(Dr. Film)
16mm
film stock has a frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1 That is, the width of the frame
is 1.33 x's the size of the height. So if you project a 16mm image that is 1'
in height, then it will be 1.33' wide.
Wide screen or "scope" titles
can be printed on 16mm. in one of three ways. It can be done "flat",
that is, the entire 1.33:1 frame is printed with a picture that is approx. 1/2
(actually 57%) of the original 2.35:1 scope picture. A flat print is usually
made with an attempt to keep the important story visual information within the
16mm frame... doing a "pan & scan".
Second, a widescreen picture (2.35:1)
can be "letterboxed" into the 1.33:1 16 mm frame.... this is called
"adapted scope". The widescreen picture appears in the frame with an
upper and lower black margin.
Third, as is done on 35mm film, the
width of the widescreen image is optically squeezed down into the frame and
when projected the operator places a "scope" lens in front of the
projector which unsqueezes the image to it's proper width. A 16mm scope lens
will expand the width 2 x's, which makes the image a 2.66:1 picture.
A magnificent history, explanation and pictorials of 35mm widescreen film can be found at American Widescreen Museum. A wonderful 70mm widescreen website is hosted by Stefan Adler at: www1.tripnet.se/~adler/wide2.html
