Converting to DCP Format.

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http://www.dvfilm.com/

lists what they charge for transfer to 35mm and dcp

also if you search you can find a number of free dcp creation programs, such as opendcp. Whether or not you want to take this route, it's up to you.

Personally I'd go with DCP, as once you have the dcp, you can copy the files, etc onto another hard drive for backup, bit hard to do that with a 35mm print. Plus you need to weight up, cost of mailing the 35mm print to festivals, storage, etc, etc.

The Mastermind said:

However, I've come across one festival that would require the film to be provided on either 35mm film or in a DCP exhibition format.

I see some places will event convert QuickTime files into DCP. That brings up another issue: if I do the conversion to DCP or 35mm, which is the best digital format to start with?

Click to expand...

All the major film festivals will require an exhibition version on 35mm film, DCP or HDCAM. Bare in mind that it is NOT just a case of converting your video file into one of these formats. DCP for example does not even support stereo (2.0) sound, stereo sound is never used on 35mm film and even HDCAM audio specs for the larger film festivals usually require something other than stereo sound.

G

DCPs contain JPEG 2000 files as the image sequence. There are a couple open-source and cheap tools to enable conversion to DCP, but the codec it uses for the footage is JPEG 2000.

Note, all the books I've read say to use JPG 2000 as your codec as it has the best support around, but I'm sure there are a plethora of other options available (for instance, the DCP systems are designed to be able to use new codecs like the h.265 that I've read is currently in development).

So, taking note of a great acronym, GIYF... So I take a little look at what the internet shows:

http://www.dcpinfo.com/

Snippets from that page:

If you want a 35mm print, and your movie was shot digitally and finished on an Avid or Final Cut Pro (or any nonlinear editing system), you'll need to do a "filmout"-- the process of converting your digital files into a film print. The cost for a feature film "filmout" is typically $40,000-$50,000 or more. Each additional print is about $1000-$1500.

to comply with Academy rules, your DCP must meet the following specifications:

Video: 24.00 frames per second
Compression: JPEG2000 (Poster note: This is the codec - just to be clear)
Color Space: XYZ
Video Format: 2K - 2048x1080 container size (1920x1080, 1998x1080 and other image sizes are acceptable)
Audio Format: 24-bit, 48 kHz uncompressed
Minimum 3 channels (Left,Right,Center) or 5.1 (L,R,C,LFE,LS,RS)
Audio Channel
Mapping: 1:Left 2:Right 3:Center 4:Subwoofer 5:Left Surround 6:Right Surround
Encryption: Unencrypted material only

This information is from a company trying to sell you services.... Note, you can have different frame rates now.

So I continue on my internet search...


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Cinema_Package

This page has a list of software that can be used for DCP creation. There are even a few that look like they are free Opencinematools (http://opencinematools.googlecode.com/files/opencinematools-1.1.2-bin-win32.zip) and 2DCP_GUI (http://www.mik-digital.de/programme).

If you try these programs, please let us know how they go. I've never used them before.


Further looking on the internet, it seems that you can do it within Premier Pro from CS5 onwards. The information is posted from here:

http://ceeller.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/how-to-export-for-packing-into-dcp.html

You'll need the whole article, so I'm not reporting it here. This article also explains how to do 3D, so yeeha right? It's obviously not the only way to do it, but having a solution is better than no solution right? If you need another solution, try google. Take any/all of the information with a grain of salt. It came from the internet, so it must be true.

I'm sure APE/Alcove is going to pipe in with the potential problems in this article in regards to sound. Take it away...

Does that help?

Lesson learned here? Google can really help these questions. What would have happened if I wasn't wasting time, procrastinating from doing some assistant editing duties.

As I understand it, the DCP spec does and always has allowed for various frame rates other than 24fps. It's just that not all DCP projection systems in cinemas support the different frame rates. For this reason you're taking a risk encoding a DCP using anything other than 24fps.

The last link to the blogspot article is completely wrong with regard to the audio, as I've said and as stated by info posted from dcpinfo.com, 3 channel audio is the minimum requirement for DCP. The blogspot guy obviously knows nothing about audio because he goes on about how convoluted it is to create audio in the correct format. In reality the audio format for DCP couldn't be any easier as it uses the 10+ year old default audio format for everything except music! You have to ask yourself that if the article is so inaccurate about the audio requirements how accurate the rest of the information is.

