Spectatorship and Aspect Ratio – (La La Land)
https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/aspect-ratio/
What is aspect ratio?– the ratio of the width and height that describes the shape of your film usually determined by the content of the shot
(Is the relationship between width and height of an image. It is usually written as two numbers separated by a colon. It can also b written with an ‘x’ between the numbers.)
What does this involve?
- Genre
- Level of realism- fantasy usually use wider images that differ from what we normally see in the world
- Setting
- Consider the characters
2:35:1 and 1:85:1 are the most popular aspect ratios used in films:
2:35:1 was introduced in the 50s as cinema scope
- very wide (usually used in action/ westerns)
- Even on a close-up allow us to take in the landscape behind
1:85:1 was also introduces in the 50s- (usually used in dramas/comedies)
- Uses a narrower, slightly taller frame- typically for looking up at tall buildings or focusing on close-ups so the image looks more intimate and focused on the character competing for the background
1:77:1 (16:9)- new standard for TV/ online video
La La Land Aspect Ratio
La La Land uses a 2:55:1 cinemascope aspect ratio
- Wide screen to capture the vastness of LA and technicolour setting
- Not normally used in cinema today
- Imitates the style of ‘Fred and Ginger musicals’ in the 1940’s/ 1950’s
- CinemaScope was used, from 1953 to 1967, and less often later, for shooting widescreen movies
Emma Coe Film Studies 