Editing Pan and scan (section)

{{Short description|Method for adapting widescreen film to television}}
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[[Image:Cropped film still.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|A 2.35:1 film still that was panned and scanned to smaller sizes. At the smallest size, 1.33:1 (4:3), nearly half of the original image has been cropped.]]
'''Pan and scan'''<ref>{{Cite web |last=on |first=Rafael Abreu |date=2021-08-22 |title=What is Pan and Scan? Full Frame vs. Widescreen Explained |url=https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-pan-and-scan-definition/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=www.studiobinder.com |language=en-US}}</ref> is a [[Film editing|film editing technique]] used to modify [[widescreen]] images for display on a [[Fullscreen (aspect ratio)|fullscreen]] screen. It involves [[Cropping (image)|cropping]] the sides of the original widescreen image and [[Panning (camera)|panning]] across it when the shot's focus changes. This cropping can result in the loss of key visual elements but may draw the viewers' attention towards a particular portion of the scene.

"Pan and scan" was often used with [[VHS]] tapes before widescreen [[home media]] formats such as [[LaserDisc]], [[DVD-Video|DVD]], and [[Blu-ray]] became common. The vertical equivalent, known as "tilt and scan" or "reverse pan and scan," was used to adapt older films such as [[Cinderella (1950 film)|''Cinderella'']] (1950) for widescreen formats.

These techniques have been widely criticized since their inception, with critics often disapproving of pan and scan cropping because it can remove substantial portions of the original [[image]]: up to 43% for films with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, up to 48% for earlier 2.55:1 films, and up to 52% for 2.76:1 films.<ref name=":0" /> Creating new shots or cuts may alter cinematic effects, thereby impacting the [[Pacing (surveying)|pacing]], atmosphere, and [[suspense]] originally intended by [[Filmmaking|filmmakers]]. Pan and scan can sometimes alter the [[Director general|director's]] or [[cinematographer|cinematographer's]] original vision, as well as the intended [[field of view]] for specific scenes or an entire film, by depriving the audience of significant visual information.