Published: October 31, 2024 | Last Updated: November 1, 2024
Aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between the width and height of an image, video, or screen. It is typically expressed as two numbers separated by a colon, such as 16:9, 4:3, or 2.39:1. The first represents the width, while the second represents the height. For example, an aspect ratio of 16:9 means that for every 16 units of width, there are 9 units of height. The aspect ratio has nothing to do with screen size, i.e., you can have a 16:9 image on a cellphone or a movie theater screen.
Common Aspect Ratios and Their Uses
First, here’s an overview of common aspect ratios. Below, you can read more about the most commonly used and see movie examples of each aspect ratio.
Classic Full Screen (4:3)
While largely historical and used for television screens, the 4:3 aspect ratio is still chosen for artistic purposes, often to evoke nostalgia or create specific emotional effects. Auteur filmmaker Wes Anderson‘s The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) uses 4:3 for scenes set in the 1930s to evoke a period feel and a sense of nostalgia.
HD Video (16:9)
16:9 (1.78:1) is the current television and digital content standard, and it has become ubiquitous in the streaming era. Most streaming content and broadcast television use this ratio. It’s also the default choice for vloggers shooting for YouTube. Movies typically aren’t shot in this format but use 1.85:1.
Standard Widescreen (1.85:1)
This standard widescreen ratio of 1.85:9 is the versatile workhorse of theatrical releases. It is slightly wider than 16:9, i.e., content you shoot in 1.85:1 and displayed on widescreen TV will appear with thin black bars on the top and bottom of the screen. It works well for intimate scenes and broader action. In The Master (2012), Paul Thomas Anderson uses this versatile ratio to capture everything from expansive scenes to emotional, intimate character moments.
Anamorphic Widescreen (2.39:1)
Ideal for landscapes and sweeping narratives, the 2.39:1 anamorphic widescreen ratio allows you to capture vast environments while maintaining intimate character moments. A good example is Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), which uses this ratio’s effectiveness in action sequences to give us a good overview of complex chase scenes across the desert.
Ultra Panavision (2.76:1)
Ultra Panavision became popular in the 1950s with historical epics such as Ben-Hur (1959) and was recently revived by filmmakers like Tarantino in The Hateful Eight (2015). This super-wide format was filmed at 24 frames per second (fps) using anamorphic lenses to create an immersive theatrical experience.
IMAX (1.43:1)
IMAX uses 70mm film shown horizontally with 15 perforations per frame and delivers approximately six times the resolution of standard 35mm film. Standard IMAX screens measure approximately 72′ x 50′ (22m x 16m), dwarfing traditional 50′ x 20′ (16m x 6.1m) screens.
Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk shows IMAX’s power to create an enveloping wartime experience that makes viewers feel part of the action.
Univisium (2:1)
Developed by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (known for Apocalypse Now and The Conformist), this format bridges the gap between theatrical and television viewing, offering a happy medium for modern content. Barbie (2023) was shot in this format.
Aspect Ratios for Social Media Platforms Considerations
Today, aspect ratio considerations are not confined to Hollywood or Indie cinematography but are just as important in videography. Smartphones and social media platform ad formats drive this technological development.
Consider this: historically, the size and aspect ratio of silver screens in movie theaters were determined by developing new film gauge formats. Now, the choice of aspect ratio is driven by the size of smartphone monitors and ad-feed recommendations of big tech companies.
As filmmakers and videographers, we must consider this because of how our product is viewed/consumed. As filmmakers, we might insist on 2.39:1 anamorphic widescreen, but that’s no good if the client demands 5:4 for the Facebook feed.
So below, I’ve included the most important aspect ratios for SoMe:
- Instagram:
- Feed posts: 1:1, 4:5, 16:9
- Stories and Reels: 9:16
- IGTV Cover: 1:1.55
- Facebook:
- Feed posts: 1.91:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:5, 2:3, 1:1
- Stories: 9:16
- Twitter:
- Timeline: 1:1 (1200x1200px)
- Card image: 2:1 (1200x600px)
- Header: 3:1 (1500x500px)
- TikTok:
- Videos: 9:16 (1080x1920px)
Streaming Service Specifications
If you’re producing “direct-to-video” or video-on-demand content for streaming services, here are the standard aspect ratios you should know:
- Netflix: Primarily 16:9, with support for 2:1 for original content
- Amazon Prime: 16:9 standard, accepts 2.39:1 with letterboxing
- HBO Max: 16:9 standard, supports original aspect ratios
- Disney+: Supports multiple ratios, including IMAX Enhanced for select titles
Technical Considerations
Here are some things to consider before you shoot a project:
Choose your aspect ratio before shooting. It sucks coming home with horizontal footage if your client wants vertical!
Test your ratio choices on intended display platforms. This is especially true for straight-to-web content. Ask yourself:
- If the content is in a SoMe feed, it will probably be viewed mostly on smartphones. Should the viewers rotate the phone to view your video?
