Production crews use AJA scan converters to bridge horizontal and vertical workflows
Cinematographer Nick Eagleston utilized an AJA ROI-SDI scan converter on a commercial shoot to efficiently produce simultaneous horizontal and vertical video feeds. This hardware solution allowed for real-time vertical monitoring and accurate framing essential for social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, alongside traditional broadcast deliverables. The article highlights the practical application of AJA's product in navigating the growing demand for multi-format content.
Key Takeaways
- The AJA ROI-SDI converter allows for 90-degree signal rotation and customized framing via a connected laptop using the free Mini-Config software.
- Dual-format production on the Patrick Starrr shoot required managing traditional lighting stages for 16:9 content alongside dedicated creator pods for vertical framing.
- Providing a standalone 24-inch vertical monitor rather than frame-line overlays gave clients and directors immediate clarity on final 9:16 social compositions.
- The hardware solution supported continuous 3G-SDI loop-through, allowing the camera crew to maintain a standard horizontal monitor feed while extracting the vertical crop.
Why It Matters
As social media platforms become the primary distribution channels for major brands, production technology must evolve beyond simple frame-line guides to formalize vertical-first workflows. This shift forces a tighter integration between traditional cinematography and influencer-led content production, necessitating hardware that can handle real-time aspect ratio conversion without adding latency. The use of scan converters like the ROI-SDI signals a move toward one-set/two-format standardized pipelines, reducing the risk of framing errors that occur during post-production cropping. Moving forward, watch for high-end camera manufacturers to integrate native 90-degree internal sensor cropping to compete with external converter solutions.
Additional Context
The demand for high-quality vertical content is accelerating alongside massive shifts in advertising revenue. According to the July 2024 IAB Digital Video Ad Spend & Strategy Report, the majority of media buyers are now actively investing in vertical-format (68%) and short-form (69%) content. This trend is backed by broader financial projections; per The Guardian in June 2025, user-generated and creator-led platforms like TikTok and Instagram are expected to attract more advertising income than traditional media companies for the first time in 2025, with creator revenue projected to grow by 20% annually. In the U.S. alone, digital video ad revenue is forecast to reach $63 billion in 2024, growing nearly 80% faster than total media ad spending, per IAB April 2024 findings. Within this ecosystem, social video is projected to hit $23.4 billion, experiencing a second consecutive year of 20% growth. This financial shift has compelled professional production teams to treat social media deliverables with the same technical rigor as broadcast spots, driving the adoption of specialized hardware like AJA's scan converters and multi-screen monitoring stacks. Further market analysis from Sprinklr in December 2024 notes that over 98% of Facebook users and 88% of YouTube viewers now access content via mobile devices, reinforcing the 'mobile-first' composition requirement. Platforms are responding with deeper technical tools; LinkedIn reported immersive video views grew six times over a single quarter in 2024, while TikTok is expected to reach nearly 38 million social commerce buyers by 2025. This multi-platform environment is forcing production crews to move away from isolated channel strategies toward integrated, platform-agnostic distribution workflows that maximize exposure across distinct aspect ratios.
Read full article at aja.com