The EDCF Guide for Film Festivals in the Digital Age technical operations, theatrical solutions and recommended practices

Transcription

1 Page 1 of 75 The EDCF Guide for Film Festivals in the Digital Age technical operations, theatrical solutions and recommended practices by Angelo D Alessio With contributions from members of the Festivals Working Group A successful film festival is an orchestra of great content, strong delivery and pitch-perfect design. When one element is out of tune, it can ruin the entire performance of any festival

2 Page 2 of 75 Contents Foreword page 03 This Guide. page 04 Questions & Answers on the specifications and methodology for the operation of Digital Cinema Systems at Festivals: What we need to know?. page 07 Words of Warning: Lessons learned... page 22 Quality Management System (QMS) at Festivals. page 28 Quality Control of Systems and DCPs at Festivals.. page 32 Basic Workflow at Festivals.. page 35 Technical regulation of the submission of movies to Festivals. page 40 Understanding the key terminology... page 42 Case History: The Norwegian Short Film Festival... page 55 Required Training Programs. page 64 Annex A The Digital Cinema Naming Convention. page 65 Annex B Digital Cinema QC -best common practices.. page 68 Annex C A typical data base structure for Festivals. page 72 Annex E Useful links. page 75 Acknowledgements and Credits. page 75

3 Page 3 of 75 Foreword I am pleased to write this foreword to the EDCF festival guide. One of the aims of EDCF is to bring practical information to our members in the film industry. That is the purpose of this guide. Many of our members, or people they represent, are active in organizing festivals. The media of course mainly cover the bigger events such as Berlin, Venice or Cannes. But we all know there are festivals everywhere and we can name one in the town where we live or nearby. These festivals are often organized by exhibitors in their cinemas or in convention halls. During the year in these towns, films are shown having been distributed through the usual channels; their screenings are not a technical issue. However when a festival takes place the cinema that usually shows five films a week will have to show maybe five films a day or screenings might take place in locations where the equipment has to be installed. The technical manager of the festival has to organize everything, test again and again everything, often screening a world premiere with perhaps the director attending the show. We can imagine the stress! On their side, producers and cinematographers have the challenge to deliver their film to a festival sometimes within a short period of time after its completion and to comply with the technical requirements of the festival. EDCF has the ambition to help understand and solve these difficulties. I would like to thank Angelo D Alessio for leading the work on this guide and those who have offered time and energy to help. Angelo has brought his experience of important Italian festivals (Venice to name just one!) and his dedication to teaching and pedagogy makes this guide as practical as possible. This guide presents state-of-the art information at the time of going to press. With digital technology we know that what is new today will be obsolete tomorrow and we do not claim the present edition will not need updates and improvements. The feedback of readers, technical managers of festivals, producers and cinematographers will be most useful to that end. We hope when you have the guide to hand we can wish you: have a nice film festival! Antoine Virenque President EDCF

4 Page 4 of 75 This Guide This is a beginner s guide for people who are dealing with festivals in the evolutionary digital age. It is for operators, engineers, planners, managers, and everyone who has an interest in the long life of film festivals. Today, Film Festivals is a complicated subject, and is still evolving. Festivals are confronting unparalleled levels of complexity, dynamic change and pressure to innovate. But their main task is still unchanged: They should provide an opportunity for known and unknown filmmakers to get their movies in front of a real live audience and to have their films reviewed by professional critics. So there is a great need for a guide that provides clear, down-to-earth explanations, easy enough for non-technical expert readers. Following conversations with people managing some of the major International Festivals and some of the smaller local festivals, the EDCF has endeavored to assist in alleviating some of these problems by producing the EDCF Guide for Film Festivals. Although most movies might be delivered as a DCP - Digital Cinema Package (the digital files that contain the digital cinema audio, image and data files) on physical media, there can be interoperability issues depending on the play-out server and where the DCP was created and some DCP authoring houses might be using software that is not sufficiently robust. There are also issues with KDM Key Delivery Message (the digital key to unlock the elements of the associated, encrypted DCP for a specific play-out system at a specific theatre during a specific time period). For example does each key enable play-out in time for a Quality Control screening before the main screening? Is the issue of Digital Cinema Accessibility for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing considered by the festival organization? The use of different types of equipment and systems in each theater is quite normal. Systems are based on a mixture of Multi-screen architecture and Single-screen architecture and can be located in existing commercial theaters and/or an auditorium in which systems rented from systems integrators are installed just for the duration of the festival. In addition to DCPs, it is possible for movies to be delivered (often at the last minute!) on a range of video formats and a range of physical media that do not comply with the normal technical standards. Festival technical staff are expected to deal with these issues at little or no notice. This situation has forced some International Festivals to create a dedicated support team called a PST- Problems Solving Team. Quality Management System (QMS) is a topic that should be the norm in all festivals. QMS should involve all the people, the workflow and the processes. The QMS should start well in advance of the start date of the festival and should include a dedicated training program. One of the most important activities, overlooked by festivals, is the phase of Pre-selection of movies. This is the phase of initial contacts with potential groups who wish to submit their movies to the festival. It is in this phase that the Director of the festival and his team should emphasize the

5 Page 5 of 75 importance of submitting the DCPs in compliance with International approved Standards and with the festival regulations. This guide seeks to contribute to the training of the staff of festivals. Well prepared and knowledgeable personnel are paramount to successfully running the processes needed in festivals in the digital age. In short, this guide can be seen as an opportunity for everyone wanting to develop their skills directing or managing, directly or indirectly, festivals or gaining insight on the whole workflow and processes. However, a great movie, and its great creativity, is only truly great if it s executed well. And in today s festivals environment, execution is becoming more and more critical. Problems at festivals can be complicated. Solutions cannot be! In this EDCF Guide we regard the Film Festival as a project: it starts, it is sustained by the work of several people and involves a number of events and it ends when the whole set of operations is accomplished. Each festival is a project and each movie is a project, but which are the elements making up a complete project? A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result (PMBOK Guide) and work is carried out to sustain the project and the project itself ends when objectives have been reached. Screening a single movie should be considered as a project. An all new workflow is required when using digital cinema systems within a festival, this involves new tools, projection systems and also new terms, all of those are quite different from traditional 35mm. The EDCF Guide has been written for anyone who is stepping into Film Festivals organization. It can be helpful for the chief organizer but also for every person working within the event, especially in the technical and operation departments. This Guide has taken into consideration the reality of festivals around the globe. Key International Festivals have budgets, people, organization and, in some cases, d-cinema systems already in place. Their problems are not exactly the same as those experienced by mid-range festivals and independent festivals. These festivals need to use whatever they can get, and rent the theaters during the time of the festival as they are. These mid-range festivals and independent festivals are the festivals experiencing the most problems. Thus, they require more support and guidelines. This guide is also for them hoping that they can learn about issues they might experience when they try to get more budget and resources in addition to their innate good will. What is included in this Guide? This guide comes from the actual experience and feedback from people working at festivals (major festivals as well as middle and independent festivals). It should be considered as work in progress and in future will require additional input as the industry continues to change. Digital Cinema has specific terminology, which is why this guide includes a dedicated glossary (Understanding the Key Terminology), collecting the main terms people use when working with digital movies.

