side. 9:16 it becomes harder to compose a shot the more people you have on screen. Fashion is about the only thing I can think of that might be better in this format.
 
deltoidjohn said:
Yes, but human vision is much more 16:9 than 9:16 - a result of having two eyes set side-by-side. 9:16 it becomes harder to compose a shot the more people you have on screen. Fashion is about the only thing I can think of that might be better in this format.
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Indeed - but fashion probably accounts for millions of hours watch time for certain sectors - ie teen girls - and millions of $ of video budget thrown at that sector - so commercially poo pooing the format is IMO not wise. Artisticaly Im 239 all the way :)

edit - not to mention all my local bust stops (for example) are swaping their paper backlit upright adverts for screens now - which will need a heap of motion content. Even my local macdonalds order screens are upright and populated with video content.Upright screens are fast becoming evereywhere!
 
A 3-way pan tilt head or L bracket would allow you to shoot vertical video, but I think I'd only try it with small light cameras. I remember reading an article from the SD days that recommended shooting vertically for green screen shots to maximize resolution; how times have changed :smile:.
 
Times not that different. I do upright green screen with my fs7 in 4K any time that is more efficient use of the sensor. Ive got a big L bracket to mount the camera.
 
Jaime Valles said:
I never understood why cellphone manufacturers didn't just place the camera sensor inside the phone in a way that you would shoot horizontal video by holding the phone vertically. It's so much more comfortable holding the phone vertically when using one hand, that now we're all saddled with millions of ridiculous vertical videos online.
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Blackberry's were set-up like this. When you held them vertically for normal phone usage, the sensor was turned so that it shot horizontally.
 
Thanks for all of the input. I'm not a comic book guy, but I've been looking at how artists lay out their pages. Some very interesting uses of vertical panels. Especially in the manga world. I cringed when I was asked to shoot, but now I'm stoked to try something new. I want to shoot this in RAW on my F55, 17x9 cropped to 9x16. If it doesn't pan out, I may try to get my hands on a GH5. We shoot early next winter.

Cheers!

Craig
 
deltoidjohn said:
I imagine the easiest way to do this would be with guides on your monitor - Turning the camera itself on it's side would be a total nightmare.
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I recently shot a project in 9x16 for an in app video and used monitor guides shooting 4K to crop. I'm glad I did because it turned out after the initial cut they wanted a 16x9 version for youtube so its good I didn't turn the camera on its side.
 
I would, and have, turned the camera on its side. Otherwise you are just throwing away 2/3rds of your sensor.
 
The camera is anywhere from 25-35 pounds depending on the build. The intent is for the short to be viewed on mobile devices so I'm not worried about the loss in resolution. In the end it's slightly higher than full HD.
 
Gizmosgadget said:
I knew it was a matter of time but I've been asked to shoot a short film in 9x16. I'm taking the gig as I'm interested in seeing where this whole thing goes. As anyone tried it yet? I'm feeling like wide shots would be all but ruled out. I'm open to any ideas.
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It's easy with a GH5 with a battery holder (the original version or the very cheap imitation).

Unfortunately many content providers are stuck on their preferred formats, I think it would be great to have more creativity in framing.
Look at the old paintings and imagine painters would put all their paintings in exactly the same size frame.

Here is a famous vertical:
687px-Mona_Lisa%2C_by_Leonardo_da_Vinci%2C_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg
 
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