Digital Cinema Package (DCP) is the digital negative of a film, in high quality, and includes the picture, audio, subtitles, and auxiliary data elements. Each one of these elements follows strict specifications and standards during authoring to ensure that the final DCP is compatible with any cinema screen and DCP server around the world.

DCP is the only digital solution that can achieve performance, reliability, and quality in screening compared to other file formats such as PRORES, MP4, or DVDs offering the same quality of image and sound across the world.

There is an option for encryption and easy delivery through the internet offering privacy, security and availability 24/7 around the globe.

Accessibility for disabled people is now available through DCP’s capability to deliver captions and video with signed language for hearing-impaired people and audio description for visually impaired people.

Last but not least you can always re-version your film. New subtitles, new sound mixing, festival credits, or distribution credits can now easily be added, edited, or removed without the need to replace the original copy. Logistics are now easier.

Supported resolutions
​FULL HD = 1920×1080
2K for 1.85:1 FLAT = 1998×1080
2K for 2.39:1 SCOPE = 2048×858
4K for 1.85:1 FLAT = 3996×2160
4K for 2.39:1 SCOPE = 4096×1716
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Supported framerates
InterOP DCP conformity: 2K resolution 24 and 48fps and 4K resolution 24fps
SMPTE DCP conformity: 2K resolution 24, 25, 30, 48, 60 and 4K resolution 24, 25, 30fps
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Picture bit depth: 12 bits per color component (36 bit total), 4:4:4
Color space: DCI P3 (Gamma 2.6, D63 white point = 6300K), Color Model XYZ
Compression: JPEG 2000
Image bit rate: VBR, max 250 Mbit/s
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Audio: 24 bits per sample, 48/96 kHz, up to 16 channels, broadcast WAV with uncompressed PCM
Sound mix: Mono (1.0), (3.0) and surround (5.1, 7.1). A stereo (2.0) sound mix is not suggested but of course, is still supported.
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Timed Text: Open Subtitles,  Closed Subtitles, Open Captions, Closed Captions

Accessibility track: Visual Impaired (VI) and Hearing Impaired (HI)

Multiple reels, Multiple compositions, High Framerate (HFR), High Dynamic Range (HDR), High Bitrate (HBR), 2D and 3D content, AES encryption.

The studios and the Inter-Society Digital Cinema Forum created a “Digital Cinema Naming Convention” to be used for the text that goes into the “ContentTitleText” element of a composition playlist. For those of you not familiar with the Naming Convention, it has two primary objectives:

• to make as much information visible as possible
• to display the information in a specific order — in assigned fields — so theatres will know where to look for specific information.

To achieve these ends, most of the information is abbreviated — including the movie title if necessary — and most of the abbreviations are standardized. Example:

MyFilmTitle_FTR-4_S_EN-EL_GR_51_2K_UP_20170928_FPL_SMPTE_OV

“My Film Title”. Feature Version 4. Scope. English Language with Greek open subtitles. Greek territory. 5.1 Audio, 2K Resolution. Universal Pictures. Packaged on September 28, 2017, at Frenel Post lab. SMPTE Standard. Original Version package type.

Our lab offers a wide range of digital cinema services such as Workflow pipeline design, Look development, LUT shaping, Color grading, Digital mastering, DCP and IMF mastering, Encryption, Versioning, Repackaging, Localization, Cloud deliveries, DCP traffic for sales distributors, and Archiving solutions.

We can provide the most common export files along with your DCP file. We can export your movie on many different formats for broadcast, VOD, D-cinema or E-cinemas, or even deliverables for Greek Film Centre, ERT etc.

Choose among the available options or just contact us and we can arrange a budget-friendly quote for your special export needs. We are experienced in delivering multiple language versions.

Our motto is “We love films, we make films”. Therefore, we treat your film the way we would treat our own films.

Each internet transmission is HTTPS AES-256 encrypted. Our post-lab has restricted human access. Mobiles, cameras, voice recorders, and digital recording devices are not allowed. To keep your vulnerable files protected our systems are protected by dedicated antivirus and firewall.

