Source: Film Maker IQ | Posted By: Dan Geer

Have you ever wondered why a film you watch sometimes has black bars on the top and bottom of the image, and sometimes it doesn’t (or why older films and TV shows have them on the left and right)? Or maybe you know why, but don’t really understand terms like “anamorphic widescreen,” or “16×9.” With so much information out there on the subject, even cinephiles don’t always understand everything there is to know about “aspect ratio” (the ratio of the width of an image to the height).

In response, Film Maker IQ has released a wonderful educational video that breaks down this very concept in The Changing Shape of Cinema: The History of Aspect Ratio. While it’s not even 20 minutes long, and doesn’t tell you everything (I wish it covered IMAX in more detail), it does lay out in easy-to-understand terms and visuals just what exactly aspect ratio is and how we got to our current aspect ratio standards, for both film and television. It is definitely for anyone who has ever been confused about the concept, or simply wants to know more about it. Check it out below!