pillarboxed

Pillarboxing is a display and broadcasting convention where black bars are present on the sides of a widescreen image, filling the vertical space of a standard display. This occurs when content with a wider aspect ratio, such as a 2.35:1 or 1.85:1 film, is shown on a display with a narrower aspect ratio, typically 4:3. The goal is to preserve the original intended framing and aspect ratio of the content without cropping or distorting the image.

The term "pillarboxing" is derived from the visual appearance, where the black bars resemble pillars on either side of the central image. It is the opposite of letterboxing, which involves adding black bars to the top and bottom of an image to fit a wider aspect ratio onto a narrower display. Pillarboxing is common when viewing older films or certain television programs that were produced in widescreen formats on displays designed for standard aspect ratios.

Modern widescreen displays, such as those with a 16:9 aspect ratio, are less likely to exhibit pillarboxing when displaying content that is also 16:9. However, pillarboxing can still occur if the content is even wider, such as a film shot in an ultra-widescreen format. The presence of pillarboxing indicates that the display is showing the content in its native aspect ratio, as intended by the creators.