Our staff is highly skilled and we are following the most modern practices for digital security.

Each DCP we deliver is created by a specialized technician and is not an automated procedure by a computer. This makes it possible to guarantee quality control in all the stages of production, from the project preparation to the final file-sharing, using all the latest tools in software and hardware along with the experience of our technicians.

• Detailed Digital Source Master and Digital Cinema Distribution Master preparation
• Every DCP has the same validation process that includes 114 individual tests. Authenticity, compliance, integrity, timed text, deep inspection & hash verification are some of them.
• Full screening in Frenel Post Lab and our Flanders Scientific International calibrated monitor will do the rest.
• Cinema screening upon request
• ZIP delivery
• Cloud storage, encrypted file transmission, password secured, available 24/3/365
• FTP accreditation
• PDF report with all the technical details and the projectionist letter.
• Printed labels for all physical deliveries
• Support

All this procedure is part of our typical Quality Control that we apply on each DCP. So far, it works 100% safely and we are happy about this.

After completing your order, we will keep the original files and the DCP in our local systems for 14 days. This is important in any case you want any changes for technical reasons. After these days we will proceed to the permanent non-reversible deletion process using dedicated software.

In any case, if you select a package of cloud hosting we will keep your DCP online for the selected time period. One-month online hosting is free for every order. Then files will be deleted from the cloud after the date expires.

If for any reason you need an extra backup copy or long storage of your DCP  that could be arranged at an extra cost.

Student films, film schools, and festivals are eligible for big discounts. Bulk discounts on orders of 5 DCPs and more. Just contact us.

Good news! You can try our services for free. We will render the first 15 seconds of your film.

DCP files are delivered within 3 working days after receiving full payment and your film source files. If you need your DCP in an emergency, contact us to check the availability of faster delivery.

You can cancel your order as long as we haven’t uploaded the final files on the server and have your money back.

You should check synchronization and other possible errors before delivering your movie to create a DCP. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the movie’s digital source files. DCPs cannot be “revised” with changes inserted into them. In case we need to remaster the DCP, the process will be charged and we will decide on the discount for the new DCP. If there is any mistake from our side we resolve it without extra cost.

We accept:

• ProRes and DNxHR, 10 bit, 4:2:2, Color Space Rec.709, Gamma 2.4, Progressive frame rate preferred, video (limited )color range. Interlaced can be accommodated, but requires more time/cost to process.
• h.264, progressive framerate, Color Space Rec.709, Gamma 2.4, square pixels 1.0, high encoding profile and the maximum level, VBR, 2 passes, target bitrate >25 Mbit/s for HD files OR target bitrate >35 Mbit/s for 4K,  always rendered at maximum color depth.

Uppon request:

• 10 bit DPX files, Color Space Rec 709, Gamma 2.2, Full Range, 3 Channel, Interleaved RGB, Big Endian
• DCDM, 16 bit TIFF file, XYZ, Gamma 2.6 @ 14fL, Full Range, 3 Channel, Interleaved, Uncompressed, or LZW compressed (valid only for delivery of between 1-192 frames), Big Endian, Single Strip/One tile per image
• J2C, 12 Bit unsigned,  Encoded to DCI/SMPTE specifications with a max Variable Bitrate (VBR) of (245) Mbps.

DCP supported resolutions:
​FULL HD = 1920×1080
2K for 1.85:1 FLAT = 1998×1080
2K for 2.39:1 SCOPE = 2048×858
4K for 1.85:1 FLAT = 3996×2160
4K for 2.39:1 SCOPE = 4096×1716

If your deliverable file isn’t compatible with the resolutions above it is highly recommended not to have any letterbox or pillarbox applied.

Once your resolution is different from the DCI specifications we can letterbox, pillarbox, or rescale (fit) in the closest resolution. We don’t mess with the original image aspect ratio like crop or squeeze.