6 Page 6 of 75 One section is focused on the Frequently Asked Questions we consider the most relevant and most useful to festival organizers, technical staff, operators, planners, etc. Another section is focused on Words of Warning. Many things can undermine the main task of the festivals. Because during the festivals real tasks and processes are never executed under perfect conditions, errors and uncertainties can come from several sources. This section includes some lessons learned from actual experiences. The importance of Quality Management System (QMS) at the film festival is also explained and analyzed. This topic has to be well understood by major festivals as well as by middle and independent festivals. This means that the festival can reduce the risk of making a mistake in its work by checking the digital movies and digital-cinema systems before they proceed with the screening. No mercy for bad behavior! One section is about the content, its specifications and what film festival organizers should require from movie providers and distributors to have their movies properly delivered. The last section includes basic information on d-cinema QC best common practices that both festivals (major festivals as well as middle and independent festivals) can use. This guide comes from practical experience and feedback from festivals. However, the fluid nature of current developments inevitably can result in differing views about a given topic. But if the best is the enemy of the good, then it follows that waiting until all questions are answered would provide no information and guidance during this crucial formative period. It is wise to remember that At Festivals we can t get quality of experience for nothing Have a good read! The EDCF Team

7 Page 7 of 75 Questions & Answers on the specifications and rules for the technical operation of Digital Cinema Systems at Festivals: What we should know? There are many specialized terms used by digital cinema engineers as their communication language. They use a particular mix of digital video, digital audio and internet technologies. The nomenclature were developed and refined so that each piece of the long chain of equipment and each step of the long flow of the data will have the highest chance of success of having a quality presentation. These terms don t always communicate well to movie makers, or festival operators and management. This section aims at identifying and explaining these terms using a Questions & Answer format. The end result should be that each person can identify what is truly critical, and either communicate that to other people or be able to point them to someplace to get further information. See also Understanding the key Terminology beginning at page xx of this document. Question # 1 - What are basic issues to be considered when structuring a d-cinema system at the festival? Answer: Basically it is recommended to consider the following questions: Moving the Movie - How many theaters are involved? How long does it take to move a movie from one auditorium to another? Central Office Reporting - Will the system report to your central office the arrival of content and KDMs? Will it report when KDMs are only days away from expiration? Maintenance - Who maintains the system? What Service Level Agreements are offered? Quality Control Management - Who will manage this important issue? Which tools will be available? Which procedures? Security Log Data - The security policy in the DCI specification is "control lightly, audit tightly." A security log will likely be requested by the movie distributor. The DCI specification and SMPTE standards allow the exhibitor to remove a certain level of sensitive information from the security log. Does the system at festival provide this ability, as well as the ability to view and approve the security logs before they're sent? Security of Exhibitor Networks - The digital cinema system should not compromise the security of the theatre owner's network. The transmission of security log data to suppliers should be under the festival's control. Is this how the system we are considering behaves? Festival organization and personnel - Who will be in charge of what? Do they have the knowledge and the organizational ability to work under the difficult situations and pressure at festival? Do they need dedicated training?

8 Page 8 of 75 Workflow - Are the workflow, processes and procedures already defined? Question # 2 What is the meaning of DCP? Answer: DCP is the abbreviation of Digital Cinema Package. The DCP is the complete digital copy of a presentation that can be used by any Digital Cinema projection system world-wide including the theatres at festivals. The DCP includes the picture file and the audio file, just like a film contains both the pictures and the sound tracks. But since the picture and sound files are separate on the hard disk in the media player, the DCP also included files that tell the media player how to make the files play together. All files are to be stored and played in the projection booth with a DCP digital cinema server coupled to a digital cinema projector. Technically speaking, a DCP is a collection of assets, listed in a Packing List document, supported by an Asset Map document. The technical specifications for the DCP were defined by the international organizations SMPTE (Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers) and ISO/IEC (International Organization for Standardization and International Electrotechnical Organization). These groups developed and approved standards and recommended practices so that the digital cinema package can be played everywhere, just as these organizations also defined the technical specifications for the 35mm distribution copy used in 35mm projection. Question # 3 Can I prepare the DCP myself at festivals? Should I? Answer: Possibly, yes. Probably, no. There are several software DCP Authoring systems available, some even open sourced and free. But two things should be understood in advance. First, although there are international standards for digital cinema equipment, and even a compliance specification that all equipment must pass, they have been developed over 12 years. Each manufacturer of media players and projectors has had many hardware and software changes, either adding features or making adjustments fixing bugs. There have been many changes that have led to DCPs not playing with certain combinations of equipment. A professional will have knowledge of the current state of these changes and be able to test the final product on one or more systems. Secondly, the professionals who create DCPs use specialized hardware and have experience that an amateur will not likely have or gain quickly. A typical user s computer that can run DCP authoring software will take a lot of time to make a DCP, even after a person learns the nuance of the software and the implications of each of the many choice of the process. The text files used to glue the picture and sound files are not impossible to create, but they have to be done exactly or the DCP which might run on one playback system will not play on others. In addition, there is no easy way to playback the DCP on a typical computer system. And even if you get the equipment that can playback your DCP on your computer, it will not be using the same colour space as the true digital cinema system. So colours that look acceptable on a computer monitor or HD television screen will look very different on the digital cinema projector. The look is often described as muddy or like it has a veil over it. It is not rare that a festival has to cancel certain presentations. Many hours have been spent by festival technical staff to fix problems with a DCP, but it cannot always be done. It is not a risk that you should take. Your time is better spent on promotion and preparing your award speech.

9 Page 9 of 75 Question # 4 - How and who should prepare the DCP copies of the movie? Answer: The DCP should be prepared by a specialized digital cinema mastering facilities. Only these types of organization are able to provide a DCP that will comply with SMPTE-DCP Standard or with Interop-DCP specifications. However, your original content can be whatever you want like 35mm, digital video, CGI, and so on. But ultimately, the mastering facility will use a special procedure to convert the original content to DCP. When you choose a mastering facility it is strongly recommended you discuss with them the most efficient solution of conversion for your original content (images, audio, subtitles, format, and standard). It is mandatory that each individual DCP copy, before it is submitted to the festival, will be inspected and checked by the filmmakers and the engineering team at the mastering facility. This process should be done using a validation tool and a certified D-Cinema system. This will avoid problems such as, for example, that the colour space, grey scale, dynamic range, subtitles, audio etc, look strange or wrong on the D-Cinema system at the festival. It is advisable that the mastering facility will use the latest Digital Cinema Naming Convention to annotate and name the compositions and packages of the DCP. Question # 5 Is it possible to send a movie master to festivals as ProRes files or HD Cam SR or Digi-Beta or Blu-ray Disk instead of a DCP? Answer: Each festival, small, medium or large, have different kinds (and sources) of content and also different audiences. So, they both are struggling with the content management issue. Many small size festivals working with non DCP content have realized that a perfect presentation of films is not always possible. Some mistakes can be made: cannot perfectly switch between several frame rates which causes blur/pull-up or pull-down effects, wrong audio channels, wrong Gamma, wrong Colour Space, wrong Aspect-ratio, problems in creating a Show Play List, and so on. It is an option, but a risky one. Only well trained technicians can handle those kinds of things. And this is not always possible at small and medium size festivals. Furthermore, some festivals have in place a facility to convert different type of content to DCP. This is an additional option, but only if the festivals have the right workflow, the right people, the right machines and tools, and enough time to do this and to perform the right QC of the DCPs, and KDMs. However, imagine the filmmaker sends her/his ProRes (or other format) to a festival. They make a DCP from the ProRes, potentially without the filmmaker/dop/director ever seeing the DCP before the screening and no chance to review/adjust/correct it if something went wrong, and quite a bit can go wrong. Filmmakers/production/distribution teams should be made aware of this by the festival s organization, and for the sake of both the stress level of the often voluntary festival people, their own reputation and the creation of Quality of Experience (QoE) for the spectators. Question # 6 - How to deliver the DCP to the festival? Answer: The today common practice for festivals is to receive the DCP in a CRU data port Hard Drive caddy using a special, and safety DCP shipping case. (See the picture above). The mastering facility should provide to you each DCP on physical media HDD (Hard Disk Drive). Until recently this was done typically using the universal CRU drive with 3.5 >=7200RPM that support also esata, and USB3/USB2 data interface. However, there is technological advancement and now we can use the universal CRU 2.5 drive. It supports esata 6G and USB2/USB3 data interface, needs no external power supply and has the same size as any 2.5" mobile drive. There is a low cost adapter that enables the use of the new CRU 2.5" drive in any

