Re: 16:9 project using 4:3 footage????

Hi all

Stupid question:

Doing a 16:9 HDV project. Have to import some 4:3 footage. Is there a way to maintain the same "look" ie aspect ratio without cropping too much or squeezing the pic on the timeline? There must be a easy setup for this?
Maybe i am just not seeing something??

Sean

Hi Sean,

The two formats really don't match. Most people create a 16:9 timeline and then put a black matte behind the 4:3 to fill out the space that 4:3 does not use in a 16:9 timeline. Some will put a colored matte or art work behind the 4:3.

--ken

sean, search ken's site for an article on this ... i've used it in the past to mix footage, and it works well.
the author was judy something or other ...
in essence, what was explained was cropping the top and bottom of the 4:3 to give it the 16:9 look, and then (using duplicate video layers) stretching the border and applying a gaussian blur filter to make the 4:3 material presentable.

Many thanks guys. I will try the above.

Thanks again

sean