Is true that most film festivals will only accept two aspect ratios?

Ryan Elder · April 19th, 2019, 01:39 PM

Okay thanks. Well I could do the 2.20:1 since that seems to be the best aspect ratio for my taste, if it's no big deal for projectionists, but if it's risky, and could be the reason why a film festival were to turn me down, then I could play it safe and shoot in 2.39:1 if that's best.

Brian Drysdale · April 20th, 2019, 02:07 AM

Using 2K, for Scope (2.39:1) presentation 2048×858 pixels of the imager is used, so I would keep the 858 pixels for your vertical resolution and let your horizontals have pillars on either side, You won't fill the screen width, but should work even if the projectionist has little technical knowledge.

It will also work in theatres that open the screen edges in the traditional manner for scope films, so that the whole screen is wider. Changing the vertical resolution in this case could result in the lower and upper parts of the image of your film also projecting on the back of the audience heads and the ceiling.

Ryan Elder · April 20th, 2019, 03:59 AM

Oh okay, I thought it would be better to have a 1.85:1 image, with black bars on the top and bottom, for 2.20:1, because wouldn't a 2.20:1 be able to be bigger on screen, if it's in a 1.85:1 container, rather than a 2.39:1 container, which would be projected smaller on screen, since not as much vertical space is being used on the screen?

Tomorrowland was shot in 2.20:1 but put in a 1.85 container I read, for example, and I thought the reason is, cause the the 2.20:1 image would be bigger in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio.

Brian Drysdale · April 20th, 2019, 05:16 AM

That would work as well.

Ryan Elder · April 20th, 2019, 01:37 PM

Sure. Or I could do it in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio with pillar boxing instead, if that's better too :). But if the projectionists stretch the image and distort it to get it to fit, or refuse to screen the movie at festivals, for being 2.20:1, then I can actually shoot the movie in 2.39:1 if that's best.

Brian Drysdale · April 20th, 2019, 04:26 PM

I would tend to keep to a standard aspect ratio, but so long as the film has covering note (attached to the media) saying what you're doing and you're working within the standard aspect ratios with your cropping you should be fine.

The projectionist may not see the film before the screening, so I wouldn't do anything too involved.

Ryan Elder · April 25th, 2019, 05:19 PM

Oh okay, well if I have to attach a note and all, maybe I should stick to 2.39:1. So it's pretty much normal then for most indie films to be shot in either 1.85:1 or 2.39:1?

April 19th, 2019, 01:39 PM	#16
Ryan Elder also known as Ryan Wray Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Saskatoon, Canada Posts: 2,888	Re: Is true that most film festivals will only accept two aspect ratios? Okay thanks. Well I could do the 2.20:1 since that seems to be the best aspect ratio for my taste, if it's no big deal for projectionists, but if it's risky, and could be the reason why a film festival were to turn me down, then I could play it safe and shoot in 2.39:1 if that's best.

April 20th, 2019, 02:07 AM	#17
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,152	Re: Is true that most film festivals will only accept two aspect ratios? Using 2K, for Scope (2.39:1) presentation 2048×858 pixels of the imager is used, so I would keep the 858 pixels for your vertical resolution and let your horizontals have pillars on either side, You won't fill the screen width, but should work even if the projectionist has little technical knowledge. It will also work in theatres that open the screen edges in the traditional manner for scope films, so that the whole screen is wider. Changing the vertical resolution in this case could result in the lower and upper parts of the image of your film also projecting on the back of the audience heads and the ceiling.

April 20th, 2019, 03:59 AM	#18
Ryan Elder also known as Ryan Wray Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Saskatoon, Canada Posts: 2,888	Re: Is true that most film festivals will only accept two aspect ratios? Oh okay, I thought it would be better to have a 1.85:1 image, with black bars on the top and bottom, for 2.20:1, because wouldn't a 2.20:1 be able to be bigger on screen, if it's in a 1.85:1 container, rather than a 2.39:1 container, which would be projected smaller on screen, since not as much vertical space is being used on the screen? Tomorrowland was shot in 2.20:1 but put in a 1.85 container I read, for example, and I thought the reason is, cause the the 2.20:1 image would be bigger in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio.

April 20th, 2019, 05:16 AM	#19
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,152	Re: Is true that most film festivals will only accept two aspect ratios? That would work as well.

April 20th, 2019, 01:37 PM	#20
Ryan Elder also known as Ryan Wray Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Saskatoon, Canada Posts: 2,888	Re: Is true that most film festivals will only accept two aspect ratios? Sure. Or I could do it in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio with pillar boxing instead, if that's better too :). But if the projectionists stretch the image and distort it to get it to fit, or refuse to screen the movie at festivals, for being 2.20:1, then I can actually shoot the movie in 2.39:1 if that's best.

April 20th, 2019, 04:26 PM	#21
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,152	Re: Is true that most film festivals will only accept two aspect ratios? I would tend to keep to a standard aspect ratio, but so long as the film has covering note (attached to the media) saying what you're doing and you're working within the standard aspect ratios with your cropping you should be fine. The projectionist may not see the film before the screening, so I wouldn't do anything too involved.

April 25th, 2019, 05:19 PM	#22
Ryan Elder also known as Ryan Wray Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Saskatoon, Canada Posts: 2,888	Re: Is true that most film festivals will only accept two aspect ratios? Oh okay, well if I have to attach a note and all, maybe I should stick to 2.39:1. So it's pretty much normal then for most indie films to be shot in either 1.85:1 or 2.39:1?