Pseudo-Widescreen (1 Viewer)

[SteveK]

I rarely watch television (preferring to watch DVD), but the other day I was watching a bit of "Stargate" on Sci-Fi. The program is broadcast in widescreen (about 1.85:1), but as I was watching it, I felt that it did not really take advantage of the widescreen format. The camera still made rapid cuts from one character to another during conversations, and most characters were shown in the close-ups typical of the 4:3 format. Why film in widescreen if your shots seem to be composed for 4:3?

It also made me realize why many people don't have a problem with P&S versions of movies: they are simply accustomed to close-up shots and rapid cuts from one character to another, since that is how most television programs are filmed. Having grown to love widescreen, I find the closeups and rapid camera movements very irritating, but now I can understand why most people don't seem to notice it.

I realize that television directors are much more accustomed to the 4:3 format than the 16:9 format, and it may be a while before they learn to use the wider format effectively. I also realize that even if they don't take advantage of the widescreen format, more television shows (and commercials) being filmed in widescreen may at least help to acclimate the public. I've never heard anybody complain about a widescreen program, and certainly not a widescreen commercial or music video.

What are your thoughts?

Steve K.

 

[Chad R]

Actually, this is not due to 4:3 but due to the material being meant for the small screen. TV has just learned that close ups work better on the small screen than do two-shots or medium shots.

The widescreen is just a nod to the inevitability of HDTV. But even when that gets here it's still going to be on a 'small screen' compared to most movie theaters.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Why film in widescreen if your shots seem to be composed for 4:3?

I can’t comment on Stargate, Steve as I don’t watch it; but it is a pretty common practice in TV right now to compose for a 4:3 frame, but shoot 16:9.

The reason has to do with many (prime time) shows now being telecast in HD, which is a 16:9 format (usually an HD telecast of a 1.33:1 movie or 4:3 TV show will have the side bars as a part of the frame). But most TVs are still 4:3 and most viewers watch SD telecasts and don’t like horizontal black bars. The solution found by many TV producers is to telecast the SD picture in a 4:3 format and HD in 16:9 format.

So if you are watching CSI or Law and Order on a SD telecast, you will get a 4:3 picture, but when viewing the same show on an HD telecast, you will get a 16:9 frame.

Of course no director wants information to not go to the majority of the viewers, therefore the composition is for the 4:3 frame. The crew just has to make sure to keep the booms and other equipment out of the 16:9 frame.

It is not so much that they don’t know how to compose in 16:9, it is just that they are composing in 4:3.

About the only shows that routinely get shown in 16:9 on SD telecasts are Angel, West Wing and ER.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Lew, Enterprise is also shown wide.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Lew, Enterprise is also shown wide.

Right you are Dan.

Hate to say this as a long time Star Trek fan, but this one finally drove me away. And I wanted so much to really like the series. :frowning:

 

[Jeff Kleist]

As someone who has seen both the 16:9 and 4:3 broadcasts of this season of SG-1, I can tell you it is DEFINATELY composed for wide

 

[Jason Seaver]

About the only shows that routinely get shown in 16:9 on SD telecasts are Angel, West Wing and ER.

Actually, NBC has quite a few 16:9 shows - Crossing Jordan and Boomtown are widescreen, and it looks like Kingpin and the War Stories TV-moive/pilot will be as well.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Ed is also true 16x9 (doesn't have the built-in black bar which makes it look windowboxed, like Angel, Enterprise, ER).

I was watching CSI: Miami in HD, and then watch my 4:3 recording of it on tape, and it's almost like watching two different shows.

 

[SteveK]

Thanks for the comments. I don't know if the episode I referred to was a current episode, or if it was a rebroadcast of an earlier show. I'm glad to see more shows going to widescreen, as it can only help the acceptance of widescreen DVD, and may even accelerate the sales of 16x9 televisions. Time will tell.

Steve K.