How does a filmmaker decide which aspect ratio to shoot in?

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay. Well the over the shoulder shots were just one example. But if those can work in either than another reason I like 1.85 is because of the vertical space you get in fight scenes compared to 2.39. However, maybe you can get the same amount of vertical space in 2.39, if you back the characters up though...

[Paul R Johnson]

Ryan, you're just stuck In a loop. If you have one shot where you have a line of people moving towards the camera and the next one of a juggler, these both shout loudly for different formats in terms of framing. You just have to deal with the entire production and pick the most appropriate. Which one, as so many have said, is a principal decision. The person in charge, with the money calls the shots, then after discussion with the team. You move on. We've said this so many times.

Please don't now post "thank you. I've heard ..... (Or been told.......)"

You have the advice, now it's time to move on. The question is reall simple. How wide? The answer is wide enough.

[Brian Drysdale]

You're still thinking mechanically and not about how the more vertical aspect ratios emphasize the human aspects. The portrait and landscape frames are given those names for a reason.

[Ryan Elder]

What can I do to not think mechanically, or what am I missing then?

[Brian Drysdale]

As a director you have to know your story, the characters and their world and your vision of it. Take the strategic view and the individual shots will naturally fall into place.

[Ryan Elder]

But what's the difference between strategic and mechanical?

[Brian Drysdale]

Go to first principles, write out the pitch for your film. If it's about the conflict between characters go for 1.85, if it's their conflict within a larger world go for 2.39.

The mechanical is worrying about individual shots, being strategic is telling the story.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay, but why do you use that reason specifically, to determine what aspect ratio to shoot in?

[Brian Drysdale]

Because you need to know what the film is about, if you don't, how do you expect to direct it?

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay, but I already know what it's about though. So can't a script be directed with either ratio, even if it's about the same thing?

[Brian Drysdale]

Yes, they can, it depends on how much of the larger world the director wishes to impinge on the characters. That's part of the director's vision,

The Big Country (1958) Official Trailer - Charlton Heston, Gregory Peck Movie HD - YouTube

The Misfits trailer - YouTube

[Paul R Johnson]

Ryan is totally missing the point here. It's like famous musicians who produce amazing music, and then a student goes up to them and asks them about modes - why did you pick Mixolydian rather than Dorian? They shrug their shoulders, not having a clue why they picked it, or sometimes not ever having come across the term. It just sounded 'right'. They sold millions of copies without knowing why the Major third in a chord works so well and even kind of trade marked it into many of their famous songs.

It's like asking why an impressionist painter decided to disregard the rules formulated over thousands of years?

I really don't think he gets this at all.

I'm not a dancer. I'm not a pilot. I'm very musical but I cannot ever be a drummer. I know how to do all three things. I have even passed some exams in little bits of them. I cannot do it because I have no spacial awareness and poor coordination when it comes to moving 4 limbs at the same time. Three professional pilots told me to stop having lessons. A famous TV dancer said I had ruined his record - and the drummer who was the inspiration for animal in the muppets slapped me on the back and said - "you're right son, drumming's not for you".

I have no way to be any of these three things because I just don't 'know'. This, sadly, is what I think is happening with Ryan. He has boiled everything down to the ingredients, and he has a massive collection of recipes but has no taste buds to evaluate the success, and is therefore 100% reliant on other people to help. Trouble is everyone injects their own experience, and poor Ryan cannot filter and categorise it.

He's reliant on contrast, and cannot see light and shade.

Surely, this topic has opened the blinds just a little way. Wanting something doesn't mean it's possible.

[Josh Bass]

Let’s back up the discouragement train a bit.

Ryan has made other films, two that we’ve seen so far (the wine mogul short and the Battle Damaged Souls doc).

So, Ryan, if you directed both of those you made creative decisions/choices in those two cases (and probably other things we havent seen). Surely you didnt poll a digital forum for 6-9 months about each and every little thing before making those movies, so HOW did you arrive at shot/editing choice on those projects (where applicable—I know you didnt necessarily direct or edit everything youve posted)? You must have followed some creative urge, an instinct. With your feature here you have a story you want to tell. WHY? Why that story, those characters, that plot? There must be a reason you felt drawn to those things.

What everyone’s getting at is you to learn to FEEL things and follow where those feelings take you in terms of cinematography etc.

If someone has criticized your ideas/execution in the past or on here, again this goes back to the interpretation thing. Getting at WHY a shot/choice didnt work is important to your learning/growth. That might be more helpful here, at this point. Post more work and see what people have to say, and where they dont like something, find out WHY. This will show you the difference between what may have been a good idea in its raw form but the execution was flawed, and will hopefully show you how to do it differently/better next time.

And that might be more helpful than knowing why James Cameron (or whoever) chose this or that on their hundred million dollar feature with every resource imaginable.

[Ryan Elder]

Originally Posted by Josh Bass

Let’s back up the discouragement train a bit.

Ryan has made other films, two that we’ve seen so far (the wine mogul short and the Battle Damaged Souls doc).

So, Ryan, if you directed both of those you made creative decisions/choices in those two cases (and probably other things we havent seen). Surely you didnt poll a digital forum for 6-9 months about each and every little thing before making those movies, so HOW did you arrive at shot/editing choice on those projects (where applicable—I know you didnt necessarily direct or edit everything youve posted)? You must have followed some creative urge, an instinct. With your feature here you have a story you want to tell. WHY? Why that story, those characters, that plot? There must be a reason you felt drawn to those things.

What everyone’s getting at is you to learn to FEEL things and follow where those feelings take you in terms of cinematography etc.

If someone has criticized your ideas/execution in the past or on here, again this goes back to the interpretation thing. Getting at WHY a shot/choice didnt work is important to your learning/growth. That might be more helpful here, at this point. Post more work and see what people have to say, and where they dont like something, find out WHY. This will show you the difference between what may have been a good idea in its raw form but the execution was flawed, and will hopefully show you how to do it differently/better next time.

And that might be more helpful than knowing why James Cameron (or whoever) chose this or that on their hundred million dollar feature with every resource imaginable.

Oh well when it comes to aspect ratio on the two past short films I posted on here, I chose 16:9 for Sad and Battle Damaged Souls because a lot of it was a person talking in a chair, while there is a black background behind him, so there wasn't anything really to show off with a 2.39 aspect ratio I felt.

With the wine one, I decided to go with 2.39, cause I wanted to experiment with a wider ratio. I liked the character composition in it, but I felt it's more of a challenge to keep backgrounds interesting, especially when the locations are real, and not as interesting as movie sets, where you have more control.

I guess the reason I am much more reluctant to pic on this current one is because unlike those shorts, this is a feature film which a lot more money is beings spent on, so I do want to be as close to a perfectionist as I can be and try to make all the right decisions, since a lot more money is at stake.

[Brian Drysdale]

Unfortunately, getting near perfection is unlikely, even with a huge budget, there are always compromises. Even though it appears like a lot of money to you, in the scheme of things you are working with a low budget, so you need to be daring and creative because playing safe won't be making the most of your limited resources.

Being trapped by indecision is the last thing you need, you have to make a decision and move on from there.

https://www.buckley.af.mil/News/Arti...is-a-decision/