Cinematography technique · used in 7 films
Choosing a very wide or squarer frame than standard widescreen. The shape boxes characters in or leaves wide edges where threats can hide.
Examples
Sofia Coppola · 2017
Coppola shot the film in a squarer 1.66:1 frame. The narrow picture boxes in the house and its women. The edges of the frame seem to hide threats.
Where to see it: The house under siege. The women and girls stay inside the school while Confederate soldiers pass outside.
Jennifer Kent · 2018
Kent shot in the squarer 4:3 frame. She said it has a lot of height and depth, and it is good for framing people. You stay close to Clare's face while the trees rise tall around her.
Where to see it: The journey through the bush. Clare and Billy follow the soldiers through dense forest in the tall, narrow frame.
Charlie Kaufman · 2020
The film is shot in a nearly square frame, not widescreen. It boxes the characters in and leaves the edges of the picture narrow, so the claustrophobia grows even in an open snowy landscape.
Where to see it: The car ride: the woman and Jake sit in the car in a tight square frame as snow falls around them.
Darren Aronofsky · 2022
The film uses a squarish Academy ratio, close to 4:3. It boxes Charlie in and leaves little room above or beside him. You feel how small his world has become.
Where to see it: Charlie on camera. In his last class, he turns on his webcam and lets his students see him.
Danny Boyle · 2025
The film uses a 2.76:1 frame, much wider than a standard movie screen. The filmmakers said this encouraged viewers to scan the image, which heightens tension. In open countryside you find yourself watching the edges for the infected.
Where to see it: The Alpha chase. After Spike's first kill, an evolved Alpha infected chases him and Jamie until the islanders kill it.
Wes Anderson · 2025
Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel shot on 35mm Kodak film in the unusual 1.5:1 ratio. The squarer frame suits a film about a man who keeps his business plans in shoeboxes. Each shot looks like a small picture in a frame.
Where to see it: Korda's shoeboxes: Korda uses shoeboxes to organize his business plans.
Alejandro González Iñárritu · 2026
The film was shot on 35 mm film with VistaVision equipment. It is released in a variable frame that is squarer than standard widescreen in IMAX and VistaVision showings. The tall picture gives the disaster scenes extra height and scale.
Where to see it: Presentation: the film is shown at 1.43:1 in IMAX GT with Laser and 1.5:1 in native VistaVision screenings, and expands to 1.85:1 flat elsewhere.
Questions