Whether that means framing characters and portraying intimacy, or intentionally subverting expectations for the genre, or maybe even just an aspect of the story itself - like the color grade or the soundtrack. Can you tell us about this decision?” And we always hear how the presentation helps amplify their story to the nth degree. What 4:3 Can Do Image via Killer Films/Kobal/Shutterstock/a24.Īlmost anytime a film comes out shot and presented in 4:3, you better believe when the director was making their press rounds, they got asked “So, you decided to shoot in 4:3. So, what can this format do for your film? How can changing the aspect ratio like this improve or even amplify the weight and meaning of your story?
You will most likely never see a Marvel movie shot in 4:3. The comeback has not been mainstream - sure, some music videos and an Oscar winner have helped boost the format a little, but for the most part, the majority of 4:3 films you see are lower-budget with limited releases. Cut to decades later, and everyone can shoot a widescreen (2.35, 1.85 appearing) movie with their phones. The introduction of the new lenses caused people to think Hey, you know what would be cool? Seeing a movie like you see the world, with a wide lens. Below, I’ve shared a good video if you’re interested in learning more about all this. It was not an artistic choice, but, rather, was due to a variety of reasons involving the size of film and the introduction of anamorphic lenses. I can talk about why filmmakers originally framed images this way - and the progression of aspect ratios in relation to screening formats - but, to keep things simple, just know that the decision to shoot 1.33:1 and 1.37:1 at first was out of necessity. The obvious first step on this journey through time and space starts at the beginning of cinema history.
What Is 4:3? Image via A Ghost Story ( Sailor Bear/Kobal/a24/Shutterstock). When? When did this become such a thing? Let’s take a look!
I’m not about to tell one person to make movies one way or the other. I like it, and I get it - stories require specific and intentional techniques. How did we get here? I’m not complaining. So there it is - another movie makes it into theaters with a 4:3 presentation. Pretty sure I let out an audible “What in tarnation?” Which movie it was advertising isn’t important what is important is that this new movie was in the 4:3 aspect ratio.
I was sitting in my seat at the theater, patiently waiting for John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum to start when all of a sudden a trailer comes up. Here are a few ways the iconic 4:3 aspect ratio can help improve your video project or make your story stand out - and why it’s so popular again.