We put frosted in the basement BR, not really losing a view, cuz it would just be the back of landscaping anyways. But, in the two upstairs BR, we replaced the old frosted glass with clear, and I love the increased light along with the view of the yard. We have a very private back yard, and windows being up higher, I don't think anyone could see much. I am not planning on installing any window coverings.

shadylady said it: "They would probably be stapled to very small, thin boards. " The pleats are probably pre-gathered then affixed to slats which are then affixed to the window frame. In such a small area you will need gathering of some sort, because a flat panel will naturally pull in on the sides which would be very obvious in such a tall, narrow window. If you want to try the window film, use a cutting mat (like for quilting) and a T-square, and slice the film with a rotary cutter or a scalpel. If you know a quilter or a scrapbooker they can probably help a lot! I would look into the possibility of ordering lazer-cut film that is cut to size. I have know idea if such a service exists.

there is also shade cloth for greenhouses (sold in garden centers) that has different grades of shading. you can try getting the one that gets the most light thru. It'll prolly will act as a privacy curtain too. even the usual sheer curtains will fuzz up the camera focus. then there are venetian blinds: when camera is pointing down, if you reverse them down towards outside they will block the view from top but allow enough light in . same with vertical blinds: depending on camera angle you can position them sideways to cover the view in, but still get light from the other side. sun angle matters too, of course. but they allow the max light to come thru vertically.

I have pretty much the same setup as you and have 1 inch blinds. I want to go with something else but with the shallow windows I’m having a hard time.