Screen Sizes Impact on Picture and Sound

Over the years, the film industry has seen cyclical changes in the range of screen sizes, some dictated by film format, and some by exhibition economics. The small screens of the 1930s were eclipsed by the large-format screens of the 1950s; today, the “pillbox” screens of the 1970s are being supplanted by relatively huge screens for 35 mm film projection. The impact of large screens for audience involvement is obviously beneficial, but there can be significant technical trade-offs. Perhaps surprisingly, not only picture but also sound quality can be affected by screen size; the following material discusses the impact of screen size on various presentation parameters including acoustics and image contrast.