Pan and scan

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Pan and scan^[1] is a film editing technique used to modify widescreen images for display on a fullscreen screen. It involves cropping the sides of the original widescreen image and 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, 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) 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.^[2] Creating new shots or cuts may alter cinematic effects, thereby impacting the pacing, atmosphere, and suspense originally intended by filmmakers. Pan and scan can sometimes alter the director's or 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.