Combining 4:3 ratio with 16:9 ratio footage

[Jebadia]

Simply, there are shots that can't be done in fullscreen. There are lots of shots that you can TRY with fullscreen, but it scene may look crowded, thus where widescreen can be used to capture the moment. For instance that classic shot of someone close up...while there's someone off to "their" right behind them.Now the Director only wants the guy close up to be showing his eyes, and some of his nose......(major close up) while being able to mostly see the person in the back. This can be done easily with widescreen..especially 2.35:1.

Fullscreen however, your gonna run into some issues with that kinda of shot, especially if you want some space in between the two characters during the shot. Widescreen offers lots of flexibility when trying to capture a scene. Sure you can do the same with Fullscreen, but it may not look as good or look as how the director may have wanted it.

Also for a lot of films Pan Scan pretty much destroys a lot of cinematography. Movies like Ben Hur should only be seen in it's origional widescreen format. If it's pan scanned, your missing most of the movie.

If you still fail to see even the slightest point to widescreen....uhm..well then thats your opinion.

[the Black Monarch]

For instance that classic shot of someone close up...while there's someone off to "their" right behind them.Now the Director only wants the guy close up to be showing his eyes, and some of his nose......(major close up) while being able to mostly see the person in the back.

I've never seen a shot like that... except at the end of episode 19 of Eva, where Fuyutsuki is standing behind Gendo, but that was full-screen and you could see his mouth and stuff.

If I am to understand you correctly, the only *real* benefit of widescreen is to make those really stupid shots seen in the new TMNT series? If that's the case, I don't think we're missing much... although I do laugh every time the aspect ratio widens to about 10:1... it's so delightfully cheesy...