- Will it be viewed on desktop screens – for example, a video embedded on a B2B website? Then, a horizontal video might be the right choice.
- Should there be room for captions or subtitles or maybe even lower thirds?
Consider multiple deliverable requirements. This is extremely important today because most clients want to repurpose their content on different platforms. Be sure to frame your video so it can be easily cropped to various aspect ratios without losing essential information.
Here’s a guide on how to crop video on smartphones.
Conversion Considerations:
- Use an aspect ratio calculator when converting between formats
- Consider safe areas when composing for multiple platforms (most NLEs such as Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve let you do this). Maintain important visual elements within the action-safe area
- Plan for potential cropping in social media platforms
Why Aspect Ratios Matter
Aspect ratios influence the composition and framing of visual content. Different aspect ratios can create different visual effects and are chosen based on the desired outcome of the image or video. Here’s a brief overview:
The choice of aspect ratio can impact the tone and mood of a film:
- Wide ratios (2.39:1, 2.76:1) excel at capturing landscapes and action sequences, as seen in epic films like Lawrence of Arabia or modern blockbusters like Star Wars.
- Standard ratios (1.85:1, 16:9) offer versatility for various content types.
- Taller ratios can emphasize character performance and create intimacy or confinement.
- Specific ratios can reinforce genre conventions (for example, widescreen for Westerns, intimate ratios for character studies) or create psychological effects.
Framing and Composition
Different aspect ratios shape how scenes are framed, directing the audience’s focus. Wider ratios (e.g., 2.39:1) are great for landscapes and epic scenes, while narrower ones (e.g., 1.37:1) create intimacy, emphasizing characters over environments.
Emotional and Psychological Impact
Aspect ratios can trigger emotions and influence viewer interpretation. For example, 4:3 can evoke nostalgia or confinement, as in The Lighthouse (2019), drawing us into a more isolated, tense experience. Wider ratios create a sense of openness or grandeur, often making us feel more distanced but with greater visual scope.
Visual Style and Tone
Aspect ratios help set a film’s tone. Anamorphic widescreen (2.39:1) gives a cinematic, epic feel, while unique ratios can make a film feel distinctive or experimental.
Storytelling Constraints and Opportunities
Aspect ratios can impose creative constraints, encouraging unique storytelling. Some directors use narrow ratios to focus on a character, while others switch ratios to highlight scenes.
Christopher Nolan, for example, sometimes switches aspect ratios during a film’s runtime to distinguish between objective and subjective perspectives in the narrative.
The wide frame (2:20:1) depicts objective, biographical, and historical events like government meetings and hearings. This style aligns with the basic story beats of a typical biopic, capturing the film’s historical context.
In contrast, the taller, IMAX-friendly format (1:43:1) presents Oppenheimer’s perspective, especially during key moments related to the Manhattan Project and his internal struggles:
This format visually represents Oppenheimer’s expanding mind and influence, emphasizing his subjective experiences and emotions. The changing aspect ratios help convey the complexity of his character and the moral dilemmas he faces.
Directors like Paul Schrader have intentionally used narrow aspect ratios to heighten focus on a single character, minimizing distractions and centering the audience’s attention.
Historical and Technological Context
Understanding the evolution of aspect ratios provides insight into the interplay between technology and style, which is crucial for adapting today’s various display formats. Speaking of which…
Historical Evolution
The evolution of aspect ratios mirrors that of visual media itself. Starting with the 4:3 (1.33:1) ratio based on 35mm film, the industry standardized around the Academy Ratio (1.37:1) in 1932. The 1950s saw a dramatic shift toward widescreen formats as theaters sought to differentiate themselves from television.
The 1950s ushered in an era of competition between different widescreen formats. Cinerama led the charge with its impressive three-projector system, achieving ultra-wide aspect ratios of 2.59:1 to 2.65:1.
However, its complexity led to the development of CinemaScope by 20th Century Fox, which offered a similar width (2.35:1 to 2.66:1) but required only a single projector.
Paramount countered with VistaVision, but the cost-effectiveness of anamorphic systems like CinemaScope ultimately won out. This competition drove innovation and established the wide-format paradigm we still use today.
Here’s a more comprehensive article about the evolution of widescreen cinema.
Summing Up
The aspect ratio is central in defining a film’s visual identity and shaping the immersive experience. From the classic Academy Ratio to modern widescreen formats, the evolution of aspect ratios reflects both technological advancements and creative experimentation in filmmaking.
Understanding the significance of aspect ratio allows you to make informed choices about what you want to tell. Whether used to immerse viewers in vast landscapes or to isolate characters in tight, confined spaces, aspect ratio remains one of the coolest but overlooked tools in a filmmaker’s visual toolkit.
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