With Neil Gaiman‘s highly-anticipated “The Sandman” arriving on Netflix this week, some viewers have been swift to comment on the show’s aspect ratio looking slightly off.
“Why does everything looked so stretched upwards? Is it supposed to be dreamy and I’m just an uncultured swine or is there something wrong,” one user asked.
“Sandman” viewers first noticed the skewed images in trailers for the series, sparking some trepidation among fans of the original comic book series. The distorted images were not isolated to the trailer, remaining a mainstay in the series itself.
Some questioned whether a technical issue was the causing the distinctive visuals. But the image distortion is a deliberate creative choice on “The Sandman.”
Many of the environments are surreal in the series and the idea is to give the feeling of what a dream would feel like.
The series is based on the DC Comics character of the same name. Tom Sturridge stars as Dream — aka Morpheus. He lurks in a realm called the Dreaming and, when he’s captured, his absence triggers events that change both the sleeping and waking worlds.
Throughout “The Sandman,” distorted images show the cast with elongated faces and stretched visuals, giving the series a surreal feeling.
Will Baldy, Sam Heasman and George Steel serve as the show’s cinematographers. The group has yet to comment on the type of lenses they used to film the production. If, for example, vintage lenses were used and mixed with an 8K camera, the combination of old glass and a new camera could work to create image distortion. Alternatively, using old-school wide-angle lens with the distortion on the sides would create stretched visuals.
So, there’s no need to fix your TV and adjust your aspect ratio. “The Sandman” looks exactly how its creators want it to.
See some concerns from the series’ viewers below.
Sandman, your aspect ratio choices are confusing me: both letterboxed and oddly elongated
— Roy Gill (@roy_gill) August 5, 2022
Did they f*ck up the aspect ratio on Sandman or what? Letterboxed yet also noticably stretched.
— Stuart Millard (@franticplanet) August 5, 2022
why is sandman's aspect ratio all over the place i kinda don't want to watch it anymore
— 520 (@vinegaralcove) August 5, 2022
trying to watch The Sandman and that aspect ratio/elongation/WHATEVER it is is not it
— nathan (@nxthxniel) August 5, 2022
@Netflix_Sandman @netflix #TheSandman is fabulous so far but why does everything looked so stretched upwards? Is it supposed to be dreamy and I'm just an uncultured swine or is there something wrong with my #aspect ratio?
— Probably Not (@Sometimesno) August 5, 2022
@NetflixUK please fix the aspect ratio on The Sandman as it's so annoying!
— Paul Lee 🇺🇦 (@pabs_uk_) August 5, 2022
FAQs
Netflix has now responded to the confusion, clarifying (per Variety) that the decidedly unconventional aspect ratio used throughout The Sandman is a deliberate artistic choice intended to emphasize the dream-like quality of creator Neil Gaiman's fantasy setting.
Why does the Sandman look weird? ›
But the image distortion is a deliberate creative choice on “The Sandman.” Many of the environments are surreal in the series and the idea is to give the feeling of what a dream would feel like. The series is based on the DC Comics character of the same name. Tom Sturridge stars as Dream — aka Morpheus.
Why is the Sandman shot like that? ›
Due to the show being set in a dream-like state, the warped visuals were a creative choice to help enhance the surreal atmosphere.
What is the concept of the Sandman? ›
Representation in traditional folklore
In Scandinavian folklore, he is said to sprinkle sand or dust on or into the eyes of children at night to bring on sleep and dreams. The grit or "sleep" (rheum) in one's eyes upon waking is the supposed result of the Sandman's work the previous night.
Why is The Sandman so powerful? ›
Morpheus is one of the most powerful beings in the universe by the end of The Sandman's debut season on Netflix, and it's all thanks to the King of Dream's ability to rule over our subconscious minds. He's also immortal—as are his other six family members, Destiny, Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium, and Destruction.
Is The Sandman too dark? ›
Gritty and dark fantasy series for mature teens
Violence and gore in the series is graphic and intense, and drinking and drugs is not shown so much.
Why does The Sandman look stretched? ›
If you thought the aspect ratio on your screen appeared distorted while you were watching The Sandman… there is a reason for it. It turns out it was a completely intentional creative choice, given the dreamlike state of the world depicted on the series, Variety claimed.
What disorder does Sandman have? ›
What is encephalitis lethargica? A young girl who has fallen ill to sleeping sickness in The Sandman. Encephalitis lethargica is an epidemic that emerged in Vienna in late 1916, reported by a doctor named Constantin von Economo, who gave the new mysterious illness its name the following year.
What is the controversy with Sandman? ›
Some viewers were simply embittered over the casting of queer and BIPOC actors, while others saw it as another attempt by Netflix to appease audiences by including token minority actors. In an interview with Inverse, Gaiman responds bluntly to The Sandman's casting backlash.
What kills The Sandman? ›
The Sandman appears as a member of the Hood's Masters of Evil. He was killed by both Rogue and Marrow during the riot at Santo Rico.
In the original comics, Sandman is portrayed as a villain who can control and shape sand. He is also immune to bullets and other forms of physical harm, but water is not specifically mentioned as a weakness.
Why was Sandman only CGI? ›
Unfortunately Flint Marko actor Thomas Haden Church was unavailable to physically come to set to reprise his role as Sandman. He was still willing to voice the character though so the movie kept him in sand form the whole time.
Is Sandman a real myth? ›
Although you know the Sandman doesn't exist, you might wish he would pay you a visit on nights when you struggle to fall asleep. Or, you may jokingly blame him for the goop you find in the corners of your eye every morning. But even without visits from the Sandman, your eyes have quite an interesting nightlife.
Why is Sandman an 18? ›
🚨 Netflix's title page for The Sandman has been updated to include an age rating of 18 for violence and injury detail.
Is Sandman a villain? ›
Since then, Sandman has become one of the more nuanced and complex characters among Spider-Man's enemies, a villain with a pronounced conscience rather than the defiant criminal he was introduced as.
Why does The Sandman seem stretched? ›
It turns out it was a completely intentional creative choice, given the dreamlike state of the world depicted on the series, Variety claimed.
Why is The Sandman r18? ›
The Sandman has been rated 18 by Netflix for “violence and injury detail”.
Why does the aspect ratio change in Wandavision? ›
He mentions that creating a feeling of transition between the two worlds was a priority, and that it was important to heighten that tension using the aspect ratio switch, "partly because it was authentic, but also because it gave me an opportunity to use aspect ratio as a dramatic tool, using the contrast of that ...
Why is the D in Sandman different? ›
Symbolisms in The Sandman Logo
The symbolic D (aside from the title itself) embodies one of the monikers the protagonist uses, which is Dream, and begins with the letter D. In addition, most of the Endless also begin with a letter D—Destiny, Death, Destruction, Desire, Delirium, Despair.