10 Page 10 of 75 existing CRU 3.5" drive mount, so its fully backward compatible with all existing cinema servers supporting CRU 3.5" drives. However, it is suggested that the festival operation team has this adapter at hand. The 2.5" drive is much smaller, lighter and saves transportation cost. The CRU 2.5" drive can be equipped with either a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), presently the preferred solution, or even a SSD (Solid State Drive). So both from an economical, ecological, and logistics point of view, the 2.5" CRU drives are more interesting for small size Festivals. Imagine the pile of CRU HDD cases vs CRU HDD smaller cases. The latter can be moved around in one take simplifying the festival logistics. The mastering facility knows that the distribution media partition shall be formatted in EXT3 Linux (or EXT2). Although some servers are sometimes able to recognize HDD formatted to other formats (NTFS, FAT32, EXT4), it is NOT RECOMMENDED to send these types of formatted drives to festivals. Chance is that they may not be recognized by all types of servers. Apple file system must not be used. It is also recommended do not using regular 3.5 and 2.5 pocket drives. When the file system is formatted, the i-node size shall be set to 128 bytes. Per SMPTE , the storage volume (partition) shall contain exactly one Asset Map. Question # 7 - Which precautions should be considered when shipping the DCPs? Answer: Digital content and the Hard Disk Drives are very fragile. It is advisable to ship the DCP using a special industry shipping box made for HDD delivery. Each mastering facility knows what to use when prepare the shipping box. The shipping box should include all accessories supporting the use of the HDD like the power supply, interface cables for USB and esata, and the DCP Technical Form. Question # 8 Is it possible to deliver the DCP by Satellite? Answer: Satellite distribution of DCPs is already in progress worldwide primarily for simultaneous distribution to a group of commercial cinemas. In addition to DCPs, these cinemas are also able to receive live content (Alternative or Event Cinema Content). However they are both able to receive DCPs delivered on physical media CRU data port Hard Drive caddy. This is important in case a transmission by satellite distribution is unsuccessful. DCPs delivered by satellite are normally verified for integrity by the satellite service provider prior to transmitting it. At the cinema site, the DCPs are directly ingested on the LMS and TMS system and can be distributed to the individual system of each theater involved. This workflow is quite complex for use by the small-medium size festivals and also by most large size festivals. One of the reasons is that it is quite normal that several DCPs are finished and delivered from the owner of the movie and mastering companies at the very last minute. So it would be difficult to deliver on time to festivals several DCPs at the same time of the day. As a rule, all DCPs to be delivered by satellite to commercial cinemas are pushed into the cinemas at least one week before the film release. This cannot be guaranteed for festivals.

11 Page 11 of 75 Question # 9 - When to receive the DCP and KDMs at the festival? Answer: Each festival has its own regulations. Time for the receipt of DCPs and KDMs should comply with the festival regulations. Exceptions should be agreed and authorized by the Director of the festival and by the technical manager of the festival. However, it always happens that some key movie will be available at the festival location near the day and time of the first projection planned for this movie. It is strongly recommended that adequate time will be given to allow to load and QC test-play within the constraints of the equipment capability and the available screen time at the festival. The technical staff at the festival must have the ability to conduct the QC test plays at least 72 hours in advance of the first projection of the movie. This will allow for recovery time from potential failures. KDMs are required for QC test-play. Thus, DCP and all KDMs should arrive, in the worst case, in their entirety 72 hours prior to the official planned projection of the movie. Again, exceptions to the regulation should be agreed well in advance with the Director of the festival and with the technical manager of the festival. Delay of one DCP will impact the QC test-play of the other DCPs delivered on time to the festival. It is not new that many festivals have to face several problems in managing and verifying the match of KDM + CPL. Wrong KDMs, late delivery, and other reasons are source of problems but festivals have to deal with these problems. Convincing some filmmakers or production or distribution people not to send encrypted DCPs is a nightmare. There are various reasons why filmmakers don t do it. It s not just about piracy. Sometimes they cannot afford to have another master created by the postproduction facility. A TMS or software with a similar functionality can be very helpful not only to automatically collect and distribute the KDMs but also to show if the schedule of the festivals corresponds with the KDMs. Implementing the TKR procedure can be a positive help. But it should solve the problems of the match KDM + CPL. Question # 10 - Should the DCP be compliant with the SMPTE DCP format or with Interop DCP format? Answer: It is strongly recommended to discuss this issue, and gain agreement, with the technical manager of the festival and with the mastering facility prior submitting the DCP. The Interop DCP is based on early draft specifications to promote interoperability in the early phase of the digital cinema rollout. Interop DCP is similar to, but not compliant with, SMPTE DCP. It does not support many of the features incorporated in SMPTE DCP, most notably SMPTE audio specifications and other requirements for the images (E.G. High Frame Rate and more). Regarding the d-cinema systems at festivals it is important to know that the new players are compatible with both SMPTE DCP and Interop DCP. However, an early series of player might not be compatible with SMPTE DCP. Technically speaking, there are distinct differences between SMPTE DCP and Interop DCP in the XML namespace, and in the partitions and ULs. In addition, there are differences in requirements for content, KDM and Certificate validation. Please, talk with the technical manager of the festival prior submitting the DCP. Question # 11 What are the benefits of using SMPTE DCP? Answer: Whatever picture and sound quality are identical for both formats SMPTE DCP and Interop DCP, SMPTE DCP brought several changes and benefits:

12 Page 12 of 75 Vastly improved security (Content Authenticator). KDM and certificates are different; Subtitles are handled differently. Non-broken and non-brittle subtitle and caption tracks; 3D subtitles; More frame rates in addition to 24 and 48 fps. (25, 30, 50, 60, and more); Composition metadata and XML name space is different; Audio channels and their assignment on the speakers in the theater are modified. Be aware that Interop systems have no standardized way to enforce valid signature of a composition s XML from a KDM s point of view. So you can simply remove a composition s signature, modify the composition and still playback with the KDM which, in turn, was issued for a specific signed composition. Question # 12 - How many DCP copies, of the same movie, should be sent to the festival? Answer: Depends on the festival setup. Some might need one, some might need several because the festival runs in several venues around the country at the same time. As general rule, it is always suggested to send two identical DCP copies of the same movie (Show Copy and Backup Copy). Each DCP should be stored and delivered on separate physical media as stated in Question # 7. Each HDD must contain only the DCP related to the movie. No other content should be included. Special attention should be placed on the submission date indicated by the festival regulations. Submitting DCPs on time means that the festival staff are able to perform the Quality Control and prepare the presentation systems to support the Quality of Experience (Visual & Audio) at the highest level. Question # 13 - Which additional information should be provided with the DCP physical media? Answer: Most festivals Hard Disk Drive (for the DCP Show Copy, and for the DCP Backup) supplied to the festival, should include the DCP Technical Forms provided by the Festival and by the mastering facilities. Use of a special and safety DCP shipping case should be the norm. Key information that must be included in the DCP Technical Form are Image Structure Container, Image Aspect Ratio (e.g. 2:39; 1:85; 1:77; 1:33), Colour space, Gamma value, Audio Channel Count and all additional information that is normally provided for each movie (title, duration, subtitles off-screen or on-screen, CPL-Composition Playlist, Packaging list, PCF-Project Configuration File, etc.). All this information is well known by the mastering facilities. When the festival s technical people have this information, they can more easily do the set-up for their tests and more easily spot problems and make adjustments. You can assume that if your DCPs do not have this form that they will be put at the back of the list of DCPs to be tested and may never be tested...and never be played. Question # 14 - How important is the Quality Control of each DCP before submitting to the festival? Answer: It is strongly recommended that each DCP (Show Copy and Backup Copy) delivered to the festival, will have an in depth Quality Control, and be validated by both the mastering facility and by the owner of the movie. This should be done using a d-cinema system that is compliant with SMPTE and ISO/IEC standards. It should be noted that no changes/modifications to the DCP content and/or the HDD can be carried out at the festival. The results of the QC should be included in the DCP Technical Form.

