Mixing 4:3 with 16:9

[MIDI_EVIL]

I'm working on a project and someone has just handed me 4:3 footage.

This was intended to be entirely 16:9 but this new footage is absolutely essential.

What's the best way to incorporate the 4:3 but preserving the maximum 16:9 dimensions?

[ChemiosMurphy]

You could just drop it in and pillarbox it, or letterbox it and just scale it so that it takes up the entire screen....

[LethalWolfe]

Definitely pillar box it. Scaling the footage up will kill the quality and you won't be able to keep the proper framing. If you don't like the black bars you can get creative and using something as a background to place the 4:3 footage on. Just make sure the background is low key so it doesn't compete w/the 4:3 footage.


Lethal

[spinnerlys]

Which editing software are you using?

Here is a guide for Final Cut Pro: http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/faking_it.html

[jaysmith]

Which editing software are you using?

Here is a guide for Final Cut Pro: http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/faking_it.html

some of the latter tips come in handy, but sometimes (usually) the type of video won't lend itself to artsy-framed shots or backgrounds behind the video.

you could try some some minor compositing, like moving the video over, and putting in a blurred out pillar or something to the side.

sort of like this:
http://chornbe.com/motorcycles/rides/roadtrip2008/rt_day09/rt_day09_0045.jpg
again the odds of this working with the footage your given are slim, but at least there might be options.