Understanding Aspect Ratio: Key Guide for Video Editing and Storytelling

Understanding Video Aspect Ratios

One of the primary factors that determines how your content fits the screen and shapes the audience's viewing experience is your video's aspect ratio. Choosing the right ratio affects factors like framing, platform compatibility, and viewer experience. In this guide, you will know what does aspect ratio mean, why does it matter, and how to change to the best one for your project.

Definition

An image or video frame's aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between its width and height. In other words, it describes the length of the frame in relation to its height.

Aspect ratios are expressed as proportions, with the width and height represented by the first and second numbers, respectively, separated by a colon. For instance, a frame with an aspect ratio of 16:9 is 16 units wide for every 9 units tall.

Aspect ratio is important when editing videos because it influences how your content looks on various screens and determines whether it fits, is cropped, or is too small for the screen.

Aside from the general aspect ratios in video editing, there's also a golden aspect ratio applied as a rule of thumb for generating aesthetically pleasing shots every time.

What is the golden ratio aspect ratio?

Well, it's a mathematical proportion found in nature and art, approximately 1.618:1. Video editors sometimes use this to create attractive visuals for their content.

Core Elements of Aspect Ratios

Once you've answered the question, "What does aspect ratio mean?" you must understand the factors affecting your choice of aspect ratio. This section breaks down the core elements of aspect ratios you should know about:

Frame Dimensions

Frame dimensions measure how long and wide a particular frame is. In video editing, it means the size of a particular point in your video, and determines how big, small, long, short, wide, or narrow these frames will be throughout your video. This clearly explains the "what is aspect ratio in film" question.

Field of View

Since the aspect ratio determines the size of your video's frames, it also defines how much of the picture the video will show. In video editing, if you want a narrower view for your audience, you'd go for ratios like 16:9 and 1:1 for wider views.

Composition and Framing

Depending on the type of composition you want, you can use aspect ratios to make your videos depict a particular order. Broad ratios encourage horizontal composition and better storytelling. However, narrow frames enable central subject framing and storytelling. As such, you must adapt how you place subjects, lines, and points of interest to suit the ratio.

Medium or Output Format

Different media and platforms have standard aspect ratios. The aspect ratio you choose ensures that content fits the intended display without black bars forming, cropping, or distortion.

Common Aspect Ratios for Different Video Forms

As you may have noticed, different platforms where you post your video content use varying picture framing proportions, depending on the effect they're trying to have. This section explains the different aspect ratios for different platforms used today and why they use those proportions:

Social Media Platforms

Every social media platform uses specific aspect ratios for better reach and general appeal. For instance:

Platform	Aspect Ratio
Instagram	1:1 (standard posts), 4:5 (portrait photos), 9:16 (Stories and Reels)
TikTok	9:16 (full-screen vertical format)
YouTube	16:9 (landscape videos), 9:16 (vertical/mobile support)
Facebook	4:5 (feed videos), 9:16 (Stories)

Motion Banners

Motion banners are used as ads, intros, or dynamic web headers. While in-app banners vary widely depending on device orientation, the following are the usual specs for motion banner aspect ratios:

Banner Type	Aspect Ratio
Standard Web Banner	16:9
Ultra-Wide Web Banner	21:9
Custom Web Banner	1920×500 px (approx. 3.84:1)
Social Media Cover Video	820×312 px (approx. 2.63:1)

Film / Movie Creation

Aspect ratios are used in cinema to influence the audience's mood, the content's storytelling, and visual impact. Below are the ratio specifications for different film and movie forms:

Film Form	Aspect Ratio
Ultra-Wide (Epic/Blockbusters)	2.39:1
Standard Widescreen (Dramas)	1.85:1
Classic/Stylistic Format	4:3
IMAX	1.43:1 or 1.90:1 (for immersive visuals)

Best Aspect Ratios For Social Media Platforms

If you're wondering what is the best aspect ratio, you must first understand that different platforms have varying recommended ratios for videos. To help you find the best one for the platform and post you want, we've compiled a table explaining each one:

Aspect Ratio	Platform	Visual Sample
16:9 or 9:16	YouTube
9:16	TikTok
1:1, 4:5 or 9:16	Instagram
1:1	LinkedIn
4:5 or 9:16	Facebook

What Can Go Wrong with Aspect Ratios?

