Using a non-standard aspect ratio is one of the most effective ways to subtly change the tone of a film. In this article, I highlight some contemporary films that benefit from non-standard (often old-fashioned) aspect ratio choices.
I’ve written a lot about alternative aspect ratios, including in this post Choose the right aspects for your movie.
But for those looking for more inspiration, check out our list of movies below. Each of these departs from the traditional 1.85:1 / 2.39:1 format.
1:1 – Mom
Very few films are shot using a completely square aspect ratio. But the special feature of 2014 Mother The work of Xavier Dolan and André Turpin is a rare exception to this rule.
The 1:1 ratio creates a narrow, simple yet highly focused tableau with a hint of nostalgia. It tends to make the viewer feel like they are looking at something, like the viewfinder of an old film camera.
As the 1.33:1 (or 4:3) aspect ratio becomes more popular again, 1:1 becomes a less common choice. I suspect we’ll see an increase in the number of 1:1 films in the next few years, just like we’ve seen with 4:3 and other less traditional formats.
1.19:1 – Lighthouse
Another extremely rare aspect ratio is 1.91:1, recently used in Robert Eggers’ films lighthouse.
This aspect ratio came into play primarily between 1926 and 1932 as the industry transitioned to sound. To make room for the optical soundtrack on the film stock, the aspect ratio was cut from the original 1.33:1 to a squarer 1.19:1.
Although during that era, many films were later censored to 1.375:1 and shown to audiences in this format.
As for lighthouseThe 1.19:1 aspect ratio was reportedly chosen to best capture the time period in which the film was shot (the 1890s). and create the strongest framing opportunities for the faces, as well as the actual lighthouse itself.
1.37:1 – Cold War
In the early 1930s, 1.37:1 became the academic standard aspect ratio. This is why (as mentioned above) many movies shot in 1.19:1 end up reformatted to that standard.
Virtually every studio film produced between 1932 and 1952 was produced using the 1.37:1 Academy standard. So when you think about film history as a whole, this is by no means an obscure aspect.
That is, until recent years, it had been on the fringes for decades, mostly unused. Pawei Pawlikovsky cold war One of the few modern examples of 1.37:1 used in contemporary feature films.
for cold warThe unique 1.37:1 aspect ratio was chosen for a number of reasons. Director of photography Lukasz Zal said it offers the most framing options and “feels more painterly” than more standard aspects. Given the time period in which it occurred, 1.37:1 was a natural choice.
2.20:1 – Lack
In the early 1950s, a new widescreen format emerged called Todd-AO. It is designed to capture widescreen imagery on a single camera (as opposed to the multi-camera cinerama approach). This was achieved by shooting on 65mm negatives and contact printing onto 70mm positives.
Ultimately this process resulted in an aspect ratio of 2.20:1. Close to today’s standard 2.39:1 aspect ratio, but just enough that you can feel it.
David Fincher’s Lack It is one of the only films in recent years to use the format.
Director of photography Erik Messerschmidt said the 2.20:1 ratio feels more intimate and works well for two-shots and over-the-shoulder shots. While the format isn’t technically accurate to the period in which the film was shot, it still feels consistent with the overall tone.
2.55:1 – La La Land
When we think of widescreen movies these days, we mostly associate it with the standard 2.39:1 widescreen aspect ratio. But for a period before the early 1950s, widescreen actually offered a slightly wider viewing angle of 2.55:1.
That didn’t change until 1954, when optical sound was added to the widescreen format, making it slightly taller.
Linus Sandgren la la land) said Damien Chazelle wanted to shoot the film with anamorphic lenses because he liked their optical qualities. But they ultimately settled on 2.55:1 as a true nod to and homage to the early days of anamorphic widescreen. Draw inspiration from movies a star is born (1954).
2.76:1 – The Hateful Eight
This extremely wide aspect ratio was only used in a handful of films between 1957 and 1966. But recently it has resurfaced in Quentin Tarantino movies The Hateful Eight.
Tarantino stated that he grew up loving the Ultra Panavision 70 format, as did many iconic films (e.g. Benhao) made the most of it during its brief heyday.
DP Robert Richardson said The Hateful Eightit not only helps them capture beautiful vistas, but also helps them capture the “landscape” of human faces. Offers powerful close-ups and new framing possibilities.
Summarize
These are just a few examples of recent feature films that have benefited from unique aspect ratio choices.
There are countless others to draw inspiration from. I suggest you seek out some of these (and other very spec-formatted) movies and try to really understand the nuances of each format.
There are many other less standard (but still popular) aspect ratios that I haven’t covered here. These include 1.33:1, 1.66:1and 2.0:1wait. While these ratios are not as widely used as 1.85:1 or 2.39:1, they have experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent years and are certainly worth exploring.
For more information on choosing the correct aspect ratio for your film, read My article is here.
Which of the following formats are you most interested in? Please leave a comment below!
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