Does Size Matter?

I have been interested in film for a long time myself, even going so far as to create my own full length film. The “Lenses” article by Van Sijil reinforced several things I was already aware of, but added a few types of shots and their potential dramatic values to my arsenal. While the article went into depth about a variety of shots, I was left wondering about the potential impact of different aspect ratios on a film.

Many films use the same aspect ratio throughout, which isn’t a bad thing. However, a change in aspect ratio, or an unusual aspect ratio can be an important device for conveying mood. For example, in Wes Andersons The Grand Budapest Hotel, different aspect ratios are used to convey to the audience that they are in a different time period within the film itself. Interestingly, the aspect ratios used during the different time periods of the movies link up to the most common aspect ratio used during that real world time period.

Additionally, I would argue that viewing a film made to be shown in theaters in a different aspect ratio can change the meaning of the film entirely. In the 1957 film 12 Angry Men, The movie starts with a traditional aspect ratio, and slowly condenses it, making it seem that the 12 jurors are physically getting close together, and making everything feel more cramped as tensions rise. Using a standardized aspect ratio removes much of this intentionally created mood. While for many films, the aspect ratio does not matter, for the ones that do, films should be viewed only in their original aspect ratio, so no meaning is lost by the change in frame.