Supported framerates:
InterOP DCP conformity: 2K resolution 24 and 48fps and 4K resolution 24fps
SMPTE DCP conformity: 2K resolution 24, 25, 30, 48, 60 and 4K resolution 24, 25, 30fps

Drop framerates (DF) like 23.98fps, will convert to 24 fps without any extra charge. Not-compatible framerates will fail to work on most common servers and need testing. If your file is interlaced (48i, 50i) we will first need to convert it into progressive at an extra cost.

Audio Uncompressed 24-bit PCM WAV, 48kHz sample rate. 96kHz is still experimental.

Audio levels Ref level = -20dBFS, Output level = 85dBc. Multi-channel interleaved WAV files or single-channel (monaural). Files need to have a clear file name.

• 1.0 Channel Layout: Center
• 2.0 Channel Layout: Left, Right
• 3.0 Channel Layout: Left, Right, Center
• 5.1 Channel Layout: Left, Right, Center, Low-frequency effects, Left Surround and Right Surround
• 7.1 Channel Layout: Left, Right, Center, Low-frequency effects, Left Surround and Right Surround, Left Rear Surround and Right Rear Surround

In case your film is divided into reels, the audio files must have the same duration as the image files. It’s usually preferred to embed the audio in the video file.

The answer is clear …  5.1 or more!

​Usually, in movies, dialogues come from the “Center” channel. These speakers are located behind the screen. With this setup speech and other key information, seem to come right from the screen where the audience is looking.

In a DCP with a stereo mix, the center speaker is not used and can be confusing in some venues. It could sound like the dialogue is coming from two places at once, even from behind the audience.

In case there is only a stereo mix present, it is advised to have an “upmix” to 5.1 by professional sound experts. If it is not possible, we create the DCP with an audio track on channels “Left” and “Right” and we leave all other channels empty.

• Burned in subtitles or hard-coded into the picture of the primary video asset
• SRT file, UTF-8 encoding. We support modern subtitling & captioning formats including SCC, CAP, ASC, XML, STL, CCA, and many others
• XML file in compliance with SMPTE 428-7-2014 specifications including the font

Timed text style guidelines are mandatory for a proper screening. Netflix and BBC guidelines are international standards.

Frenel Post Lab supports modern timed text as open subtitles, closed subtitles, open captions, and closed captions. If more subtitle languages need to be added to your film in the future, it can be achieved with the process of “timed text versioning” with a small extra cost (unless the subtitles are burnt-in, in which case we have to create the DCP from scratch). Some festivals require the subtitles to be burnt in the image. We can arrange that. Just inform us prior to your order.

All the projection systems can upscale or downscale a DCP with a different resolution than the projector has. Flat stands for 1.85:1 aspect ratio and Scope stands for 2.39:1 aspect ratio. If your film is 2K there is no reason for a 4K DCP delivery.

For example, if a film is 2K FLAT with a constant bitrate of 250Mbits/s that would mean 4.694bits/pixel. The 4K DCP of the same 2K film in  FLAT at the maximum allowed bitrate of 250Mbits/s would be 1.173bits/pixel. One could observe that each pixel of a 4K DCP has 1/4th of the data compared to the 2K version of the same film. The data rate remains the same but the compression factor is 4 times bigger. As a result, screening the 4K version of this 2K film in 2K cinemas would mean a 75% loss of the initial data information.

We always recommend the closest resolution and aspect ratio for your film.

You don’t have to include a sync leader as long as the duration of sound and subtitles is the same as the picture duration and both have the same sync point at the start. You should check synchronization and other possible errors before delivering your film to create a DCP. We always recommend at least 1 black frame (maximum 3 seconds) at the beginning and the end of the film. This is a must if the screening starts “parked on pause”.

Yes, you can! Keeping the subtitles on a different track from your picture. This is usually achieved with the creation of a Supplemental DCP (VF) and the subtitles should be in the form of Timed Text. If the subtitles are burnt-in then the DCP needs to be created from scratch.

Original Version  package, always contains an entire feature/package.