Aspect ratios help you to create visually engaging videos that fit perfectly across platforms. However, when aspect ratios aren't correctly applied, they can lead to significant issues like the following:

Inconsistent framing between clips

If you use different aspect ratios for different clips without proper guidance, the final product can appear disjointed, with some frames looking cramped or stretched.

Inability to post rightly across social media

If you don't adhere to a social media platform's recommended aspect ratio, chances are, it won't look good when you post it. A 16:9 video, for example, can look good on YouTube but terrible on Instagram Stories.

Cropped video in mobile view

Since smartphones form the major part of social media, when creating video content, you need to confirm how it appears on a mobile screen. If you ignore this, your video could come out looking awkwardly cropped or unrelatable.

How Aspect Ratio Impacts Storytelling

When creating videos, you must choose your story first before considering the aspect ratio. Don't simply choose a widescreen format because it feels cinematic. Each story benefits from a specific framing to deliver its unique emotional impact, so choose a ratio that adds depth and even shapes the audience's emotional connection to the content. Below are different means by which these ratios impact storytelling:

Wider Frame: For Cinematic Stories

A wide aspect ratio, like 21:9 or 2.39:1, is often used for epic storytelling, providing a sense of immersion in the video. These ratios are perfect for stories set in vast landscapes or that feature intense action sequences.

War dramas or fantasy like The Lord of the Rings use wide aspect ratios to highlight immersive battle scenes. This adds extra thrill to the entire narrative.

Narrow Frame: For Intimate Storytelling

If you want a more personal feeling in your videos, a narrow frame like 4:3 or 16:9 is the perfect fit. These frames bring the viewers closer to the characters' emotions, enabling them to see them interact with each other and follow the storyline, resulting in a greater connection to the story.

An excellent example of narrow frames used in storytelling is the movie Her, a romantic drama that focuses on the character's environments and emotions.

Vertical: For Real Storytelling

Numerous smartphone-based video content uses the vertical (9:16) ratio to center characters and make scenes more visible to the viewers. This way, the audience can interact with a raw storyline and connect with the characters without necessarily focusing on their environment or external elements.

Shifting Aspect Ratio

To spotlight key moments, transitions, or narratives in your story, you can change aspect ratios at a steady pace. This technique can add a more thrilling feel to your video, as long as it isn't abused or overdone.

Shows like Hunger Games use this technique to demonstrate the difference between the more organized scene of the Capitol and the raw district environment. This way, they boosted their storytelling, aligning the video output with the tone they wanted and emotional impact.

How to Edit Video Aspect Ratios

Answering the questions "What is aspect ratio in video editing, and how does aspect ratio affect movie experience?" is one thing. Knowing how to tweak your aspect ratio, though, can take your video editing to the next level. So, without further ado, it's time to find out how to edit these frames according to your selected ratio. Follow the steps below to find out how to change aspect ratio easily with Wondershare Filmora:

Step 1

Start a project and import your video clips: After opening Filmora, go to New Project > Import to add your video clips from your device.

Step 2

Adjust the aspect ratio: From the bottom right of our screen, tap on the preset aspect ratio and adjust it to your preference.

Step 3

Preview and export your video: Select your preferred format to save it to your device.

Conclusion

This piece has answered questions like what aspect ratios are, what aspect ratio is for YouTube, and why they are important. So, whether you want epic cinematic moments with a 2.39:1 ratio or to capture raw, intimate moments in 4:3, the right ratio can elevate the storytelling and your video's first impression

Essentially, the ideal aspect ratio for your platform and content ensures that your message is delivered clearly and with the right viewer experience. Remember that aspect ratios are easily adjustable when you have the right tool, so try out different frames on Filmora to see which one works best for your video.

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