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Blue-ray vs DCP for theatrical screening
Hi,
I’ve read a few posts on this already but would like some more advice. I have a 6 min. short shot on HDV (30p) that I need to deliver to various theatres. Obviously, it will a be a lot cheaper if I can master to Blue-ray and screen it that way. Some theatres are asking for a DCP though which will increase the budget substantially. A local post house is telling me they can create an HD master but I must then send it to LA to have an HDSR (source) made before the DCPs. Sounds expensive.
Is it that hard for a theatre to play Blue-ray, even if I provide the deck? Do they have to repatch cables or something? The feature presentation will follow my short and they don’t want any dark time. As for picture quality, I can’t imagine there would be much difference between Blue-ray and DCP. Am I wrong? Is it a color space thing?
Thanks,
Chris
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7 Replies
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You have to deliver what the theater requires, period, end of story. It’s the cost of getting seen… Don’t try and get all logical about it Christopher, it’s their theater, and they are in the business of selling tickets, cokes, and popcorn, not showing your 6-minute short. So, you’re going to have to bend to suit them or they won’t show your work.
With regard to outputting to SR, try calling West Post Digital in Santa Monica and ask if Kenny can do the job for you. A six-min. piece can’t be too expensive, though even the tape is not cheap.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Colorist
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
https://www.drwfilms.comPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing and Apple Final Cut Pro forums. Formerly host of the Apple Final Cut Basics, Indie Film & Documentary, and Film History & Appreciations forums.
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You might reach out to forum leader Russell Lasson [link] about your DCP needs — he specializes in digital cinema mastering.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
[Christopher McDonell] “Is it that hard for a theatre to play Blue-ray, even if I provide the deck? Do they have to repatch cables or something?”
A movie theater is not your typical home theater.
Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Vice President
Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group -
The theater will only play what they ask for. we’ve been on the film festival circuit for a few years now and have delivered DV, HDV, Beta, DigiBeta, HDCAM, BluRay and DVD. Why so many formats? Because it’s what the film festival / theater asks for.
We considered DCP in a few instances but changed our mind when we found out there are different DCP formats out there and you have to deliver the exact format for the theater that will do the screening. Each format is quite expensive to have created.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative MediaRegister now for our Open House March 5
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I do a lot of festival screeners as well.
Lately it’s been digibeta or blu-ray, but like the others have said, you have to supply what they ask for if you want to be seen.
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Thanks for all the replies. I didn’t mention it but this is kind of a freebie project so cost might prohibit me from providing to some theatres when others have already agreed to Blue-ray — which is why I was asking. Cheers…
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Christopher,
On a related topic, could you tell me the composition of your digital leader in authoring a Blu-Ray for theatrical presentation. I’m doing this for the first time and am not quite sure what sould be included to aid the projectionist.
Thanks for any advise.
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