Why Letterboxed?


I'm a 60 something guy who loves this show. But, does anyone know why it's shown in a letter boxed format? Totally annoying, and it distracts from the show.

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Came here looking for answers in that room.

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It allows more focused, wider shots. For example, a close-up shot of two people sitting on a couch with a gap between them.

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That really doesn't make sense. If they had a narrower format they could still have the same wide shot, there would just be more on the top and bottom of the shot. It would show up as the same exact size on your screen.

"Smokey, this is not 'Nam, this is bowling. There are rules. "
-Walter Sobchak

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You missed the word "focused". Sometimes, more is better.

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Well, they are filming for TV or computer/tablet/phones, not a theater. Making an image smaller on the screen doesn't make it more focused.

"Smokey, this is not 'Nam, this is bowling. There are rules. "
-Walter Sobchak

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It didn't bother me.

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It's an artistic choice, just like in the movies. Some movies have a 1.77:1 aspect ratio which is results in no letterboxes on a 16:9 TV. For example, Saving Private Ryan. However, most go for a 2+:1 ratio for artistic reasons. Why can't a TV show make the same choice?

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Because we watch TV on a... well, TV and not a big ass screen?!



If I don't reply, you're probably on my ignore list for something I forgot already

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I find it stupid and pretentious the use of wide lenses on TV. But maybe I'm wrong for wanting every TV show to use the same 16:9 format *shrugs*



If I don't reply, you're probably on my ignore list for something I forgot already

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Why is it pretentious to use a certain aspect ratio? That's a weird argument to make. Is it also pretentious to use film and not a digital camera for a TV show? Is it pretentious to not have a studio audience? I mean, come on.

Television is a vice; film is an addiction.

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