Open matte
Encyclopedia
Open matte is a filming technique that involves matting out the top and bottom of the film frame in the movie projector
(known as a soft matte) for the widescreen
theatrical release and then scanning the film without a matte (at Academy ratio
) for a full screen home video
release.
Usually, non-anamorphic 4-perf
films are filmed directly on the entire full frame
silent aperture gate (1.33:1). When a married print
is created, this frame is slightly re-cropped by the frame line
and optical soundtrack down to Academy ratio
(1.37:1). The movie projector
then uses an aperture mask to soft matte the Academy frame to the intended aspect ratio
(1.85:1 or 1.66:1). When the 4:3 fullscreen video master is created, many filmmakers may prefer to use the full Academy frame (open matte) instead of creating a pan and scan
version from within the 1.85 framing. Because the framing is increased vertically in the open matte process, the decision to use it needs to be made prior to shooting, so that the camera operator
can frame for 1.85:1 and "protect" for 4:3; otherwise unintended objects such as boom microphone
s, cables, and light stands may appear in the open matte frame, thus requiring some amount of pan and scan
in some or all scenes. Additionally, the unmatted 4:3 version will often throw off an otherwise tightly-framed shot and add an inordinate amount of headroom above actors (particularly with 1.85:1).
The standardization of widescreen TVs and the growing use of 3-perforation 35mm film (with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1) to save on film costs has made the open matte process less popular in recent years.
Many films over the years have used this technique, the most prominent of which include Schindler's List
and Top Gun
. Stanley Kubrick
also used this technique for his last five films.
Movie projector
A movie projector is an opto-mechanical device for displaying moving pictures by projecting them on a projection screen. Most of the optical and mechanical elements, except for the illumination and sound devices, are present in movie cameras.-Physiology:...
(known as a soft matte) for the widescreen
Widescreen
Widescreen images are a variety of aspect ratios used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than the standard 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio provided by 35mm film....
theatrical release and then scanning the film without a matte (at Academy ratio
Academy ratio
The Academy ratio of 1.375:1 is an aspect ratio of a frame of 35mm film when used with 4-perf pulldown. It was standardized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as the standard film aspect ratio in 1932, although similar-sized ratios were used as early as 1928.The Academy ratio is...
) for a full screen home video
Home video
Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
release.
Usually, non-anamorphic 4-perf
Negative pulldown
Negative pulldown is the manner in which an image is exposed on a film stock, described in the number of film perforations spanned by an individual frame. It can also describe the orientation of the image on the negative, whether it is captured horizontally or vertically...
films are filmed directly on the entire full frame
Full frame
In cinematography, full frame refers to the use of the full film gate at maximum width and height for 35 mm film cameras. It is sometimes also referred to as silent aperture, full gate, or a number of other similar word combinations. It is the original gate size pioneered by William Dickson and...
silent aperture gate (1.33:1). When a married print
Married print
A married print is a film print which has had an optical soundtrack added onto the print. As the process usually is fairly expensive and resource-intensive, it usually is one of the last stages of post-production...
is created, this frame is slightly re-cropped by the frame line
Frame line
A frame line is the unused space that separates two adjacent images, or film frames, on the release print of a motion picture. They can vary in width; a 35 mm film with a 1.85:1 hard matte has a frame line approximately 8 millimeters high, whereas both a full frame negative and the anamorphic...
and optical soundtrack down to Academy ratio
Academy ratio
The Academy ratio of 1.375:1 is an aspect ratio of a frame of 35mm film when used with 4-perf pulldown. It was standardized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as the standard film aspect ratio in 1932, although similar-sized ratios were used as early as 1928.The Academy ratio is...
(1.37:1). The movie projector
Movie projector
A movie projector is an opto-mechanical device for displaying moving pictures by projecting them on a projection screen. Most of the optical and mechanical elements, except for the illumination and sound devices, are present in movie cameras.-Physiology:...
then uses an aperture mask to soft matte the Academy frame to the intended aspect ratio
Aspect ratio (image)
The aspect ratio of an image is the ratio of the width of the image to its height, expressed as two numbers separated by a colon. That is, for an x:y aspect ratio, no matter how big or small the image is, if the width is divided into x units of equal length and the height is measured using this...
(1.85:1 or 1.66:1). When the 4:3 fullscreen video master is created, many filmmakers may prefer to use the full Academy frame (open matte) instead of creating a pan and scan
Pan and scan
Pan and scan is a method of adjusting widescreen film images so that they can be shown within the proportions of a standard definition 4:3 aspect ratio television screen, often cropping off the sides of the original widescreen image to focus on the composition's most important aspects...
version from within the 1.85 framing. Because the framing is increased vertically in the open matte process, the decision to use it needs to be made prior to shooting, so that the camera operator
Camera operator
A camera operator or cameraman is a professional operator of a film or video camera. In filmmaking, the leading cameraman is usually called a cinematographer, while a cameraman in a video production may be known as a television camera operator, video camera operator, or videographer, depending on...
can frame for 1.85:1 and "protect" for 4:3; otherwise unintended objects such as boom microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
s, cables, and light stands may appear in the open matte frame, thus requiring some amount of pan and scan
Pan and scan
Pan and scan is a method of adjusting widescreen film images so that they can be shown within the proportions of a standard definition 4:3 aspect ratio television screen, often cropping off the sides of the original widescreen image to focus on the composition's most important aspects...
in some or all scenes. Additionally, the unmatted 4:3 version will often throw off an otherwise tightly-framed shot and add an inordinate amount of headroom above actors (particularly with 1.85:1).
The standardization of widescreen TVs and the growing use of 3-perforation 35mm film (with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1) to save on film costs has made the open matte process less popular in recent years.
Many films over the years have used this technique, the most prominent of which include Schindler's List
Schindler's List
Schindler's List is a 1993 American film about Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg, and based on the novel Schindler's Ark...
and Top Gun
Top Gun
Top Gun may refer to:* Top Gun is a 1986 film starring Tom Cruise.**Top Gun , soundtrack to the movie**Top Gun , a number of games based on the movie...
. Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, writer, producer, and photographer who lived in England during most of the last four decades of his career...
also used this technique for his last five films.
See also
- Shoot and protectShoot and protectShoot and protect is a technique used in video and film production, in which the material is shot in such a way that the areas of interest within a frame lie within a rectangular "protected area" within the frame, with margins at top and bottom and both sides. The action safe and caption safe areas...
- Aspect ratio (image)Aspect ratio (image)The aspect ratio of an image is the ratio of the width of the image to its height, expressed as two numbers separated by a colon. That is, for an x:y aspect ratio, no matter how big or small the image is, if the width is divided into x units of equal length and the height is measured using this...