Changing aspect ratio mid-film

[Dreadylocks]

I saw this and thought it was pretty cool. From the Hunger Games 2 bluray. At the point when the games start and the film changes tone they slowly switch from 2:35.1 to 1.78:1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggqOV88WYws

Apparently if you saw the film in IMAX, you've already seen the switch. They filmed the games part specifically for that and included it in the bluray edition. Pretty cool and I think it's really interesting how something like this can change the feeling of the film.

 

[Will Vincent]

They did something similar (albeit more extreme) in Oz, when he first arrives in Oz the aspect ratio changes from 4:3 to 2.35:1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB2R1_kqkd4

In 3D on the giant Marcus ultrascreen this was really cool because the snow was both outside the 4:3 frame, and appeared to be throughout the theater

 

[Tony Fiction]

They did this in the Life of Pi as well. They changed the ratio three times (maybe) in a 1 minute sequence. I hated it, it felt very strange.

 

[NickClapper]

They did this in the Life of Pi as well. They changed the ratio three times (maybe) in a 1 minute sequence. I hated it, it felt very strange.

It's funny, I only noticed it in Life of Pi the second time I saw it in the cinema. First time, completely loved it. Second time, found the aspect ratio changes really grating. But no-one I watched it with noticed it.

It's becoming increasingly common now that movies are being shot, in part, for different formats, such as IMAX and 3D (the aspect ratio changes in Life of Pi, I believe, were designed to make it feel like stuff was coming out of the frame).

There are two uses- technical, as in Hunger Games and Life of Pi, and stylistic, as in Oz and, for example, The Grand Budapest Hotel. I find the latter much more interesting, but most people don't even know what aspect ratio is and probably wouldn't even notice large shifts mid-film. An easter egg for film fans, I suspect.

 

[Tony Fiction]

It's becoming increasingly common now that movies are being shot, in part, for different formats, such as IMAX and 3D (the aspect ratio changes in Life of Pi, I believe, were designed to make it feel like stuff was coming out of the frame).

Yeah, that is exactly why they did it. I remember the whale breaking the letterbox.

 

[Will Vincent]

It totally made sense for Oz.. paying homage to the original version in 4:3 at the beginning. I was actually fully prepared to watch the whole movie that way when it started, then the aspect ratio shift was a happy surprise.

Honestly, I've never actually noticed it in life of pi or catching fire. Granted, only seen life of pi once, but I saw catching fire twice in the theater, and just watched it again on bluray a few days ago.. more focused on the story and whatnot that it never occurred to me the aspect ratio changed I guess. Perception is weird.

 

[Tony Fiction]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf0sIKypI4g

Not the scene I was thinking of. But the same thing.

 

[mad_hatter]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf0sIKypI4g

Not the scene I was thinking of. But the same thing.

This one's really weird. Technically, the aspect ratio itself doesn't actually change. There are just black bars added to the image; the fish themselves are on top of the bars. It's most noticeable around 0:43. Must be something to do with the 3D...

I'm sure everybody is aware of the shift in aspect ratio in The Dark Knight (and ...Rises), due to the switch from IMAX to 35mm. It's always struck me as odd though, as to why they keep that switch on the DVD/BRD. Why don't they just crop the 16:9 IMAX images to match the 2.4:1 35mm scenes? Is there a reason? Am I missing something? Not that I find the switch off - putting (apparently, some people do), but it just seems illogical.

 

[Will Vincent]

Yeah it definitely would have sold the 3D effect of the fish flying out into the audience better than not putting the bars there.. but without the 3D, it's very weird. I agree.

 

[jax_rox]

Aspect Ratios were all over the shop in Datk Knight. I honestly didn't even notice until after it was pointed out to me, I was too caught up in the film to notice

 

[Cracker Funk]

The vast majority of Grand Budapest is 1:1 (or really close to it, maybe 4:3). Switches to what looks like 16:9 for all non-flashback scenes.

 

[moonshieldmedia]

My feature has something kind of like this...

The film starts out with some "home footage" shots that are in 16:9, but shrunken down smaller so they don't fill the whole screen, then it snaps into the full 16:9 frame once the home footage is over and the real movie begins.

 

[GuerrillaAngel]

I saw this and thought it was pretty cool. From the Hunger Games 2 bluray. At the point when the games start and the film changes tone they slowly switch from 2:35.1 to 1.78:1

Amazon.com's createspace does not like this kind of thing.

 

[Dreadylocks]

It totally made sense for Oz.. paying homage to the original version in 4:3 at the beginning.

I haven't seen Oz but I would also think it may be the modern equivalent of starting the film in sepia and switching to color once arriving in Oz.

 

[Yodaman]

Amazon.com's createspace does not like this kind of thing.

Use letterbox masks then? Have the whole thing technically be 16:9 and mask out the parts you want to look wider?

 

[jax_rox]

I haven't seen Oz but I would also think it may be the modern equivalent of starting the film in sepia and switching to color once arriving in Oz.

They also did that

 

[GuerrillaAngel]

Use letterbox masks then?

Nope, createspace forbids letterboxing and pillaring of any sort.

 

[Dreadylocks]

They also did that

 

[Yodaman]

Nope, createspace forbids letterboxing and pillaring of any sort.

That's not cool!

I wonder why that is? If YouTube can support different aspect ratios (with OR without letter/pillar boxing!), surely Amazon/Createspace would be able to do the same?

That just seems ultra picky to me.

 

[GuerrillaAngel]

That's not cool!

I wonder why that is? If YouTube can support different aspect ratios (with OR without letter/pillar boxing!), surely Amazon/Createspace would be able to do the same?

That just seems ultra picky to me.

They apparently used to allow it. But sometime last year they changed the policy. In fact, the your film must be one of 6 aspect ratios or it'll automatically get rejected as well. 4:3 is still an accepted ratio but you can't letterbox it.