Television screens today come in two shapes. The most familiar one is called 4:3, which represents four inches of width for every three inches of height. You can also buy wide-screen, or 16:9, televisions, which take the same shape as many movies. Wide-screen sets cost more per square inch of screen than standard TVs, and most people watch more regular TV than DVDs and movies, so 4:3 sets are the most popular choice. Almost all large flat-panel and rear-projection TVs are wide screen, however, so it's just a matter of time before 16:9 becomes the most popular choice.

Regular television and most game films are shot in 4:3 mode. It is almost square. But life, and football, is not square. Football is played on a rectangular field. Pull one of last fall's game films off the shelf and look at a "sideline view". How often did your cameraman have to get a part of the track or spectators in order to get everyone else to fit inside the viewing screen? Using the 16:9 format the field fits easily inside the view finder. When filming a game some coaches like to film "close-up" and get only the running backs to the linebackers. Using the regular format 4:3 mode that will usually mean getting much more of the LOS than you might want. Using the 16:9 mode a coach can easily see the running backs and linebackers with only a little bit of grass on either side of the TE's.

Most newer cameras have a setting, sometimes a button on the camera, that allow you to switch from regular (4:3) to widescreen (16:9). Occasionally widescreen is referred to as "cinema".

If you are using a video editor, just be careful during digitizing to make the software aware of your alternative choice of format. If you have any additional questions email Coach Rarick at jrarick@btathletics.com. He'll be happy to answer your questions.