What is aspect ratio?

Aspect ratio is the width to height ratio of an image. Standard TV screens and most computer monitors are 4:3 (four units wide by three high) while widescreen TVs are 16:9 (you guessed it, sixteen units wide by nine high). There are other common aspect ratios but these generally apply to film only so we won't address them here.

With the advent of digital television and with widescreen TVs becoming more common, broadcasters and production companies around the world are moving towards making all programming 16:9. However most of us still have 4:3 TV sets. If a 16:9 program is viewed on a 4:3 TV, the picture will appear squeezed horizontally with everything appearing tall and skinny.

As flattering as this might be to our figures, it's generally a good idea to present 16:9 programs in the 4:3 letterboxed format, where the picture appears on 4:3 screens in its widescreen form with black bars at the top and bottom of the frame.

Alternatively you can have your production made with a 4:3 aspect ratio. This is a good solution for many programs though some people prefer the modern, 'cinematic' look of 16:9 pictures.

The good news is that for programs distributed on DVD, your DVD player will automatically detect which aspect ratio the footage is and make the decision as to the best way to present it on your TV. Programs shot at 16:9 and distributed on VHS will generally need to have a 4:3 letterboxed master made as well as the 16:9 master.