WHAT THE BARS
Why those black bars should be removed...
Sample #1
Above is your snapshot, taken from a non-anamorphic PAL DVD. Its size is 768x576 pixels, which is a 1.33:1 ratio (4x3). The movie original aspect ratio is 1.85:1. In order to maintain this ratio, the DVD studio added those black bars...
	What you would get in a red WTM frame:
What if I don't remove the black bars? The WTM frame is 720x400 pixels. In order to make your snapshot fit in this frame, you have to reduce its size. YOU CANNOT alter the proportions. Then, from 768px wide, it goes down to 533px... Look at his: It's small and surrounded by black bars! Not what we like to see on WTM...
Let's get rid of those black bars! Remove the black bars BEFORE reducing the size of the snapshot. Then, from 768px wide, it goes down to 720px! It's way bigger and looks as good as those other awesome shots on WTM!
Sample #2
Above is another snapshot, also taken from a non-anamorphic PAL DVD. Its size is 768x576 pixels again (4x3). The movie original aspect ratio is 2.35:1 and the black bars got even thicker...
	What you would get in a red WTM frame:
Black bars on Wow! That *is* small!!!
Black bars off Yeah, that's better!
Sometimes it doesn't look worth it, but...
The snapshot above comes from an anamorphic PAL DVD. Its size is 1024x576 pixels (16x9). The movie original aspect ratio is 2.35:1 and black bars are not so thick this time...
	What you would get in a red WTM frame:
Black bars on OK, it doesn't look *that* bad... But WTM rules are clear: You *must* crop the DVD black bars before uploading your shot. If you don't, your shot will most likely be deleted.
Black bars off There you go! OK, it looks only slightly bigger... But at least there's no reason for the shot to be deleted any longer, not because of black bars anyway.