13 Page 13 of 75 Question # 15 - Will the festival performs a regular Quality Control (QC) of the d-cinema systems and to the submitted DCPs? Answer: the basic guideline that the festival staff will follow is: WYSIWYG (What You have Seen in your QC, (at the mastering facility) Is What You will Get at the festival). Quite often it is that the d-cinema systems used at festivals are from different vendors and are different types. However, it is assumed that each system is compliant with SMPTE, ISO/IEC Standards. One of the tasks of the technical staff of the festival is to continuously check the calibration and quality specs of each system in use. (The calibration is the the process by which a device or system is brought into the condition whereby a defined input produces a defined output). The results of these tasks will be reported in the general data base. Regarding the DCPs, the technical staff will perform a special QC on the DCPs received on time. In the first stage they will check the physical integrity of the HDD conformity, CRU drive, cables, the availability of the Technical Form, the CPL text file that contains all the information on how the files for a specific Composition should be played, and any special feature like HFR, PCF, Subtitles, Supplemental Package, Interop DCP or SMPTE DCP, color space P3 or Rec709, 3D, etc. In the second stage they ingest both the DCP show copy and the backup copy in the Central Library and check each copy for data integrity and interoperability. Then it starts the QC screening test in the QC Test Room. During this QC the team will check the key parameters of image and sound essence in order to prepare the PCF- Projection Configuration File. This QC does not intend to judge the original quality of image, sound and other original parameters of the movie. The goal of this QC is primarily to control the interoperability and prepare the PCF. Situations of non-compliance will be reported to the Production / Distribution organizations, or to the mastering facility. No reports will be made about any so called Artifacts a visual or perceptual defect introduced during capture, post-processing, compression, rendering, or similar defects that are related to DSM or DCDM. The DCP will then be loaded in the servers related to the theaters involved in the screenings of this DCP. Of course, the PCF-Project Configuration File / Macro of the projection system will be calibrated according to the parameters of the DCP, and an additional screening test will be performed to be sure that the entire configuration and quality is ok. Use of special tools and automatic procedures is kindly recommended in these processes. Question # 16 - What does Composition Play List (CPL) mean? Answer: CPL is a text file that contains all the information on how the files for a specific Composition should be played back, including how the audio and subtitles are synchronized with the picture. The CPL could contain one reel or many reels, and there are different CPLs for each soundtrack or version that would play back. The CPL is created by the content owner at the mastering facility and must always accompany, and be shown on the DCP label and in the DCP Technical Form. CPL is the most important information to be included in the DCP Technical Form. The description must comply with the Digital Cinema Naming Convention presently used in the D- Cinema industry.

14 Page 14 of 75 Another way to think of it: A Composition defines precisely what will be seen and heard in the theatre. Much like the timeline of an editing application would define what s to be seen and heard on the monitor in master play out. Question # 17 - Is the use of KDM mandatory for the festivals? Answer: KDM is the acronym for Key Delivery Message. If the DCP is encrypted, the KDM is the digital key that will authorize the projection of the associated DCP from a specified digital cinema servers used for the projection at the Festival, and for specific dates. The KDM is created by the mastering facility involved in the preparation of the DCP, but only if requested by the owner of the movie. To play the DCP-movie title on two or more servers requires two or more KDMs for the DCPmovie title. And this is the situation at festivals. However, a KDM is required only if the DCP is encrypted by the mastering facility involved in the preparation of the DCP, and only if requested by the owner of the movie. If a KDM is required, then the Festival should provide the list of S/Ns, or Server Certificates of servers/imbs to the owner of the movie. One preferred solution for big festivals, but not preferred by the owner of movies, would be to receive a DKDM (Distribution Key Delivery Message) from the owner of the movie. Then, the required KDMs for the screenings and for the QC will be generated from the DKDM by a dedicated Security Key Manager at the festival in a high security environment. This procedure creates advantages for both the owner of the movie, as well as for the QoE Quality of Experience for the spectators attending the screenings. In case of non encrypted DCPs, no KDM is required to screen the DCP at the festival. Note that the KDMs should be valid some days before the festival starts (to perform QC, ingest etc.) and should include the last day of the festival in case the DCP becomes one of the winners of the festival. The festival should say how and where to deliver the keys, usually by . Festivals should give confirmation that the KDMs were received. It is recommended that the chief operator or engineer at the Festival makes certain to make a copy of them on a USB stick with her/him and hand them to the appropriate person just in case. Question # 18 How to deliver the On-Screen Subtitles to the Festival? (with a note on Closed Captions and special Audio Tracks.) Answer: Many festivals require On-Screen Subtitles. They should be delivered as a file embedded in the DCP but you might also hear that they can be sent separately as a Supplemental Package. A Supplemental Package is a special file that DCPs allow to be merged into the main file. Technically they can also include edits and special censored points for festivals that won t show portions of your presentation for cultural reasons. Either way embedded or supplemental it is the responsibility of the owner of the DCP, and of the mastering facility, to have them in sync with each frame of the entire movie and interoperable with D-Cinema systems at the Festival. No correction can be made by the team at the Festival. If they are in a Supplemental Package, and if the DCP requires a KDM, it is mandatory to also receive additional KDMs relating to the Supplemental Package. The mastering facility should know

15 Page 15 of 75 this procedure. Delivery date for the supplemental package and their KDM must comply with the festival s regulations. That is, if subtitles are mandatory, they must be present during testing. You should also become familiar with the difference between sub-titles and closed captions and special audio tracks for the deaf and hard of hearing, and the blind and partially sighted audience members. Some festivals will required these files, which have to be created and formatted specifically for the equipment being used. For example, the standard for sub-titles are two lines of text in a particular position. (Digital cinema projectors can actually place two sets of these on the screen in the correct place.) Closed caption equipment often uses 3 shorter lines. Many cinemas throughout the world are promising their clients that all movies will be played with these special tracks. A wise movie maker will consider being considerate to this audience. Question # 19 How to deliver the Off-Screen Subtitles to the Festival? Answer: The Off-Screen Subtitles will appear on a separate screen under the main screen. The related XML file should be delivered on separate media and/or as attachment to an . These subtitles must be in sync (Timed Text) with on-screen subtitles. Off-Screen Subtitles for 3D Stereoscopic DCPs are not accepted. Each festival will have specific requirements for the technology that they are using in the theater. Find out early and communicate with the owner of the movie and with the mastering facility. Question # 20 - How should the festival manage DCPs that include closed captioning? Answer: For closed captions, a closed-captioned version of the DCP is normally created by the mastering facility. To screen closed-captioned version of the DCP, the festival needs to receive that closed-captioned DCP from the production-distribution organizations, and have a closed captioning display system in the theatres at the festival. The captions are then played out by the digital cinema system and sent to the closed captioning display, which patrons use at their seats. Question # 21 - Will Dolby E be accepted by the festival? Answer: It is suggested not to use Dolby E for movies at the festival unless otherwise specified and agreed. Question # 22 - Which soundtracks will the festival accept? Answer: Preferred soundtrack formats for the submitted DCPs should be 7.1 or 5.1 Channel PCM format. It is recommended to contact the technical manager of the festival if other formats are to be used. This is the case of Audio Object format. Question # 23 - Should the frame rate of the DCP be only 24 FPS (Frames Per Second)? Answer: The initial specifications (DCI) defined for Digital Cinema was based on 24 FPS for 4K (4096x2160) and 24 or 48 FPS for 2K (2048x1080). The new standard defined by SMPTE and ISO/IEC include additional frame rates (HFR) 25, 30, 48, 60, 96 and 120 FPS. These additional frame rates are included in the SMPTE DCP standard. Adopting HFRs will mean an increase in QoE (Quality of Experience) for spectators. However, if the production/distribution intends to submit a DCP made with HFRs it is advisable to talk with the technical manager of the festival and receive the assurance that the digital cinema systems used will be able to play DCP at HFRs.

