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Video Formats
One of the main decisions for you to make with your video production is in respect to the format of the video.
The first is the Frame Rate, and the second is the Aspect Ratio of the image.
Frame Rate
The term 'frame rate' refers to the number of frames per one second of video. You will have two decisions, which will ultimately affect the overall look of the video.
'30 fps' can be compared to a typical News broadcast. It is what we would consider ‘standard’ video.
‘24 fps’, on the other hand, is equivalent to the frame rate at which both Films and High-Definition Television are captured. This frame-rate has become very popular lately as it tends to lend the video a more cinematic feel, thereby raising the perceived production value. We recommend considering this option for your video.
Aspect Ratio
Aspect Ratio is the width to height ratio of the video image. The two choices are 4:3, and 16:9 (also referred to as ‘Anamorphic’). 4:3 is the standard aspect ratio which you will recognize from older Televisions. However, as everyone knows, these days widescreen televisions are the way to go.
When a 16:9 DVD is played on an older 4:3 Television, the image will simply be ‘letter-boxed’ – Which means that black bars will be added to the top and bottom. This is done automatically by the DVD player.
By contrast, if a DVD shot in 4:3 is played back on a newer, 16:9 Television, the image will have to be cropped on the top and bottom, stretched horizontally, or will have vertical black bars on the sides.
In order to future proof your video project, we recommend a 16:9 Aspect Ratio at 24 fps for most projects. Exceptions can always be made for various reasons, but this is the safest way to go.
