<p>its all about the aspect ratio</p>

<p>is you have a video that has black bars (pillar boxes) either on the sides or top and bottom, you can expand the video to fill the space but you will loose the sides or top/bottom depending on which ratio it is at.</p>

<p>when I was shooting in 4.3 ratio i would plan my shots to have enough room top and bottom so that I could resize the video to fit a 16.9 ratio, when Im filming in 16.9 (widescreen) I do the same so that if I wanted to add the bars top and bottom I wont loose any of my frame (ie: heads of people, action etc etc)</p>

<p>This was an interesting link on how they came about through film history
<a href="http://filmmakeriq.com/lessons/the-changing-shape-of-cinema-the-history-of-aspect-ratio/" rel="nofollow">http://filmmakeriq.com/lessons/the-changing-shape-of-cinema-the-history-of-aspect-ratio/</a></p>

<p>hope that helps</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-11T13:37:19.870Z
2014-12-11T13:37:19.870Z
Adam Mann Pro
<p>1) - Fit Height, often called Pillarbox</p>

<p>2) - Fit Width, usually called Letterbox</p>

<p>Examples and explanation from <a href="http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT2320" rel="nofollow">Apple</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-11T12:50:37.947Z
2014-12-11T12:50:37.947Z
Jim Mack
<ul>
<li><strong>Letter box</strong> if you have bars on the top and bottom.  </li>
<li><strong>Pillar box</strong> if you have them on the sides.  </li>
<li><strong>Stretch</strong> (or possibly <strong>anamorphic</strong>, depending on what the intended playback aspect ratio is)   if you are full screening it by stretching it out to fill the space.  </li>
<li><strong>Cropped</strong> if you are making it full screen by cutting off the edges.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-11T16:35:51.477Z
much simpler version than mine
Adam Mann Pro
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-11T16:43:20.903Z
@AdamMannPro Yeah, I generally try to do whatever the other answers isn't.  If someone bullet points, I'll go detailed.  If someone is detailed, I'll be brief.  It's nice to have a detailed explanation and a TL DR version.  Never know what someone will most need.  I voted yours up too though.  Also, welcome to the site if I haven't said it already.
AJ Henderson
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-11T16:45:50.693Z
I like your way of thinking there, I feel sometimes I dont make much sense so I try to give an example if I have one.
Adam Mann Pro
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-13T02:44:48.533Z
And if you somehow end up with a letter box AND a pillar box, you get a window box.
KC McLaughlin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-13T05:39:17.517Z
@KCMcLaughlin - that must be why so many video guys prefer Macs...
AJ Henderson
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-11T15:38:37.327Z
2014-12-11T15:38:37.327Z
AJ Henderson
<p>If I want to communicate to someone editing a video, how can I tell in an unambiguous way how I want the video to be resized.</p>

<p><strong>1)</strong> If I want the image to be cropped so that there are no black strips filling the area that has no image.</p>

<p><strong>2)</strong> If I want the the video to be scaled down so that the image is not cropped, adding the two black strips filling the gaps where there is no image.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/mZsFk.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<editing>
What are the names of different ways to fit video when the aspect ratios do not match?
rraallvv
# What are the names of different ways to fit video when the aspect ratios do not match?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-12-11)

If I want to communicate to someone editing a video, how can I tell in an unambiguous way how I want the video to be resized.

**1)** If I want the image to be cropped so that there are no black strips filling the area that has no image.

**2)** If I want the the video to be scaled down so that the image is not cropped, adding the two black strips filling the gaps where there is no image.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/mZsFk.png)

**Tags:** editing


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-12-11. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

* **Letter box** if you have bars on the top and bottom.
* **Pillar box** if you have them on the sides.
* **Stretch** (or possibly **anamorphic**, depending on what the intended playback aspect ratio is) if you are full screening it by stretching it out to fill the space.
* **Cropped** if you are making it full screen by cutting off the edges.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: much simpler version than mine  
> **username_3**: @AdamMannPro Yeah, I generally try to do whatever the other answers isn't.  If someone bullet points, I'll go detailed.  If someone is detailed, I'll be brief.  It's nice to have a detailed explanation and a TL DR version.  Never know what someone will most need.  I voted yours up too though.  Also, welcome to the site if I haven't said it already.  
> **username_1**: I like your way of thinking there, I feel sometimes I dont make much sense so I try to give an example if I have one.  
> **username_4**: And if you somehow end up with a letter box AND a pillar box, you get a window box.  
> **username_3**: @KCMcLaughlin - that must be why so many video guys prefer Macs...  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2014-12-11. Score: 2

its all about the aspect ratio

is you have a video that has black bars (pillar boxes) either on the sides or top and bottom, you can expand the video to fill the space but you will loose the sides or top/bottom depending on which ratio it is at.

when I was shooting in 4.3 ratio i would plan my shots to have enough room top and bottom so that I could resize the video to fit a 16.9 ratio, when Im filming in 16.9 (widescreen) I do the same so that if I wanted to add the bars top and bottom I wont loose any of my frame (ie: heads of people, action etc etc)

This was an interesting link on how they came about through film history
<http://filmmakeriq.com/lessons/the-changing-shape-of-cinema-the-history-of-aspect-ratio/>

hope that helps


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### Answer by username_2 on 2014-12-11. Score: 2

1) - Fit Height, often called Pillarbox

2) - Fit Width, usually called Letterbox

Examples and explanation from [Apple](http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT2320)


---

