The Changing Shape of Cinema

So you've just bought a brand new widescreen TV, Bluray Player, Surround Sound System and more cables then you know what to do with. Finally have that home theater experience you've always wanted.  You decide what better way to test it all out than to throw in your favorite movie and check it out.  When your movie starts to play you notice that you still have the black bars on the top and bottom of the screen.  You think to yourself, "Why does it still have that?  I just spent $2,000 on a TV and still I have those pesky bars on there."

Well my friends it all comes down to the aspect ratio.  I'm sure over the last ten years or so and the switch to HD you've heard of 16:9 and 4:3.   More commonly known as Widescreen (16:9) and Full Screen (4:3).  While the latter is no longer used nearly as much.  There are still plenty of people with computers or older TVs in the house that still use this.

Have you ever wondered why we ever switched at all in the first place?   What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?  Why is it that a widescreen movie has black bars on the top and bottom of the screen when your TV is also known as widescreen?  Well check out the video below from Filmmaker IQ.  They do a great job explaining why this is and how the ever evolving industry of Film influenced what kind of TV you have in your home.