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What's the correct OAR of "The Shield"? (1 Viewer)

Ushabye

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Ive been watching "The Shield" over these last months picking up the box sets one at a time. I live in Region 2, and all the sets from 1 to 4 are 1.78:1 Anamorphic, filling up the screen of my Widescreen TV nicely. Ive just picked up season 5 on region 1 (not out in R2 for a long time yet) to discover that it's Full Frame 1.33:1; which is a surprise. Are the R1 sets of 1-4 this ratio too? Or have the R2 sets been altered?
 

David Levine

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From Shawn Ryan's commentary:

"Firstly, although filmed in Widescreen, The Shield is edited in Full Frame, and to maintain the documentary feel and enhance the tension on screen was always envisioned to be seen in the Full Frame aspect ratio the final editing is performed in."

So technically the OAR is WS, but it has alway meant to be seen in Full Frame. I guess you'd say the R2 sets have been "unaltered", but in a way that makes them not how they are supposed to be seen.
 

Gord Lacey

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If I recall correctly, the monitors the directors look at show a 1.33:1 image as well. That's the correct aspect ratio.

Gord
 

Richard Michael Clark

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The monitors (seen in the behind the scenes footage) show both ratios showing it is framed for both.
In the UK The Shield has always been broadcast in 16:9 and the dvds reflect this.
Either ratio is valid imho but I do understand the reasoning behind Shawn Ryan's 4:3 preference.
 

TonyD

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So docs are never filmed wide and if it is it doesnt have
" a documentary feel"
?
 

Katherine_K

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The phrase "documentary feel" has nothing to do with the way documentaries are filmed. There are many kinds of documentaries and as many ways to present them as there are documentary film directors.

However, when a television or feature film director uses the term, he's referring to a style that is designed to mimic a camera man attempting to capture action happening around him where the framing may not always be composed. It often comes with the use of "lower" grade film stock or the appearance of lower grade film stock even if filmed on HD or similar.

All of which I suspect you knew. Being overly literal isn't a very useful trait in discussions.
 

TonyD

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i guess you told me.
sheesh.

yes i was aware of all that.
i dont have a problem with the way the shield is filmed, i like the way it's filmed.

the discussion was the aspect ratio not the look of the
show.

the quote, "Firstly, although filmed in Widescreen, The Shield is edited in Full Frame, and to maintain the documentary feel and enhance the tension on screen was always envisioned to be seen in the Full Frame aspect ratio the final editing is performed in."
 

Shane_Anthony

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I just finished watching season 3 on the weekend and I could of sworn a few episodes were meant to be seen in widescreen. The full frame didn't look right imo. I could be wrong.

Great show btw :emoji_thumbsup:

"Me don't speak E-BONICS sh*thead" :laugh:
Vic Mackey
 

Bleddyn Williams

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Interestingly enough, Sony has taken over the distribution of this show from Fox. Next week, Seasons 1-5 are being reissued in the same sets as before, but the show will be presented in anamorphic widescreen, as abroad! This means that despite Shaun Ryan's preferances, the 4:3 ratio versions will no longer be offered in the US!

Without getting into the merits of one ratio over another, a few years ago I bought UK sets of season 1 & 2 to have the widescreen versions. I waited ages for 3 & 4 to come out, and gave up, buying them in the 4:3 US versions on sale. Needless to say, they finally came out widescreen abroad.

Season 6 is actually out in the UK next Monday!
 

Jeff McMillan

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I'm just curious though, why would the show even be shot in widescreen if there was never an intention to show it that way in the future?
 

WillG

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Many (if not most) shows nowadays are shot in 3-perf Super 35 to save on film costs. 3-perf has a native 1.78:1 AR. If this is the case for The Shield then technically it is filmed in widescreen but composed and shown in 4:3
 

AndyMcKinney

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Are we for sure that The Shiled is even shot on film in the first place? Some shows are shot on tape and then "filtered" in post production to look like film.
 

JayDerek

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whaaaaaaaa?????????? oh man. I had not heard this before. Just went to DVDEmpire.com and checked out some scans of the back of the boxes, and yup...16x9
 

Paul_Stachniak

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A large part of the 4:3 framing, according to Ryan (i will have to find the source) is to keep the scene tight and almost claustrophobic. Makes the interrogation scenes more intense - because you feel like the characters have less room to breath in. in 16:9, not so much.

edit: BTW, is it true the show is be rereleased in 16x9?
 

Bleddyn Williams

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Well, as I stated earlier in the thread, yes. I saw them all in Newbury Comics today. The new packaging is two slimcases in a slipcase. Nice and compact, they look nice together as a set.
 

Bleddyn Williams

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Elsewhere, someone mentioned seeing the new sets at Costco. Those interested might like to take a look. If they do, can they let us know what they're charging?
 

ChadMcCallum

Second Unit
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I picked up the 4:3 version of Season 5 at Future Shop here in Canada a few weeks ago for $20. I never noticed if the other seasons were on sale too but I imagine they were. It looks like they're clearing out the old stock to make room for the new versions so those of you who want the full frame versions might be able to get the series cheap assuming they're still on the shelves.
 

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