G

As I understand it, the DCP spec does and always has allowed for various frame rates other than 24fps. It's just that not all DCP projection systems in cinemas support the different frame rates. For this reason you're taking a risk encoding a DCP using anything other than 24fps.

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Totally correct. Information I've read says that any digital cinema bought after a certain date (2007 I think) can get a firmware update to allow the higher frame rates but most older units don't have anything but 24fps as an option.

You could be correct about the article. After a little more research, I don't think DPX files are accepted by DCP projectors. I noticed your post at the bottom of that page.

It looks like OpenDCP is the software that people are currently recommending for DIY Indie filmmakers, though it looks like it'll take an immense amount of hard drive space to make a film and you'll have to export the files in the correct format and go through a few hoops to make it all work.

DCP also uses only true 24fps, not 23.976 which is really important to keep in mind. Also, aspect ratios are important - most commonly compliant are 1.85:1 or 2.39:1. HDTV 1.78:1 is also technically compliant, though not specifically stated.

It might be worth checking out your local post/finishing house to see if they can do you a deal on creating a DCP. Doing it yourself is generally fine on formats that you can check (ie; you can make a BluRay or DVD and watch it in a player to see what it looks and plays like), but when it comes to something like a DCP that you likely won't be able to check yourself, it's sometimes worth getting those who know what they're doing to make it happen. Especially as you're changing colour spaces when you convert to DCP.

Thanks very much for all the advice, everyone. It's a very helpful place to start. (And, Sweetie, I appreciate the time you spent. )

This is to be a short film with a running time that's just over 15 minutes.

I'll weigh the options of it ourselves vs possibly having a finishing house do it.

In the mean time I found a post that said that the quality of the output that you'll get from OpenDCP is significantly lower than what you would get from a professional business to do it.

We Used HDCam For Festival Screening

Currently, HDcam is a good option, until some of the festivals catch up with the digital world.

A few years ago, our 60 min. doc was accepted into a festival that allowed HDCam. We simply sent a portable hard drive with locked version in an 1920 x 1080 AVI file to the lab. They layed it off onto HDCam for around $200. It looked gorgeous on the festival's big 40 ft theater screen. We used FotoKem in Burbank and they were great.

Qbrik said:

Currently, HDcam is a good option, until some of the festivals catch up with the digital world.

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Yes it can be but again a word of warning: Some festivals, Sundance is an example off the top of my head, require a minimum 4 channel surround sound mix when submitting an exhibition copy on HDcam. You should obviously check the audio requirements well before you even send an entry submission. Even though it may only cost $200 or so, that's still $200 wasted if your film gets rejected for screening due to non-compliance of festival specifications.

G

AudioPostExpert said:

Yes it can be but again a word of warning: Some festivals, Sundance is an example off the top of my head, require a minimum 4 channel surround sound mix when submitting an exhibition copy on HDcam. You should obviously check the audio requirements well before you even send an entry submission. Even though it may only cost $200 or so, that's still $200 wasted if your film gets rejected for screening due to non-compliance of festival specifications.

G

Click to expand...

Obviously, no one is going to spend $200 before checking requirements of a fest. Given the issues and costs of DCP, I'd still go with HDCam, if I didn't have the budget for a 35mm print. A lot of important fests like Toronto and the LA Festival accept HDcam with Audio in Lt, Rt or Dolby Pro Logic compatible mix on tracks 1, 2 with the option of Dolby E on tracks 3, 4.

Mind you, I'm only talking about Festival exhibition, not Theatrical self-distribution.

Qbrik said:

A lot of important fests like Toronto and the LA Festival accept HDcam with Audio in Lt, Rt or Dolby Pro Logic compatible mix on tracks 1, 2 with the option of Dolby E on tracks 3, 4.

Click to expand...

Thanks, interesting to know that the Toronto and LA fests also require a minimum 4 channel surround mix on HDcam.

G

Actually, you can make a digital copy DCP and film print 35mm. Each variant has + and -. For example: A class festivals have both digital and film projectors, B class festivals not all and small festivals have only film projector or HD projector. But guys from small festival always can convert your DCP to HD.

Our local festivals allways order us convertion DCP to Blu-Ray

But there is such machine like Cinevator, it makes film print driectly from DPX files and also it allows to add subtitles if you need. You can make 1 copy. My bussiness partners make in such way 3 copies for distribution in cinemas with digital and film projectors. If you interesting, I can give you detailed info about it.