Open Matte Updated

When you see a film in a cinema, a physical "matte" (a mask) often covers the top and bottom of the frame to create a widescreen image (like 1.85:1 or 2.39:1).

is what happens when you remove those black bars. You are seeing the full camera negative. The whole enchilada. open matte

Ask any film nerd about their "White Whale," and they will mention the Titanic Fullscreen VHS. When you see a film in a cinema,

But other times? It feels like you’ve taken a step into the movie. You stop watching a framed painting and start watching a window. open matte

To achieve this wide look in theaters, the top and bottom of the captured image are covered up—either by physical metal masks in a film projector or by digital cropping.