Supplemental or Version File or VF usually contains a partial feature (e.g.: subtitles, alternate language, pickup shots) and must be loaded together with the OV track files in order to play the feature correctly.

Each Supplemental or Versioning files DCPs can be Completed, they can stand alone and playback without the need for any other files or Partial they refer to the reference track of other existing DCP that is needed for the playback.

In case of Partial VF, the DCP server will recognize which elements are included in the partial DCP and which ones are on the reference DCP.  The reference can be the OV DCP, or another VF DCP. The screening is always smooth without interruptions.

By using partial VF DCPs we can logistics-wise reduce the size of files that need to be transferred. This is also a great advantage of D-Cinema support. When we send partial VF DCP we also include a projectionist letter to help the projectionist select the right files without any problem.  For example, we create a VF DCP if we need to add a new subtitle language in an existing DCP. The size of VF could be small including only the new subtitles.

We could also add new credits, such as awards or official selections in film festivals before the opening credits. Edit the final credits and correct mistakes, change and delete a whole scene of the film, or even add a new sound mix or dubbing in other languages.

All this is possible with a little help from Supplemental or Versioning Files (VF) DCPs. Versioning and re-packaging are the future of D-Cinema distribution. We can create and deliver multiple versions of your film at a low cost.

Accessibility for disabled people is now available through DCP’s capability to deliver captions and video with signed language for hearing-impaired people and audio description for visually impaired people.

We are really happy if your film is accessible to impaired people. Contact us for the technical specifications.

Encrypted DCPs make sure that your content can only be played back on specific servers. No one will be able to read the encrypted data. Every single Track (i.e. picture, sound, or subtitles) can either be encrypted or unencrypted. So you have the ability to only encrypt the pictures, while the sound is unencrypted or vice versa.

Another possibility is that you encrypt all reels of a single composition except the first reel so that the first reel (e.g. a trailer or advertisement) can be played back on every d-cinema server while the rest of the composition can only be played back with the right KDM.

One of the great advantages of DCP is the capability of content encryption with AES-256. To access the content, one needs a decryption key “Key Distribution Message” (KDM). Each KDM key refers to a specific DCP server (venue) for a specific period. The correlation of the KDM key with a specific DCP server takes place upon the creation of the KDM using the unique Server Public Certificate and choosing the desired period during which the reproduction of the film is allowed.

The only thing we need to issue a KDM is the serial number of the DCP server from the screen you want to project to or its public certificate, and in less than 10 minutes you can have a KDM delivered. We can also deliver multiple KDMs at once.

Frenel Post Lab hosts a database that includes more than 420.000 DCP server Public Certificates (by serial number) and that is directly connected with all the major companies such as SONY, DOLBY, DOREMI, CHRISTIE, BARCO & NEC. Till today, there is no single report worldwide of a violation of an encrypted DCP.

We can create DCPs that are compliant with both SMPTE and InterOP specifications.

If you wish to screen your film in a Digital Cinema with old equipment (more than 10 years) then you should need InterOP conformity. InterOP supports 24fps and 48fps at 2K and 24fps at 4K.  If your film has a different framerate we can transcode your film in a supported framerate (picture, sound, and subtitles) at an extra cost. InterOP does not support OSUB timed-text encryption. IOP is an old standard that doesn’t develop anymore.

We usually choose SMPTE conformity as it is the new standard with great support from cinema venues. SMPTE DCP packaging allows for an expanded set of features, including higher frame rates, immersive sound, 3D subtitle support, and embedded metadata that make it easier for the theater operator to understand the technical aspects of the DCP. The SMPTE DCP provides a great foundation for further innovation, automation, cost-saving, and presentation quality.

In Frenel Post Lab, we follow all the recommended guidelines of Digital Cinema Initiatives LLC. DCI was created in March 2002 and is a joint venture of 5 Hollywood major Studios. DCI’s primary purpose is to establish and document voluntary specifications for an open architecture for digital cinema that ensures a high level of technical aspects.

