Aspect Ratios Explained - What Is An Aspect Ratio Anyway?

Aspect Ratios. Wikimedia Commons

Screen aspect ratios are one of the more technical aspects of our business - confusing when you don't understand it, but easy when you know how.

Why do our students need to understand aspect ratios? Because it's how we configure our work for the screen.  It's something that every film-maker needs to learn eventually, because it's what the audience will see.

When you render your shot, and when you edit your work in Premiere or Final Cut, you will have to make choices as to what aspect ratio to select.  So, to take the pain away,  below is a brief summary of how it all works.