Kodak ISBN 0-87985-749-8 manual Tips and Techniques, Aspect Ratios

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TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

Introduction

This collection of ideas is provided by Kodak people and others who work in the professional motion picture indus- try. The section covers topics from force processing, flash- ing, and shooting for television to what you need in the well-stocked ditty bag, and tools to survive. Also in this section (on the double foldout pages), is a filmmaker’s flow chart that can help you through the tasks of produc- tion scheduling.

If you have further questions about our films or their applications, please refer to the last few pages in this guide for the names, addresses, and phone numbers of Kodak people worldwide who can help.

Aspect Ratios

The aspect ratio is the relationship between the width and height of an image. While the image dimensions may vary in size according to projection requirements, the aspect ratio should comply with the cinematographic intent.

The industry standard for 35 mm theatrical motion pictures remained a constant 1.37:1 between the intro- duction of sound and the introduction of Cinemascope in 1953, when “wide-screen” presentations arrived. The non-anamorphic or “flat” wide-screen presentations had aspect ratios of 1.66:1, 1.75:1 and 1.85:1. Today 1.85:1 is the wide-screen (flat) presentation format of choice in the USA, while in Europe 1.66:1 is used.

In the early 1950’s, television’s demand for feature films increased. The typical television display provides a fixed aspect ratio of 1.33:1 (4 x 3) and many of the films shown on television, to fill the picture height, lost a substantial part of the image when this was “matted off” at the edges. To rectify this incompatibility, the “Academy aperture” was introduced for flat (non-anamorphic) presentations. The Academy aperture produced an image of greater height so that it would fill a television screen without compromising the width. The usual procedure when filming productions for both theatrical release and conven- tional television transmission is called “shoot and protect.” The camera viewfinder is “matted” to indicate 1.85:1 for

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Contents Cinematographer’s Field Guide Cinematographer’s Field Guide Seventh Edition, November Contents Introduction Need Another H-2? Page Kodak Motion Picture Camera Films Color Temperature Page Kodak Motion Picture Camera Films MPF-5 50D 5245/7245 100T Process ECN-2 5248/7248Vision 200T 5274/7274 200T 5293/7293 SFX 200T SFX Vision 250D Illumination Incident Light Table for Daylight 5246/7246Vision 320T Handling Total darkness 5277/7277Vision 500T 5279/7279 500T 5298 Vision 800T 5289/7289 Ektachrome 100D 5285 7240 16 mm, Super 8 Eastman Ektachrome Film Tungsten EI 125 7240 7239 35 mm/16 mm Eastman Ektachrome Film Daylight EI 160 7239 MPF-32 9/98 7250 MPF-34 9/98 7251 5231/7231 35 mm/16 mm Eastman PLUS-X Negative Film 5231/7231 Daylight- 250 25 Tungsten- 200 5222/7222 35 mm/16 mm Eastman DOUBLE-X Negative Film5222/7222 7276 16 mm, Super 8 Eastman PLUS-X Reversal Film 7276 Daylight- 200* 24 Tungsten- 160 7278 16 mm, super 8 Eastman TRI-X Reversal Film7278 Daylight Incident-Light Illumination in footcandlesFilters for Black-and-White Films IntroductionTypes of Filters PLUS-X DOUBLE-X TRI-X Color Compensating Filters Conversion Filters for Color Films Exposure To Obtain Kodak Light Balancing Filters Kodak Wratten Neutral Density Filters No Neutral Density FiltersDaylight Page Aspect Ratios Tips and Techniques10 9/00 Protection from Physical Damage Ambient-Background Radiation effects on raw stockProcessed Film Storage Unprocessed Film Before and After ExposureShooting for Television Ditty Bag Getting ReadyTools Camera AccessoriesCamera Operator’s Meter Case Final Thought About Laboratories Flashing Camera Films to Lower ContrastExposed Film -What Now? Page Mm and 65 mm End Use Winding DesignationsPerforation Types Mm End Use Quantities -Standard PackagesOrdering RAW Stock Product and Technical Information United States of America Austria InternationalArgentina AustraliaDenmark ChileColombia Czech RepublicGreece FinlandFrance GermanyItaly IranIreland IsraelNetherlands LuxemborgMalaysia MexicoPortugal PeruPhilippines PolandTaiwan SpainSweden SwitzerlandVenezuela United StatesUruguay CAT 141