How a Film-Maker decides the Aspect Ratio of a Movie?

[technobhatt]

We have been watching movies since ages with various aspect ratios.

Let me write what I know.
Old movies (before 60's) were made mostly in 4:3 ratio.
Then we started watching movies with widescreen ratio 2.35:1.
Few movies are coming in 1.78:1 (16:9) and few are produced in 1.85:1. Sometimes, few movies were produced in 1.66:1 (such as '12 Angry Men')

So far, so good !
AFAIK, producers/directors have stopped filming movies in 4:3 (1.33:1) ratio.
(yet, 'The Artist' is an exception. Probably director made it in 4:3 to give a feel of old time cinema.)
Most of the movies now a days are in 2.35:1 ratio But sometimes, movies are also coming in ratios like 1.85:1 and 1.78:1 (16:9).
(Recent movie 'The Avengers' is in 1.85:1 ratio and I really liked the movie a lot. But I wasn't happy to see that Theatre-wala where I watched it, did not use the original aspect ratio and infact cropped the ratio to 4:3, that too on a 2.35:1 ratio projector screen.)

Here comes my question....
On what basis, a Film-maker decide the aspect ratio of a film ? Can't they stick to one particular standard ratio, so that we don't have to experience cropping of ratio in Theaters, as most of the modern theaters have been built with projector screen of 2.35:1 ratio.
Any insight on this ?

 

[Vijay_s]

Adding to that

Why TVs are manufactured in 16:9

Why Home DVD/BlueRays are in different aspect raito when TVs are in 16:9?

 

[elangoas]

We have been watching movies since ages with various aspect ratios.

Let me write what I know.
Old movies (before 60's) were made mostly in 4:3 ratio.
Then we started watching movies with widescreen ratio 2.35:1.
Few movies are coming in 1.78:1 (16:9) and few are produced in 1.85:1. Sometimes, few movies were produced in 1.66:1 (such as '12 Angry Men')

So far, so good !
AFAIK, producers/directors have stopped filming movies in 4:3 (1.33:1) ratio.
(yet, 'The Artist' is an exception. Probably director made it in 4:3 to give a feel of old time cinema.)
Most of the movies now a days are in 2.35:1 ratio But sometimes, movies are also coming in ratios like 1.85:1 and 1.78:1 (16:9).
(Recent movie 'The Avengers' is in 1.85:1 ratio and I really liked the movie a lot. But I wasn't happy to see that Theatre-wala where I watched it, did not use the original aspect ratio and infact cropped the ratio to 4:3, that too on a 2.35:1 ratio projector screen.)

Here comes my question....
On what basis, a Film-maker decide the aspect ratio of a film ? Can't they stick to one particular standard ratio, so that we don't have to experience cropping of ratio in Theaters, as most of the modern theaters have been built with projector screen of 2.35:1 ratio.
Any insight on this ?

I Guess the answer is simple .... Wideeee Screen.... I don't know much abt this technically... But that is what i feel....

 

[alpha1]

Every one wants to be different!

The reason why Cinema shifted from 4/3 to wide screen is to lure the customers back to theaters. These customers had found solace in the TV. But "Widescreen" was available only on theaters.

 

[jls001]

Adding to that

Why TVs are manufactured in 16:9

Why Home DVD/BlueRays are in different aspect raito when TVs are in 16:9?

Can't answer the original query, but answer to above is that high definition television flavours are defined for 16:9 aspect ratio.

1080p/1080i at 19201080 is defined only for 16:9.

720p, 1280720 is defined for both 16:9 and 4:3.

See the table on this page: High-definition television - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So the newer widescreen TVs are manufactured in 16:9 to be able to correctly display HD content.

All legacy movies/shows shot in 4:3 will natively display as 4:3 in a 16:9 screen, with borders on the left and right of the screen. Of course most TVs can be made to display a stretched-out version covering the full screen. Movies/shows shot in 16:9 will display correctly.

 

[raghumailbox]

The film maker first decides on the more number of cinema theaters equipped with, he is not bothered about Home cinema which is the least income to the production house. Now all cinema screens are widescreen so we get all movies in that aspect.

 

[technobhatt]

The film maker first decides on the more number of cinema theaters equipped with, he is not bothered about Home cinema which is the least income to the production house. Now all cinema screens are widescreen so we get all movies in that aspect.

Well...this was the part of my original question...that Film-makers are not making every movie in widescreen (2.35:1) format (I guess, it is the format for more than 90% of Cinema theaters now a days).
But still we get to see HUGO in 16:9 and The Avengers in 1.85:1. What could have driven those Film-makers to choose these different aspect ratio other than 2.35:1 ? Any technical aspect behind this ?
Just curious !

 

[yrk1969]

Well...this was the part of my original question...that Film-makers are not making every movie in widescreen (2.35:1) format (I guess, it is the format for more than 90% of Cinema theaters now a days).
But still we get to see HUGO in 16:9 and The Avengers in 1.85:1. What could have driven those Film-makers to choose these different aspect ratio other than 2.35:1 ? Any technical aspect behind this ?
Just curious !

I may be mistaken, but one reason to choose 16:9 over 2.35 would have been if the movie had a lot of CGI. Maybe CGI is better done on 16:9 since most monitors are in that ratio(?)

 

[technobhatt]

I may be mistaken, but one reason to choose 16:9 over 2.35 would have been if the movie had a lot of CGI. Maybe CGI is better done on 16:9 since most monitors are in that ratio(?)

If this is the case.... How about "MoneyBall" released last year and its original aspect ratio is 1.85:1 and there were no CGI used in Moneyball !!