16 Page 16 of 75 olquestion # 24 Which digital cinema resolution will be used at the festival? Answer: You will hear the terms 2K and 4K in discussions about digital cinema. Those numbers are what is called, the container size, and the numbers describe the number of potential pixels across and down. 2K is 2048 by 1080 and 4K is 4096 by four times the number of pixels. The container size is separate from the actual image size, which are still the familiar choices of flat and scope. Digital cinema is designed to accommodate different image size ratios. For example, the image size for 1.85 (flat) aspect ratio is 1998 x 1080 pixels or 3996 x 2160 pixels, for a 2.39 (scope) aspect ratio is 2048 x 858 pixels or 4096 x 1716 pixels, for 1.77 (16:9) is 1920 x 1080 pixels, for a 1.33 (4:3) aspect ratio is 1440 x 1080 pixels. The resolution of the movie on the screen will be related to the resolution of the content/movie. If the resolution of the movie is related to 1998 x 1080 image size, it will have this resolution on the screen regardless if we use a 2K or 4K projector. In the evolution of digital cinema, most of the earliest projectors were 2K, while projectors sold in more recent years have been a mix of 2K and 4K. The specification for digital cinema requires that a projector be able to correctly play 2K or 4K DCPs regardless of whether they are a 2K or 4K projector. Depending on the projectors in the theatres where the festival is taking place, therefore, a 2K or 4K DCP will play in any auditorium. The point is that every DCP of every movie size and resolution will play in any theater. There are considerations about how the theater might scale different ratios to their screen, but those are outside the scope of this document, and really, they shouldn t influence your choice of doing the right thing for your situation. Question # 24B Those numbers sound a lot like HD resolution? Why all the bother? Answer: If the quantity of the pixels were the only consideration, you would be right. But consider this. A DVD can deliver a maximum of 8 Megabits per second (1 Megabyte per second) of audio and video to its screen output. The Blu-ray maximum is 40 Mbits/sec for picture (plus 8Mbits/sec for audio.) HDTV s maximum, also rarely reached, is 27 Mbits/second total. HDTV and Blu-ray are restricted to 8-bit resolution per colour, a range of 256 R, G and B choices. Digital Cinema systems are designed to support a continuous stream of 307 Mbits/sec with an average sustained bitrate of 250 Mbits/second for picture, with 12-bits of colour information for the individual Red, Green and Blue chips in the projector. The audio alone is allocated ~38 Mbits/sec. Unless you never use shading and subtle contrast, these differences show up on the big screen. Question # 25 - Are the submitted DCPs deleted from any media player, server or central library at the end of the festival screenings? Answer: Each DCP stored in the Central Library System / TMS, and/or in each server will be deleted at the end of the festival unless otherwise specified and agreed. Question # 26 - Which basic system organization requirements should be considered for festivals? Answer: System organization requirements may vary. While operation of a server and projector without higher level system elements may work fine for festivals with a small number of digital screens, larger installations will seek more managed forms of operation. Three tiers of system organization are envisioned to accommodate the needs of the festivals environment.

17 Page 17 of 75 Tier 1 systems are suitable for festivals having a small number of screens. Content is most likely received on Hard Drives. KDMs are most likely delivered by means of or physical storage. Tier 2 systems are suitable for festivals having medium sized multiplex theatres, or where automated key delivery is desired but the cost of a full TMS (Theater Management System) is not warranted. DCPs are most likely received on Hard Drives. KDM delivery and FLM (Facility List Message defined by SMPTE 430-7) transmissions are managed by the DKMS (Data and Key Management System). Tier 3 systems are intended for festivals having large multiplex theatres. DCPs may be received by satellite and managed by the CMS (Content Management System) component of the TMS. KDM delivery and FLM transmission are managed by the DKMS component of the TMS. POS (Point of Sale) scheduling is managed by the SSMS (Show and Schedule Management System), a component of the Theatre Management System. Question # 27 - How the technical manager of the festival can know if equipment used in the theatres, or to be installed, follows the latest SMPTE standards? Answer: The short answer is that you don't. There is no formal test available that will tell you if a product meets all SMPTE standards. It is recommended that the technical manager of the festival includes detailed specifications in the system purchase, or rental agreements with the d-cinema system providers. Note that simply asking for "DCI compliance" does not guarantee that all SMPTE standards are met, and does not guarantee that the product is ready for use in the cinema. Question # 28 - Which Operational Management should be deployed at the festival? Answer: The technical staff, as well as the planners of the festival should have full local and remote operational management of all systems. Operational management refers to system operation and administrative functions. It is recommended, especially for festivals having large multiplex theatres, to use a Content Management System (CMS). The CMS should enable, at a minimum, the following functions: Log the arrival of DCPs and KDMs; Manage central storage system if present; Manage the movement of DCPs and KDMs, from central storage to the playout systems; Provide content management and aging for special content to be used at the festival (Logos, advertising, trailers, alternative content); Notification of the receipt of a DCP, KDMs and the complete composition. Question # 29 - Which daily reports should be available at the festival? Answer: The Digital Cinema System in use at the festival, (especially for large multiplex architectures) should include a System Monitoring and Alerts function. It should be able to create daily reports and on-demand reports (including queries) indicating system status and health, network status, in-house DCPs and content and in-house KDMs including expiration dates, theatre system equipment failures, show-related failures. Reports should be available at the screen level (projection booth), and aggregated at the theatre complex level (CMS, TMS), and at the Network Operations Center (NOC) see also Question #6. People involved are the technical manager and his staff, the planners, and the management of the festival. Question # 30 - What is the use of the NOC (Network Operating Center) at festivals?

18 Page 18 of 75 Answer: With the advent of high-speed broadband networks (ADSL, optical fibers), cinema projection equipment can be connected to a central control point known as NOC (Network Operating Center). Different types of NOCs are in operation: - Those operated by third-party providers enable these services to collect information on festival and/or exhibitors digital film programming via network connections. Since they manage the financing of d-cinema equipment through the virtual print fee system, the third parties need to monitor the cinemas they support in order to know which films have been released and by which distributors. - Installation and maintenance companies also have their NOCs to supervise the state of d-cinema equipment in cinemas via remote network connections. Using broadband links to cinemas, they can regularly check the state of projectors and servers and inform users of potential problems and prevent breakdowns. The NOCs belonging to integrators and sometimes third-party operators also provide call center services, enabling exhibitors to phone if they have a technical problem. The technician on the other end of the line can detect potential problems through online detection systems and can also fix some of the problems directly. Integrator NOCs can also be used to update projection equipment software online. - Major festivals have their own NOC included in the d-cinema architecture. They can then centralize program reception, receive decryption keys that they can send to the theatres, and can centralize logs on the state of the d-cinema equipment which is installed throughout the network used at the festival location. Question # 31 - Do I need a Theatre Management System (TMS) at the festival? Answer: A TMS provides a multi-screen complex with the centralized management of all screens. As to whether or not the festival will need one, the answer is both yes and no. For festivals using a multi-screen system architecture (e.g. more than three theatres in the same location) then the answer is yes unless the projectionists or the technical manager prefer to rush from one projection booth to another. For festivals with only a few theatres on their site, the solution can be a stand-alone Data and Key Management System (DKMS) component. This solution should be sufficient for sites having one, two or three screens. The TMS should ensure the following functions: - To allow operators to program the sessions of each theatre by selecting the content (film, logo, commercials, trailers, etc) on their computer screen which is in the central storage, also known as a centralized film library. Once the sessions have been created, the required programs are transferred, through the TMS, to the projection servers for the various screenings. - the TMS gives operators the option of automating the start of sessions and to take control of the projection equipment in any booth via their computer screens, to deal with a technical issue or to fine-tune the equipment. - the TMS enables the management of decrypting keys by automatically checking the validity of a key and sending warning messages to operators when the key has reached its deadline. If a TMS is involved, you would not allow just anyone access to your TMS. Furthermore, as everything is automated now, and many systems run remotely, a TMS can be a very helpful tool. Especially when the time-schedule of the Festival is very tight a TMS can automate several services as shown above. However, a TMS is not a must for every festival of any size but its use can be an option. If so, the training and know how to run a TMS should be well understood.

