What is Letterbox Format Known as in Film?

Widescreen formatting is one of several innovations over the years of the film industry. Which has survived and carried through as a dominant form. Although most films are formatted for widescreen. There are still instances where this formatting doesn’t apply. And a transfer from widescreen to standard-width formatting must take place. The letterbox format, also referred to as letterboxing, represents one of several aspect ratios. That a film may be viewed at in standard-width format. But what is the letterbox format known as in film?  

What is the Letterbox Format?

The letterbox format, or letterboxing, is sometimes abbreviated as LTBX or LBX. This format may also be referenced as “flat” format within the film industry.

However the terminology, whether letterbox or flat or 1.85:1 is used, all reference the same aspect ratio. Which is used for many Hollywood films. And happens to be wider than what many are familiar with HDTV format. 

But what is letterbox format known as in film, specifically? The Flat Format. Laymen may refer to letterbox formatting as widescreen.

The term “widescreen” actually means any format that is wider than 4:3 programming formats. Thus, widescreen could technically represent letterbox format as well as ultrawide format, 

What is Letterboxing?

By practice, letterboxing represents the transferring of film that was originally shot in a widescreen aspect ratio. Like most Hollywood films are. To a standard-width format without risking the original aspect ratio of the film.

Thus, the original film’s aspect ratio is preserved although the film is altered in order to allow for viewing on a standard-width screen.

But how? How is letterbox format achieved without losing the original appearance of the film? 

For Widescreen

To preserve the original aspect ratio of the film, letterboxing results in a matter which results in black bars that fill in the space above, and below the original video.

You might have seen Letterboxing in action before if you’ve ever attempted to watch a wide screen film on a standard television set.

In doing so, you would have seen the widescreen image but it might appear slightly smaller than expected. Because there are black sections filling in the horizontal spaces both above and below the image. This is what a screen that has been letterboxed will look like.

In Summation

SO, what is letterbox format known as in film? The letterbox format, or letterboxing, is known as ‘Flat’ by the film industry.

Which represents the viewable size of the image that is prepared for the screen. In this case 2 times wide and 1 times tall.

The Flat format has top and bottom masking in order to ensure the right fit on the screen. 

If you’re still confused about how aspect ratios work, Movie University has a fantastic video that helps break the concept down: