The right delivery format is the one the festival or screening venue requests. A film may need one file for selection, another for publicity and a separate package for theatrical exhibition. Those purposes should not be mixed together simply because each deliverable contains the same film.
Before exporting anything, obtain the current technical delivery sheet. It should be associated with the actual screening, not just a general submission page you used months earlier.
Distinguish a review file from a projection delivery
An MP4 is commonly used as a convenient video file for review and online viewing. A DCP is a package of cinema picture, sound and associated metadata intended for a digital cinema workflow. A venue's equipment and operating requirements determine which delivery it will accept.
Do not rename an ordinary video file and assume it has become a DCP. Package creation involves a defined configuration and a delivery structure that needs checking.
Read the specification before making assumptions
Confirm runtime, aspect ratio, frame rate, resolution, audio configuration and subtitle requirements. If the brief is ambiguous, resolve it with the receiving technical team before mastering.
For example, “5.1 audio” is a meaningful requirement only when the supplied mix and channel order are understood. Mapping existing channels is different from creating a surround mix. Similarly, a subtitle file for online review may need a different treatment for the requested cinema version.
Preserve the identity of the final film
The picture and sound should be locked before package creation. Keep a record of the exact master used, including its version and duration. Label subtitle languages and changes clearly.
If the director supplies a new ending after the DCP is made, that is a version change requiring assessment. It should not be handled as a casual replacement of one file inside the delivered package.
Check structure and playback
Technical verification can reveal package issues. The DCP-o-matic manual describes checks covering integrity and package structure. A playback review adds a different kind of evidence: whether the film has the intended picture, sound and subtitles.
Allow time for the receiving venue to ingest the package and confirm it can be used. Successful playback on a workstation does not answer every question about a particular cinema installation.
Budget for the required version
COLONFILM's Short Film package is $295 up to 30 minutes. Feature Film is $695 up to 120 minutes, with supplied subtitle integration. International Festival starts at $1,290 and is assessed for its translation and subtitle scope.
Send the venue brief with your quote request. That lets the project be priced around the actual screening deliverable, including any separately quoted encryption, physical media or additional language versions, instead of a generic conversion request.
Send your source material for a written quote confirming the supported scope, final price and delivery schedule.
Explore Film Festival DCP & Subtitle Delivery for the scope and enquiry details. Continue reading: A Filmmaker’s Checklist Before Ordering a Festival DCP.