19 Page 19 of 75 Question # 32 - Which 3D Stereoscopic system the festival will use? Answer: Each festival handles this issue separately, but many largest festivals do not allow the use of so-called Silver Screens. It is recommended that you contact the technical manager of the festival to check which systems, and brightness, are in use in the theatres involved in the festival. It is not unusual to have different solutions (active, passive, and colour filter) in the different theatres involved in the festival. Question # 33 - How important is the completion of the DCP - Technical Form? Answer: As explained previously, each DCP delivered to the festival should undergo Quality Control at the festival before its official screening. The DCP - Technical Form is of a paramount value to understand the key parameters, and specifications (inputs) of the DCP. These parameters and specifications reported in the DCP Technical Form will guide the QC process and primarily the screening of the movie. When naming the DCP it is advisable to refer to the Digital Cinema Naming Convention used in the Digital Cinema industry and by the SMPTE standards. This is a must-do especially for the text that goes into the Content Title Text element of the CPL (Composition Play List). Any problems created by non availability, or incompleteness of the DCP Technical Form, delay in delivery the DCP, delay in delivery of KDMs or DKDM, and/or not being compliant with the regulations required by the festival will create problems in performing the normal operations (ingest, preparation of the presentation systems, screening test, internal QC, etc.), thus the quality of the screening of the DCP cannot be the best. In some worst cases it has been noted that the DCP arrived at festival in the last minute. Thus, it was only possible to ingest the DCP in the server and play it without QC or the basic checks. Results: a disaster! Question # 34 - What is the procedure to ask for a Technical Screening at the festival by the production-distribution team? Answer: The prerequisite is that the DCP has been through QC and approved by the productiondistribution organization before being submitted to the festival. For DCPs delivered according to the regulations it is possible to allocate a maximum of 15 min of the DCP to be projected in one of the theatres used at the festival. The request should be made well in advance to the festival and should include the time codes of the scenes to be checked and some indication of the scope of the technical screening. A technical screening is not possible for DCPs submitted during the festival. Technical screening at the festival should not be a substitute for the QC control at the mastering facility. Question # 35 - How is the DCP information handled by the festival? Answer: The festival should create a dedicated data base that includes the DCP Life Cycle Management, where the information related to the submitted DCP will be stored in real time. E.G. DCP Technical Form, QC Report data made at the festival, screening plan, key specifications, delivery date, KDMs and DKDM, operation and management, PCF, etc. This data base can be accessed only by authorized festival staff. Question # 36 - Is it possible to replace a DCP already delivered to the festival?

20 Page 20 of 75 Answer: No chance if the DCP has been already been through QC and ingested in the central library. The only possible replacement can be the On-Screen Subtitles using a Supplemental Package. If this happens a new KDM should be provide by the owner of the movie. Question # 37 - Is it possible to include a special logo at the beginning of the DCP? Answer: Each DCP must include only the content related to the movie. Additional logo and clips, if authorized by the Director of the festival, should be delivered on an addition DCP, be compliant with the standard and PCF used for the movie, and be created possibly by the mastering facility that created the DCP. The DCP for the logo should follow the same procedures as for the DCP of the movie. Question # 38 - Whom should I contact if I have questions regarding the submitted DCPs? Answer: This answer should be prepared by each festival and be based on the organization chart of each festival. Question # 39 - What is the use of Digital Cinema Naming Convention? Answer: The Digital Cinema Naming Convention is used to annotate and name the compositions and packages of the DCP. Note: presently this standards document is being updated. Your mastering facility should have all the information regarding the updated version of this document. Question # 40 - What is a DCP Supplemental Package? Answer: A Supplemental Package is a complementary DCP sent to complete an existing DCP already delivered to the festival. Normally, festivals accept only supplemental packages bringing variants or additions to on-screen subtitled versions. It is sent on a separate HDD not necessarily CRU. The digital cinema mastering facilities should be perfectly aware of all the requirements and procedures. Delivery date for the supplemental package and related KDM should comply with the festival regulations. Question # 41 - Is it possible to make a backup copy from the DCP show-copy at the festival? Answer: No facility is available at the festival for this kind of process. It is not advisable to try to connect, mount, list or edit a DCP HDD on a system not dedicated to DCP reading or mastering. The slightest change in the name or file size will make any DCP unreadable, because safety tests conducted during ingests by the cinema servers will be negative. Copying a DCP HDD to another HDD may also cause slight variations in the size or file names, making them unreadable. It is recommended to always asking a Digital Cinema Mastering Facility to perform any work on a DCP to be submitted to a festival. Their facility is also prepared to QC any DCP on their d-cinema standards compliant system before submitting to the festival. Question # 42 - What is DCP versioning? Answer: DCP versioning is the process of adapting an existing DCP to other language versions, removing or modifying audio, subtitles, or image data, or adding a distributor s logo before the main movie. This is a special process to be made by the mastering facility primarily for DCPs being screened in commercial theatres. Question # 43 - Can a DCP contains multiple versions of a movie?

21 Page 21 of 75 Answer: Yes, a DCP can contain multiple CPL (Composition PlayList) e.g. corresponding to different language versions of a film. This is called a Multi CPL DCP. In the case of variations in the subtitles, each CPL will read the same image/sound media (copied once to HDD), but adding specific metadata for the desired language. If the DCP is encrypted, the projectionist will have access only to language versions for which he has a KDM. It is recommended not to submit Multi CPL DCP to festivals. Question # 44 Are you planning an internal Quality Check (QC) of the delivered DCPs? Answer: Typically the festival will have an internal Quality Control procedure that only verifies the integrity of the data files, the picture format, and that other technical issues are in compliance with the standards and regulations. Question # 45 - Do we need to include a special logo or the festival logo etc. Answer: You do not need to add anything to your DCP. Digital Cinema media players will assemble your DCP with other files into a Playlist. That playlist will include the festival logo and any other material. Question # 46 - Do we need a video scaler? Answer: A proper video scaler makes video projection easier. But if the only video source is HDCAM you can manage without a video scaler. HDCAM can be connected directly in the last series of the digital cinema projector: -A digital cinema projector can auto detect the field type on the HD-SDI input. -If the auto detect does not work you can try the different field types until you get a correct picture. -If the sound needs a delay you can set it in the sound processor. -You could make different presets (PCF/Macro) on the projector for different aspect ratios. Question # 47 - How does port window glass contribute and detract from a theatre-goer's experience? Answer: Use of a port window insulates the theatergoer from hearing noises from the projection room. The port window also needs to allow maximum pass through of light in order for the audience to see the full brilliance of digital projection.

22 Page 22 of 75 Words of warning: Lessons learned A Festival can be seen as a Place Delivering a Quality Experience (Vision and Sound); in short, to enhance the spectator experience, and portray the artist s intent. Many things can undermine this main task of festivals. Flaws in the workflow, in the quality control of DCPs, in the QC of systems, and in the quality of experience (Vision & Sound) may be visible or invisible. Because during the festivals real tasks and processes are never executed under perfect conditions, errors and uncertainties can come from several sources. This section will show a few of them. Lesson # 1: Quality Management System (QMS) is not an Option at the Festival Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skilful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives. Will A. Foster, 1931 Address Advantages of a Business Depression to Sales. D-Cinema equipment and systems do not take care of themselves! First-Thing-First: Calibration of systems and QC of digital content! Basically speaking the calibration of systems is a process by which a device or system is brought into the condition whereby a defined input produces a defined output. Basically speaking the QC of digital content is a process to perform inspection and validation of digital cinema packages and all of its assets. This includes integrity checks, asset inspection, schema validation, signature and certificate verification, and composition summarization What are we missing if no quality management is in place? The answer is very simple: we will miss the Visual & Sound experience for the spectators. In short, we will miss capturing audience and market attention. We will not deliver tangible results from the festival. Today s age of digital transformation is aligning the organization, processes and technology to create relevant customer experiences. So, if we want the cinema industry, and the festivals to flourish, we cannot ignore the QMS needs. Constant and consistent QMS will avoid problems and provide continuous high levels of performance. Of course, QMS requires the correct tools and network solutions to monitor the infrastructure, the right procedures, and the trained people. This is not always possible for medium and independent festivals. Experience suggests that one of the killers for festivals in the digital age is the missing of QMS, and bad organizational behavior. The success or failure of festivals will also ultimately come down to the availability of QMS. This is not to mention budgets and supports, but this guide is not involved with that. Lesson # 2: Maintenance & Operational Requirements Systems Approach It is recommended to research the requirements, from a systems perspective, necessary for thee operation and maintenance of the theatre systems. A network solution (software & hardware) is the basis for a Systems Approach. The network provides the possibility of monitoring and managing the total infrastructure. QMS, TMS, NOC, and some key automated processes, can be effectively

