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RELEASE PRINT IMAGE
AM •
Wide Screen Films And
Television
Wide-screen feature films are more readily adaptable to television if certain framing considerations are observed at the time they are photographed.
By WALTER BEYER
Chairman, Research & Educational Committee of the ASC
hen the research & Educational Committee of the American Society of Cinematographers convened in a special meeting early this year, its purpose was to explore and seek a solution to the problems involved when wide-screen feature films are televised. The aspect ratio of a feature film photographed 185-to-l is not compatible with the less-rectangular format of television screens, and such pictures, when televised, appear on the screens of TV receivers with objectionable wide frame lines, top and bottom.
The Era of Aspect Ratios
Ten years ago, one of the most stimulating conver¬ sation pieces at studio production and engineering meetings was the elusive “aspect ratio.” Prior to that time all apertures — both for cameras and thea¬
tre projectors — was the Academy Standard, 1.33to-1 (1.33:1). The advantage of this aspect ratio with relation to set construction is illustrated at A in Fig. 1. On sets, placement of microphones and lights was most advantageous, and with the proper head clearance and the minute difference in height between the camera and projector apertures there was never a problem concerning “over-shooting” a set or in providing a “protection” area when fram¬ ing scenes in the camera finder.
With the introduction of wide screen photography, shooting in any aspect ratio other than 1.33:1 cre¬ ated a number of problems relating to the economics and technicalities of production. Those who parti¬ cipated in the battle of the aspect ratios at that time will understand that it would far exceed the scope of this report to mention all of them here.
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AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER, JUNE, 1963