Letterbox
Definition
Letterboxing is the practice of displaying a widescreen image on a screen with a narrower aspect ratio by adding horizontal black bars at the top and bottom of the image. For example, a 2.39:1 widescreen film displayed on a 16:9 (1.78:1) television screen will have black bars at the top and bottom to preserve the original aspect ratio. Letterboxing preserves the full width of the original image, ensuring that the audience sees the complete composition intended by the director and cinematographer. The alternative — "pan and scan" or "full screen" — crops the sides of the image to fill the screen, losing portions of the original composition.
Contextual Usage
The post-production supervisor discusses the home video release with the client: "The theatrical version of the film is in 2.39:1 anamorphic. For the home video release, we'll deliver it letterboxed — with the black bars at the top and bottom — to preserve the original aspect ratio. We won't be doing a pan-and-scan version, as that would compromise the director's original vision." ---
About this section
The editorial department is where the raw footage is transformed into a finished story. The editor is often described as the "invisible storyteller" — their work, when done well, is completely transpa...
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