23 Page 23 of 75 and efficiently implemented only by using a well structured network. Anyhow, networks are not always in place at medium or independent festivals. In this case, the QMS should be implemented using simple tools and correct organizational behaviour. In general it is recommended to have in place the following tools: Festival Management System - A group of software solutions to manage both technical and operational aspects of digital projections during the Festival. It introduces one single database source for all the schedules of content, planning of people, change requests, stock of DCPs, status of technical equipment, ingests, KDMs. Festival Resource Planning - This is part of the Festival Management System and is the software focussing on the operational part of the Festival with a central database for schedules, all notes & communications, team planning, schedule changes, DCP arrivals, status of quality control, KDMS, special requests. This systems prevents paperwork and should be wireless or wired available for all networked users (Festival Management & Festival Management Team). Monitoring & Maintenance Service (MMS) - This is software that operates with agents monitoring all equipment and reports in automatic way to NOC the alive status of equipment. Projector, Servers, switches, network etc. MMS can only function when all is networked. NOC or control room has automatic feedback of this system and can detect problems before they are real visible issues. Digital Theater System Operations & Controls (DTSO&C) System Operations Focus Operational aspects Functional elements such as playlist schedules and showplaylist, requirements for every flags, equipment monitoring, metadata control license communication, clock synchronization, lip synchronization, masking configuration. DTSO&C System Controls Focus Control architecture Comprehensive view of controls for digital cinema systems, including projectors, media blocks, storage, sound processors, sound amplifiers, automation controllers, security managers, and theater management System. Lesson # 3: Paperwork is to be avoided Different sources and ways of communication lead often to misunderstandings and results in human mistakes. All information should be managed via Central DataBase. The key info are related to the movement of all assets, the screening plan, QMS plan, etc. (See also Lesson # 2).

24 Page 24 of 75 Lesson # 4: Operator skill Some measurements depend on the skill and judgment of the operator. One person may be better than another at the delicate work of setting up a measurement, or at reading fine detail by eye. The reaction time of the operator to understand the problem and to find a solution is very important during the screening. Lesson # 5: DCPs arrive too late to perform Quality Control It is quite normal to receive DCPs at the very last minutes at Festivals. It is also true that people at festivals need to learn the "logistical aspects" of digital cinema, i.e. dealing with late delivery of the DCP, KDM handling, technical workflow, building in some time ahead of the play date to ingest content and check KDMs etc. However, filmmakers are filmmakers - and post-production companies can tell several stories on how long filmmakers often stretch deadlines, delivering their material only at the very last minute. If a festival announces a movie and it comes in quite late, you have to deal with it. That s simply a reality. Furthermore, it is rather difficult to offer a correct QC on all DCPs if arrivals are late, or multiple versions are submitted with different instructions. It is quite normal that directors, production & distribution teams use the QC sessions at the festival to preview their DCP for the first time! Pleasing some director with special treatment often disrupts the normal operations of others. The result is that some festivals are showing unfinished movies where the edit was not finished or the grading not done or not yet finished, the sound mix was in an early stage etc. This happens quite often. Lesson # 6: DCPs delivered to festivals Are Not Created Equal! This is the case of Homemade DCPs. (See also Lesson # 7). Very often carriers are different in quality and often hardware components & cables are missing. CRU Hard Drive carriers should be the basic physical media storage solutions for digital cinema and content distribution. Fixing non conformities in the DCP (carriers or data) eats up a lot of time and cannot be done at the festival. This job should be done by an external company dealing with the mastering processes. Lesson # 7: Homemade DCPs A number of software providers have entered into the marketplace to create DCPs. Due to their low cost, many content providers are using them especially in creating content for festivals. This has been problematic with a fair amount of finger pointing in trying to determine the problems in playback with different servers and software creating tools. In short, we will not be able to view the DCPs correctly. DCP encoding, and its compliance with SMPTE-ISO Standards are both very complex and there is a lot that can go wrong. Home-made DCPs can take days to encode and probably will not work or will contain errors. It's a bad idea. Most authoring systems are capable of making valid SMPTE & Interop-DCPs. It is important that high end authoring tools include a special internal tool that will not allow an invalid DCP to be created. This situation is more critical when dealing with Additional Frame Rates e.g. from 24 to 60 or 120 frame per second in 2-D and 3-D. Last but not least we still see some festivals producing the DCPs on their own often with nonskilled personnel. So this is partly a home-made problem. It is recommended that festivals do not encode any DCPs on their own and skip becoming a service provider.

25 Page 25 of 75 Lesson # 8: The Festival and each movie should be treated as a Project The Festival is a project as well as managing the DCP life cycle at the festival. What are the project attributes: A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result (PMBOK Guide); Has a unique purpose; Is temporary; Is developed using progressive elaboration; Requires resources, often from various areas; Involves uncertainty; A successful project means meeting three goals: scope, cost, time. We need time to prepare the venue, install the systems and train the entire team (engineers, operators, and planners). Once the date for the festival is set, we should prepare a Project Management Plan (PMP) with each task and their deadlines, and a Critical Path. The critical path is the sequence of activities that must be completed on time for the entire project to be completed on schedule. It is the longest duration path through the work plan. If an activity on the critical path is delayed, the entire project will be delayed (unless another activity on the critical path can be accelerated). Lesson # 9: The environment Temperature, air pressure, humidity and many other conditions can affect the measuring instrument or the specs and equipment being measured. Special attention should be taken for interference from IR emitters used for simultaneous transmission in the theaters and the S-3D active systems in use there. Lesson # 10: Pre-selection One of the most important activities, overlooked by the festivals, is the phase of Pre-selection of movies. This is the phase of initial contacts with potential groups who wish to submit their movies to the festival. It is in this phase that the Director of the festival and his team should emphasize the importance to submit the DCPs complying with the International approved Standards and with the festival regulations. Lesson # 11: KDM Management This is still an unsolved issue creating trouble at any festival! While there is interest in TKR - Theater Key Retrieval - there are some studios that feel it is insufficient. They feel there needs to be a TDL - Trusted Device List to support the creation of a complete eco-system. Others want to move forward with this first part of the system. At the moment TKR has not been implemented by any studio, although at least one studio is willing to provide content. Authoring tools have been updated to allow inclusion of the URL in the CPL. Some distribution facilities and festivals are testing solutions from vendors. One d-cinema KDM management solution offers an easy to use browser-based interface, optimized for mobile devices, for managing screen locations, bookings and KDM creation for Digital Cinema. It is the perfect solution for small and medium Digital Cinema distribution facilities and distributors looking to manage location information, booking and screening schedules, Digital Cinema certificates and Key Delivery Messages (KDMs). Once a booking is prepared, KDMs can be generated with a single

