Triangular Aspect Ratio

brownpaperbagproductions

brownpaperbagproductions

Well-known member
I was wondering how shots should/could be composed for a triangle shaped frame. It would be a 16x9 frame cropped into the shape of a triangle with the point at the top.

I tried to look up the rules/laws of triangles and got stuff on the golden ratio, but I'm not sure how to apply that math. Like you would apply the law of thirds to a rectangular frame, does that still apply to triangles? Or is there some weird rule were you have to break up a triangle into fourths?

My main concern is in balance and depth in close ups.

There's an artist I'm referencing for this named Karel Thole who uses circles: http://www.mondourania.com/

I did a quick test, it's stupid just because: http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=19714232
 
Last edited:
A triangle with a side to the bottom will be easily balanced. With any other orientation it will be difficult to achieve balance. The rule of thirds will not apply to a triangle, but guiding the viewers attention and holding it in a single point should be easily achievable in the triangle. The golden ratio for triagles is nothing more then an isosceles triangle. I'd like to see how it comes out.
 
TheComo said:
Were you high when you filmed and edited that myspace video?
Click to expand...

Well, He DID say it was a test, como. I actually think it's a really cool idea, if you can figure out a story to tell within the "love triangle"...sorry, stupid pun. Anyway, it's an interesting way of looking at things and telling stories, so let the man do what he wants.

However, it might be rather difficult to have a decent depth of field with such a small space. Perhaps if you turned the triangle upside-down? The reason i say this is because everything seems to be cut off at the top unless it's perfectly centered. I'm not sure if that's what you were going for, but hey, more power to you if it was. It's still a pretty cool idea.
 
Well, the reason wasn't because I was high, but Thole's paintings have a surreal quality just by virtue of a circle frame (well, and composition and lighting), since he did a circle I thought the triangle would be the next best thing.

But the piece I'm writing is funny and the triangle has this feel where it wants to be serious but you can't really believe it because it looks kinda silly, which is what I'm trying for. Maybe if Kurosawa or Ridley Scott or Lynch used it could be taken seriously. But what I want is, "What is this pretentious crap? Is this a joke?" But I also want it to be tolerable maybe even pleasurable to look at and watch.
 
i think beyond using a triangle because its a trianle... you can completely change composition to fit well with the shape. but to use typical composition within a triangle, IMO its like, hey ... there's a video with a triangle matte on top. Being avant-garde to be avant-garde is something I've always been annoyed by. (not saying you are though)
 
NOMADIC said:
i think beyond using a triangle because its a trianle... you can completely change composition to fit well with the shape. but to use typical composition within a triangle, IMO its like, hey ... there's a video with a triangle matte on top. Being avant-garde to be avant-garde is something I've always been annoyed by. (not saying you are though)
Click to expand...

I don't think I'd have the patience to sit through a triangle shaped flick.

Prententious ? Naaaw.

Lame ? Yeah.

But hey, that's art. You can do anything you want.

-
 
I think a triangle would be the wrong route to take... stuff like circular aspect ratios or the conventional rectangular ones are successful because even though you see the image through a different shape, the shape itself doesn't distract you from the content. That is, a circular mask wouldn't draw your attention away from the content - it would just change your perspective of it. With a triangle, you have a mass of visual stimuli on the bottom of the frame that decreases sharply as you move up the screen. This will probably do one of two things: Either the viewer will feel like they are being pushed and squeezed downwards, or theyll feel like they are being pointed upwards (triangle = arrow). Either way it will probably be a very uncomfortable experience. Triangles, by nature, have three concentration points, where your attention is drawn to immedietly. This would distract the viewer from watching the content.

Another way of putting that... When you see a triangle, you look at the three sharp corners first (and naturally). When you see a circle, you tend to look directly into the center of it, which is what you would want if the circle contained visual content.

Get what I mean? Of course, you're free to try it, but just be careful about substituting one shape for another, because they are far from equal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top