A DCP can only be as good as the files it is made from. Most delays in festival delivery come from a missing audio stem, a subtitle file out of sync or a master exported at the wrong frame rate. Go through this list before you order, and your DCP can be created and verified without back-and-forth.
1. The picture master
- Locked final cut: no more editing, grading or VFX changes.
- ProRes 422 HQ or ProRes 4444 preferred; DNxHR HQX also works.
- Exported at the original frame rate (23.976, 24 or 25 fps) — do not convert it yourself.
- Full resolution, no letterbox bars added unless they are part of the image.
- Clean start and end: a few seconds of black, no slate or test bars.
2. The sound mix
- Final mix as WAV files, 48 kHz, 24-bit.
- For 5.1, six mono files clearly named (L, R, C, LFE, Ls, Rs), or one interleaved file with the channel order stated.
- A stereo mix as well, if you have one.
- Exactly the same length as the picture, starting at the same frame.
Mixes made for streaming are often too loud for a cinema. If your film was only mixed for headphones or TV, tell us so we can check levels before encoding.
3. Subtitles
- One SRT file per language, timed to the final cut.
- No more than two lines per subtitle and around 40 characters per line.
- Proofread: typos are much bigger on a cinema screen.
- Tell us if subtitles must be burned in or delivered as a separate track.
Need them translated? Our Premium package includes English ⇄ Spanish translation and timing.
4. The festival's specifications
Download the festival's technical document and send it with your order. Check the standard (SMPTE or Interop), the delivery method (online upload or physical drive), the naming convention and, above all, the deadline. Festivals often need the DCP one or two weeks before the screening for testing.
5. Title and credits
Confirm the exact title as it should appear in the DCP name, the running time, the year and the language. If the festival requires its laurel or sponsor cards at the start, ask whether they will be added by them or should be part of your master.
6. Leave time to test
Every DCP we create is verified and watched from start to end before delivery. Still, the safest plan is a test screening at the festival or a local cinema. Order early enough to allow it: our DCPs take 3 days for shorts and 5 to 8 days for features once all files are received.
Everything ready? Choose your festival DCP package. Still deciding which file you need? Read DCP or MP4 for film festivals.