At 09:55 24/10/99 +0100, Richard Davies wrote: >In London back in the late 70s and early 80s the cans of film containing >BARRY LYNDON would arrive at cinemas with instructions that the film was to>be projected at the 'continental' ratio of 1:66. Kubrick would often send >one of his people to check a screening and a letter of reprimand would >follow if it was being shown 1:88. That's a far cry from what happens now - cans typically only state whether the film is 'flat' or 'scope' - symptomatic of the fact that most multiplexes support only one spherical ratio, i.e. 1:1.85. We pride ourselves in presenting films in their correct ratio whenever possible, and so I train projectionists to differentiate between 'flat' ratios according to the following rules: 1. If the film was made before 1954, then it's 1:1.33, UNLESS it is a film in the 'early sound special' ratio of 1:1.15 made between 1927 and 1932. If it's a print with scope-like frames but not anamorphic and the dates fit, then use this ratio. Cinemas which do not have a plate and lens for 1:1.15 should use a 1:1.33 plate with a scope lens - the difference in aperture height is only 0.003 inches. 2. If it's Russian and not scope, then it's 1:1.33 - they still use the Academy Ratio. 3. If it's a Dogma 95 film, then it's 1:1.33. 4. If it's a television production copied onto film for cinema release (e.g. EAST SIDE STORY) then it's almost certainly 1:1.33, unless it was originated on Super 16, in which case it's 1:1.66 (this is the closest ratio we support to HDTV - 1:1.75 is the ideal but the number of films intended to be shown in this ratio is so small that we don't support it). 7. For modern continental films, the French still use 1:1.66, whilst the Germans and Italians invariably use 1:1.85. You need to do a print examination on anything from any other European country where the ratio isn't stated. 8. If it's a Hollywood or British film made since 1954 and it's not scope, then it's almost certainly 1:1.85, but you do get the odd one which looks better in 1:1.66. If in doubt, examine the print carefully. HOW TO DETERMINE THE ASPECT RATIO FROM A PRINT EXAMINATION. 1. Look for hard masks. The apertures on a release print can vary between effects shots, digital, mattes, live action &c., because modern release prints are almost always made on continuous printers as opposed to step ones. Any experienced projectionist will be able to tell the difference between a 1:1.66 hard mask and a 1:1.85 hard mask by eye, but if in any doubt, hold the relavent aperture plate against the frame being examined WITH THE FILM BEHIND IT, so you can see where the border is. 2. If there are no conclusive hard masks on a print, look at the opening title sequence to see where the writing is positioned. If there are unused areas at the top and bottom of the frame this indicates that the film is widescreen. Now hold up a plate against a frame to ascertain the exact ratio. 3. If this doesn't work, look at some medium close-up action. If the actor's head stops roughly half-way up a full-height frame, then assume 1:1.85. If it goes two-thirds of the way up (i.e. it is level with the third perforation out of four), assume 1:1.66. Any higher and it's 1:1.33. 4. On failing all of the above, use the tallest ratio you think will do and watch out for boom mikes appearing on screen during the first show. If you spot any, go one ratio wider for the next show. Of course none of this faffing about would be necessary if distributors simply labelled their cans and leaders with the ratio they want their films to be shown in. Incidentally, EYES WIDE SHUT came with a note from Warner Bros (a copy in each of the 9 cans!) stating that it was 1:1.85. It was the first Hollywood film from a major distributor (i.e. not a re-release) I can remember getting which actually gave the aspect ratio. L ------------------------------------ Leo Enticknap Projection and Sound Engineer City Screen Cinemas Ltd., London, UK [log in to unmask] ---- Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite http://www.tcf.ua.edu/ScreenSite