How Do I Mix Aspect Ratios?

[Amy Shatzen 0]

I have photos that I want to display as widescreen along with videos that are normal screen. When I insert a normal screen video into a widescreen production, it distorts it, making it narrow (squished). How do I avoid that?

[karri 11]

The video is actually squished? Or are there just black bars on ether side? What are the aspect ratios of your images and video clips?

[Jim_Hardin 418]

Depends on the original. If it was shot in true Widescreen it will be OK.

 

If shot in anamorphic format, it will look 'squished' since it has been stretched to fill the frame vertically.

 

The thing with aspect ratios is they are law and cannot be changed! You can try the Aspect Ratio Handling (right click in VW) but it will either be cropped or blacklines, no other choices...

 

I always find it funny that amateurs, like us, fret of black lines but Commercial Movies, with all their resources, always have them and no one notices

[Amy Shatzen 0]

The video is actually squished. I watched someone else's movie (not made with NXT) and they were able to put their "normal" aspect video footage in a square box with some nice background colors around it that fill to the widescreen ratio. I'd like to be able to do something like that, but I don't know if that's beyond the capabilities of NXT.

[Jim_Hardin 418]

Aspect Ratio Handling - did you even TRY IT?

 

"and they were able to put their "normal" aspect video footage in a square box with some nice background colors around it" - black is far less distracting to the eye than contrasting color. You can do that too but it is not what you asked. You use a color panel on the Movie Track (your choice of color) and add the clip on the Overlay Track. Size as you wish using the side or bottom handles, adjust size by the Settings at the right.

 

Just don't use the corner drag handles as they maintain aspect ratio

[karri 11]

The video is actually squished. I watched someone else's movie (not made with NXT) and they were able to put their "normal" aspect video footage in a square box with some nice background colors around it that fill to the widescreen ratio. I'd like to be able to do something like that, but I don't know if that's beyond the capabilities of NXT.

 

Try the Aspect Ratio Handling as Jim suggested. If that doesn't work for your clip, you can add it as an overlay and then use the Settings panel to stretch it out, or use the red handles as Jim suggested.

 

As far as using background colors, I'd refer you back to this thread http://forums.support.roxio.com/topic/121436-background-behind-photos/

 

and let us know if those suggestions were helpful.

[Amy Shatzen 0]

Adding a video as an overlay and stretching it worked perfectly! Thanks! Of course, I had no idea how much to stretch it so I just guessed, figuring I'd go through many DVDs with trial and error. But it looked right on the first try. I stretched it to 133%.

[ogdens 85]

Get yourself some DVD-RW'S (for testing), once your happy with a good burn you can then use a DVD-R and erase the RW disc.