DCP PROJECTION - REGIONAL STANDARDS QUESTION

[Robert Hart]

Are DCPs regionally protected like DVDs?

Do they have to be authored with specific preswets to deal with the power supply frequencies of different countries?

I have been advised that DCPs made for the US are labelled NYSC. This might cause a problem if the DCP is projected in Australia.

I imagined that DCP projection would be frequency agnostic. After all, the issue of lamp flicker due to AC power supply frequency has not been an evident issue with mechanical film projection.

If anyone can translate any tech details for a luddite like me, this would much appreciated.

 

[Peter Arnold]

Hi Robert

That is rubbish.

Whoever told you this has no idea what he or she is talking about.

A DCP runs with 24 frames per second* on every DCI compliant server on the planet.

Period.

Even in Australia :laugh:


* OK, 'the Hobbit' ran with 48 frames per second (HFR) in selected cinemas.
But apart from those three films nothing does.

There are some DCP's that run with 25 frames per second (newer SMPTE standard) and can be played back by most servers.

However the standard is 24p.

It doesn't matter where on the blue marble.


Hope that helps.

 

[Garrett Sergeant]

I Blame WithoutaBox

I Blame WithoutaBox

I blame WithoutaBox. They still ask people during the submission process to indicate whether they have and NTSC or PAL DCP. I get the question about half a dozen times a year.

 

[Sergei Franklin]

You can make a DCP with encryption. This is optional. If you are making a DCP for festivals you wouldn't encrypt but a studio release most likely is.
Quoted from Wikipedia
"The distributor can choose to encrypt the media (MXF) files with AES encryption to combat piracy. The key pairs used for encryption are different for every projector, so the decryption keys are generated and transmitted via a KDM (Key Delivery Message) separately to the projection site. KDMs are XML files containing decryption keys that can be used only by the destination device. A KDM is associated to each playlist and defines the start and stop times of validity for the projection of that particular feature."

 

[Robert Hart]

Peter, Garrett and Sergei.


Thank you for your prompt responses. The person who has had two copies made told me they are NTSC versions. I think he had them in standard dataport-style metal enclosures. To exhibit one in Australia the concern was whether it would work. I guess the final determinant will be to send it out well head of time, shove it into the projector in question to suck it and see.

I guess the confusion may have come then from the DCP author querying about the source material, whether it was NTSC or PAL. Given it was shot on an ARRI ALEXA and edited I think on a Premiere machine, my imagining would be that if it was edited from native ALEXA files for a 2K finish, that NTSC or PAL does not apply. It was shot in the northern American continent with indoor lighting conditions powered from 60Hz AC. I saw no flouro flicker on any of the short clips I have looked at, so I am guessing the origination may have been 24P.

 

[Remington Chase]

Even if you make a DCP with 23.976 footage it will play back at true 24fps which can be a problem if you shoot the audience reaction and try to sync it back up in the avid timeline.