Widescreen movies on 16:9 TV's are being compressed?

[BigToque]

As I understand it, widescreen TV's display at 16:9 (or 1.77:1).

But are movies not shot at 2.35:1? I've also heard of 1.85:1...

Why wouldn't everyone just shoot with the same aspect ratios? What's the point of using so many ratios?

 

[Accord99]

Originally posted by: Stefan
As I understand it, widescreen TV's display at 16:9 (or 1.77:1).

Yep. Some widescreen monitors are also 16:10, 15:9, etc...

But are movies not shot at 2.35:1? I've also heard of 1.85:1...

Roughly half of all new movies uses 2.35, while the other half use 1.85. And then there are the occasional movies that use 1.33, or the Academy ratio of 1.37, and 1.66 is the preferred ratio for most of the recent Disney animated movies. All movies before 1950 something, are also in the Academy ratio. And there are also the occasional epics that utilizes even wider ratios, such as Ben-Hur.

Why wouldn't everyone just shoot with the same aspect ratios? What's the point of using so many ratios?

Depends on the preference of the Director and/or director of cinematography. Some like the epic feel of extremely wide ratios, while a few, such Kubrick, like to have some height in their picture.

 

[Auric]

Screen ratio and shape is irrelevant so long as it can display the source at a desirable size. People get hung up on filling the available area. My god what do they do when faced with a front projector as in a theater? The only relevant consideration is practicality.

 

[Spicedaddy]

Originally posted by: Stefan
As I understand it, widescreen TV's display at 16:9 (or 1.77:1).

But are movies not shot at 2.35:1? I've also heard of 1.85:1...

Why wouldn't everyone just shoot with the same aspect ratios? What's the point of using so many ratios?

2.35:1 will have black bars on a 16:9 TV. (So would 1.85:1 technically, but you don't see them because of overscan)

 

[0roo0roo]

widescreen tvs are a medium wide, good compromise. if they made them ultra wide, normal tv would really be stretched or have huge bars.

there are different formats for different movie types, its just a directors preference, and some epic movies wouldn't be the same without 2.35:1, i'd rather have that then average it down for reasons of convenience.

 

[chocoruacal]

Widescreen formats. Google is your friend.