Re-packaging nowadays is a common practice. We support film festivals if a DCP doesn’t ingest or doesn’t play correctly. We repackage to fix errors in existing DCPs. We create patches for DCPs that are going to playback in an old system that supports SMPTE DCPs but doesn’t support the subtitle tracks. We repackage to change the conformity and to encrypt an existing DCP. We can repackage a DCP for multiple reasons.

Using Frenel Post Lab cloud storage, you can easily transfer your film at a low cost in most festivals and cinema venues around the world. It is a secure, reliable, and modern solution with a lower cost than mailing the physical media through courier services. You can simultaneously support multiple cinema venues, available 24/7/365.

We can deliver your film via Aspera or any other platform, upon request.

We recommend connections faster than 10Mbit/s for upload and download.
For example, a 20GB file at 5Mbit/s transfer speed needs 10 hours, the same file at a 10Mbit/s transfer speed needs 5 hours, and ​100Mbit/s needs only 30’ minutes.

CRU is a rugged removable hard drive carrier for digital movie distribution. CRU is the industry-standard drive format. It is durable and has the widest compatibility with Digital Cinema Equipment. Ingest time at the DCP server is usually the fastest. Unlimited number of DCPs on the same CRU disk.

Frenel Post Lab offers a huge variety of CRU devices such as CRU mini portable, CRU mini portable with adapter, CRU normal light-box, CRU normal hard case, and CRU normal hard case complete kit.

Our CRU normal hard case complete ki includes: 1TB CRU drive HDD, EXT3 file format, DX115 carrier, Hard case with foam, Custom front label, Printed A4 detailed lab report, and Digital Cinema ingest ready.

Frenel Post Lab kit includes: usb3 hdd disk 500gb, ext3 file format, case,  hard waterproof carrying case, custom front label, printed A4 detailed lab report, DCP copy, validation, digital cinema ingest ready

Frenel Post Lab kit includes: USB flash 64GB, EXT3 file format, Peli micro case 1010, Custom front label, Printed A4 detailed lab report, Digital Cinema ingest ready.
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USB flash is available for most films up to 30 minutes.

The maximum allowed bitrate in 2K or 4K DCP is 250Mbit/s or ~31.2MB/s.  This would mean that a film in 2K FLAT 1998×1080 picture will use 243Mbit/s or ~30.3MB/s and the 5.1 surround sound will use 6.91Mbit/s (~0.9MB/s).

The final size of a DCP is related to the bitrate of the source file. For example:
A film with a duration of 10 minutes 2K 1.85 FLAT, at 250Mbit/s, 5.1 sound, will have a file size of about 18.2GB.

With the same specifications, a film with a duration of 100 minutes will have a file size of 182GB. The same duration film in 4K would result in the same file-size DCP since the bitrate remains constant at 250Mbit/s and the only thing that changes is the compression factor. The actual final size of a film may differ since the compression of each frame is done in a Variable bitrate in JPEG 2000 codestream, not a Constant bitrate as in the examples above. High-bitrate SMPTE DCPs are still experimental.

Yes, it is possible but in most cases, common computers at home will not support real-time playback. Be aware of the color space transformation process and the viewing environment otherwise, colors will be inaccurate or completely off.

EasyDCP Player is a great tool but only for 15 seconds of playback. NeoDCP is also an option. Davinci Resolve Studio 17 is great but keep in mind that Davinci does NOT read timed text files (such as open subtitles) and supplemental DCPs.In any case, we recommend a proper screening in a D-Cinema. We make films for live audiences and cinema venues!

If you have in hand a CRU disk or a USB flash with a DCP ready to play in Digital Cinema, formatted in  EXT2/3 file format please don’t connect it to a conventional PC. There are software applications, such as MacFUSE, extFS for Mac, or extFS for Windows that are buggy and may destroy the file structure! Be careful.

You can deliver your film digitally through Frenel’s Post Lab cloud storage link or through our FTP Server. There is also the option of a physical medium such as CRU, USB flash, or HDD upon request.