3.5.1 35mm Silent Frame (Motion Picture Formats - release prints intended for projection)
Description
This article is from the rec.arts.movies.tech FAQ, by Scott E. Norwood snorwood@nyx.nyx.net with numerous contributions by others.
3.5.1 35mm Silent Frame (Motion Picture Formats - release prints intended for projection)
In the early days of 35mm silent film, the standard aspect ratio was
1.33:1, and the image covered nearly the whole area of the film, four
perforations high, and extending out to the edges of the perforations
on the sides. These prints are almost extinct today, as they leave no
space for a soundtrack, and, thus, the format became obsolete upon the
introduction of sound on film in 1926. At this time, the frame was
simply narrowed, to the almost-square 1.15:1 ratio in order to
accommodate an optical soundtrack. This is the area used by the
current anamorphic format, and is the most image area one can fit onto
a piece of 35mm film with a soundtrack. As very few venues are
equipped to project silent-frame prints, this format is almost
non-existent today. Many silents have been re-printed such that the
image fits within the Academy frame.
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