One of the greatest byproducts of high-definition televisions is the emergence of widescreen television formats. Now, don't get me wrong, I was used to fullscreen for most of my life that the leap to widescreen sort of disillusioned me. I was so used to fullscreen that I often wondered how I ever lived with those black bars at the top and bottom of my television screen. It took many months to get used to, but looking back on it, I wouldn't change that conversion from fullscreen fan to widescreen fan for nothing. I love widescreen, let me tell you why.
First off, when television studios are filming a particular show, they often shoot it widescreen. Why's that? It's simple, really. More action takes place on the left or right of the subject of focus rather than above or below it. Of course, there are exceptions, but they are rare and they are often only found in films. Televisions focus on the panoramic view on set as opposed to the overall view. Thus, by taking out the top and bottom of the picture, you aren't actually missing very much. You're missing more by viewing the top and bottom in fullscreen, because you're missing all the action taking place on the sides of your screen in widescreen format.
In many films, however, the use of all four directions is crucial. Some films are just better viewed in fullscreen because of this. However, many directors and film editors are now focusing on bringing their films to life on widescreen. Widescreen has become so popular, it's slowly phasing out fullscreen to become the dominant type of picture on television and the bigscreen.
More television stations are broadcasting in both high-definition and widescreen, most notably NBC, who has begun to develop an even better version of high-definition for the future of television. While many home audience members won't be able to view high-definition on their standard television sets and have to buy a new one. This isn't easily accesible to everyone, but in time as it becomes the standard, it will become more available to every household.
Most films are now released in fullscreen and widescreen formats. This is a relatively new phenomenom. Most companies released just one or another, the one they preferred ultimately being what type of footage they had and with advisement from the movie's director. Now, due to popular demand, both versions are released. Some companies even release both versions on the same disc to make it easier for the consumer to have what they want. Of course, this costs more, but movie lovers are more than happy to spend the extra money for their preference.
Widescreen is the way to the future. It allows the audience viewer to take part in the entire scene as opposed to just part of the seen. By having that wrap-around effect on your television, you get the chance to see everything going on in the scene, not just what is transpiring between the main characters. This allows for greater viewing pleasure and a better understanding of what the director intended. Widescreen is an amazing way to take part in your favorite television show. Enjoy it! It can only get better from here!
