The Eerie Reason Saltburn Was Shot In A 4:3 Aspect Ratio (& Why It Works So Well)

The aesthetic of Saltburn is very distinct, and its aspect ratio is part of what contributes to the feeling of unease within the movie. Saltburn is Emerald Fennel’s second feature-length directorial effort, and her choice to make use of the 4:3 ratio differs from that of her first movie, 2020’s controversial Promising Young Woman. The 4:3 ratio isn’t commonly used in the modern age of cinema, but it still has a place due to the stylistic impact it can have on a movie. 2023’s Saltburn deviates from the norm of a 16:9 widescreen radio, adding to the film’s feel.

While 16:9 gives a wider image, using 4:3 results in a picture that’s much more square. Fennell’s movie benefits from the various advantages of making a movie in this way, including changing how certain scenes are perceived and influencing the audience’s feelings about the Saltburn characters. For instance, some sequences featuring the Catton family in Saltburn would have felt different if shot in another aspect ratio. The film’s director has cited a few of her main reasons for opting to shoot Saltburn in 4:3, and they give an interesting insight into her creative process.

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Saltburn Uses A 4:3 Aspect Ratio To Give The Impression Of “Peeping In”

Emerald Fennell has a good reason for using the format

Saltburn is a deeply voyeuristic affair, allowing an inside look into the lives of the wealthy elite and the dangerous outsider the Catton family has welcomed into their home. Speaking with Vanity Fair, Emerald Fennell likened the experience of watching Saltburn to “peeping in” at a doll’s house. This contributed to her choice to use the 4:3 aspect ratio when shooting the movie, to give the impression of spying on events that wouldn’t otherwise be witnessed.

In the same interview, Fennell mentions Saltburn‘s themes of intense desire, as well as harnessing the disgust she feels when she catches herself coveting something she sees on platforms such as Instagram. Interestingly, the format of Instagram posts also tends to fall on the square side, which would create a compelling parallel between the social media site and the look of Saltburn as a movie.

Emerald Fennell Likes How A 4:3 Ratio Makes Intimate Scenes More Imposing

The ratio allows for unique framing opportunities to appear in Saltburn

Fennell shooting Saltburn in 4:3 also accentuates other aspects of the movie. Due to the narrower shot size, it can be easier for something or someone to fill the frame. The choice aided in the impact of the most twisted moments in Saltburn. In an interview with Filmmaker Magazine, Fennel confirms this possibility also influenced her choice to shoot her film in the 4:3 format. During the exchange, Fennell said, “I like extreme closeups, especially when you’re talking about sex and intimacy.” Concerning the 4:3 ratio, she added, “You can have a full face. It can fill the frame completely.”

In the same interview with Filmmaker Magazine, Fennell also said that her visits to the house where Saltburn was shot included experimenting with capturing the building using different aspect ratios. The look of the enormous house in a 4:3 aspect ratio ultimately won out over the others, which added to the list of reasons why the rest of the movie had to follow suit.

Filming Saltburn in a wider format would have altered how some of the movie’s other key shots were framed. For instance, the bathtub conversation between Oliver and Venetia would have allowed for much more space around both characters if it were shot in 16:9. Much of the intensity in the scene comes from the fact that the characters look penned in together, almost trapped in the exchange.

Why Saltburn’s Filming Approach Works So Well With The Movie’s Themes

Saltburn’s uncommon aspect ratio contributed to the movie’s success

Saltburn focuses hard on certain themes and emotions, while also touching on other ancillary feelings. The emotion of desire is one of the central subjects of Saltburn, in reference to both material gain and sexual gratification. There’s also the matter of most of the movie’s events being confined to a single setting – the Saltburn estate. Framing all the shots for capture in a 4:3 format helps to not only exaggerate Oliver’s various desires but also how focused he is on his plan to take Saltburn. In addition, the tight framing implies that the characters are trapped there with Oliver.

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There’s also the argument Saltburn‘s aspect ratio could have something to do with when the movie is set. Saltburn is set in the mid-2000s, and although widescreen televisions were commonplace by then, the movie’s 4:3 format cements the fact that the film’s events have already taken place. However, the ratio’s implications are far more relevant to the themes in Saltburn than they are to the period in which it’s set.

Sources: Vanity Fair, Filmmaker Magazine