What is pan scans?

Pan scan is a term used in the context of video production and distribution that refers to the process of adjusting the aspect ratio of a film or video to fit different screen sizes or aspect ratios. This is often done to avoid cropping or distortion of the image when viewed on screens with different dimensions.

In a pan scan, the original image is simply adjusted so that the most important parts of the image stay within the frame, while any non-essential areas are cropped out. This can be done manually or automatically, using specialized software tools.

Pan scans are commonly used in the distribution of movies and television shows on home video formats such as DVD and Blu-ray. For example, a film originally shot in widescreen format might be pan-scanned for release on a standard 4:3 aspect ratio television screen, or vice versa.

However, pan scanning can be controversial, as it can result in the loss of important visual information and can alter the original artistic vision of the filmmakers. Some purists argue that films and videos should be presented in their original aspect ratio, even if this means that the image does not fully fill the screen.