A Digital Cinema Package (DCP) is the global standard format used to project films in digital cinemas around the world. It is a collection of digital files containing video, audio, and metadata, structured according to the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) specification.
DCPs were created to replace traditional film reels, offering a consistent, high-quality projection standard. DCPs enable secure, scalable, and reproducible playback of films on DCI-compliant digital projectors.
Video is encoded in JPEG 2000 and converted to XYZ color space, ensuring consistent display across all projectors. Audio must be delivered as WAV files, generally in stereo, 5.1, or 7.1 surround formats.
Interop DCP: Older format, supports fewer frame rates but widely compatible with legacy projectors.
SMPTE DCP: Newer standard with better subtitle support, higher frame rates, and encryption support.
DCI compliance ensures your DCP will play back properly in commercial theaters. Most festivals and cinemas require DCPs to follow these standards exactly, or the content may fail during playback.
DCPs are typically delivered on EXT2/EXT3 formatted CRU drives or via secure online transfers. They must be ingested into a digital cinema server at the venue.
Our service takes care of all the complexities—upload your properly formatted film, and we handle the rest, delivering a verified, festival-ready DCP.
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