26 Page 26 of 75 click. In addition, the system is a validating KDM generator able to validate device certificates using the root certificates previously installed by the users. At festivals it is more critical to recognize the need for a better understanding of how to deal with multiple KDMs in the multiple presentation system of the theatres. This need is becoming more important for the introduction of immersive audio solutions that requires additional KDMs. Lesson # 12: The new Object-Based Audio system A number of cinema sound systems have been introduced that utilize more speakers than the current standardized 5.1 and 7.1 sound formats, and involve methods to carry and render audio that cannot be achieved within the current standards. Each of these sound systems has their own method for accomplishing this. At present date, multiple immersive sound formats exist and/or are deployed based on different concepts and bitstream formats. A single immersive sound data model and bitstream format is required such that a standard immersive sound track can be distributed and reproduced in theatres using different compliant systems. Until the standard is defined, the installation and use of these systems is up to the wish of the festival management. Note: The use of these systems may require a further KDM in addition to that required for DCP. Lesson # 13: QC the Screen This is an issue that is quite often forgotten at festivals. It isn't a secret that people don't test often enough, and when they do test the record keeping isn't as good as it should be. This is a problem that can be avoided. There are now commercially available screen set up and screen measurement devices and software that can have a profound impact on quality control which is best done before the customer sees the problem. Lesson # 14: Write or read DCPs If we write or read DCPs it is important to know the following procedures: Ext3 remains as file structure; Always show file extensions; All servers needs to look at asset maps (assets not referenced by an asset map should be ignored // mastering should not have assets that are not referred to by an asset map); Allow for hard links; Do not allow for sym links; THOU SHALL Not../ (don t allow a fragile link - stay within the tree); Asset map in root - also look in directory for additional asset maps in directory - both are allowed; Asset maps found only one directory down; Recommended that mastering should not have both asset maps in root and subdirectories; Servers need to look for root & first-level directories for asset maps; Ingest valid assets as much as possible (see an error, skip on to next asset); If two assets with same UUID. If hashes match, no problem; if hashes don t match, big problem; Think before ingesting e.g. look at file size first, then hash; vol index in a given directory is associated with assetmap in same directory. There should not be both SMPTE and Interop asset maps in same directory. Lesson # 15: System Updates

27 Page 27 of 75 There have been a number of comments that some field systems at Festival theatres are not being updated to the latest version of software/firmware. This is causing problems for new movie releases, especially ones that use the later features. Both festivals and teams submitting DCPs to festivals, should have a small database that includes the up-dated status of each d-cinema systems that will be used during the festival.

28 Page 28 of 75 Quality Management System (QMS) at Festivals Quality Management Systems include Quality Assurance and Quality Control. It is wise to define the differences between Quality Assurance vs Quality Control. Quality Assurance is process oriented and focuses on defect prevention, while Quality Control is product oriented and focuses on defect identification. Quality Assurance is determined before production or systems work begins and these activities are performed while the product is being developed. At festivals, this category includes: The QC, by the filmmakers, producers and distributors, of each asset of DCPs and KDMs before they are delivered to festivals. The QC of the systems before the festival starts. In contrast, Quality Control is performed after the product or system is developed. At festivals this category includes: The continuous QC of DCPs as described in section: Quality Control (QC) of DCPs and KDMs submitted to Festivals page xx and in Lesson #1: Quality Management System (QMS) is not an Optional at the Festival. The continuously QC of the systems during the festivals. The Quality Management System at festivals should include both Quality Assurance and Quality Control. However, each festival has his way to executes QMS procedures. For some small or medium size festivals, the QMS is related only to Interoperability Control of the DCPs submitted to the festival. In big size festivals the QMS includes a full Quality Assurance and Quality Control. There is a saying among craftsmen, Quality control and check thrice, cut once. This means that you can reduce the risk of making a mistake in the work by checking the quality of DCPs and d- cinema systems a second or third time before you proceed with the screening. Any time we introduce the concept of QMS two questions arise: What should be measured and/or checked? What should not be measured and/or checked? QMS to be effective and efficient should be applied to the entire workflow used by each festival. However, Quality Management costs are arguably one of the largest expenses for the festivals, especially for small and medium size. Thus, most of the stakeholders of the festival environment, simply neglect, or ignore, the importance of QM. Some on site experience and feedback from festivals tell us that quite often the production and/or distribution company has no time to review the DCP of their movie before submitting it to festivals. It is the most important thing in the cinema festival environment at this evolutionary time, but they make no time to review it. A knowledgeable guy said that the way we have to deal with DCPs in Film festivals has changed radically in the past few months/years. It is hard to setup recommendations when they are outdated one month later. He thinks that the same things that are being set up in cinemas (full automation through IT-technology) have to happen at film festivals. The next step is "Use IT-Technology" to run the film festival. If it comes to TKR, FLM and electronic delivery of DCPs and KDMs the whole game will change again. We should enable film festivals to be ready for the future.

29 Page 29 of 75 Anyhow, as stated early in this EDCF Guide, the Quality Management System (QMS) is not an Optional at the Festival. DCPs, KDMs, D-Cinema equipment and systems do not take care of themselves! What are we missing if no quality management is in place? The answer is very simple: we will miss the Visual & Sound experience for the spectators. In short, we will miss capturing audience and market attention. We will not deliver tangible results from the festivals. Today s age of digital transformation is aligning organization, processes and technology to create relevant customer experiences. So, if we want the cinema industry, and the festivals to flourish, we cannot ignore the QMS needs. Constant and consistent QMS will avoid problems and provide continuous high levels of performance. Of course, QMS requires the right tools, network solutions to monitor the infrastructure, the correct procedures, and trained people. This is not always possible for medium and independent festivals. The experience said that one of the killers for the festivals in the digital age is the missing of QMS, and bad organizational behavior. The success or failure of festivals will also ultimately come down to the availability of QMS. Festivals Screen Brightness Measurement As festivals are events where a movie may be shown for the first time to the public it is essential that the screen brightness and contrast ratio is consistent across the festival. The movie should look its best in every screen. The Human visual system is very complex and can combine many parameters to improve the perceived image. One of the basic combinations is brightness, contrast and resolution to perceive sharpness. Although there has been the target brightness for many years of 14Ft Lamberts at full screen white there was not a standardised approach to measuring it. SMPTE has recently published a Study Group Report: 20F Technology Committee On-Screen Light Measurement Study Group Report 14 August 2014 This document lays out how to measure screen brightness, this includes measurement patterns and measuring equipment positions. An important factor for perceived sharpness is contrast so for the first time provision is made to measure the light level of the black part of the picture.

30 Page 30 of 75 Base measuring points Colour Grading theatres may use more than 9 points but for Cinema its considered that 9 points is sufficient with 5 positions for the measuring equipment. The measuring points are based on the work of the CST and already in use at Cannes Festival. The above document can be downloaded from the SMPTE Standards Community Pages. Measuring equipment Positions

31 Page 31 of 75 Measuring Equipment There are various forms of measuring equipment on the market. Some are very high precision for Installation, some are medium precision for periodic checks and some are permanently installed with a network connection to a Network Operations Centre. The selection below does not imply endorsement. Digital Test Tools The selection below does not imply endorsement. Harkness Photo Research Highland Technologies Qualif USL For more detailed information and procedures see Annex B Digital Cinema Quality Control Best common practice. For more detailed information and procedures see Annex B Digital Cinema Quality Control Best common practice.

32 Page 32 of 75 Quality Control (QC) of Systems and DCPs at Festivals Since the introduction of the DCP format into the festival world, the technical teams at festivals are facing a range of issues with the DCPs. Many (free) tools to make DCPs are causing an explosion of DIY (Do It Yourself) DCPs that are not made according to the specifications and standards and that haven t been tested by the creators. The festivals should insist on only accepting DCPs that have been tested prior to sending to the festival. But it's tricky to determine whether a DCP has been tested before or not, so the technical team must do some kind of quality control of all films in order to prevent the screening from being cancelled. Regarding the KDMs, as already shown in previews pages, it is not news that several festivals have faced many problems managing and verifying the match of KDM + CPL. Wrong KDMs, late delivery, and other reasons are sources of problems. But festivals have to deal with these problems. Convincing some filmmakers or production or distribution people not to send encrypted DCPs is a nightmare. There are various reasons why filmmakers don t do it. It s just not about piracy. Sometimes they cannot afford to have another master created by the post-production facility. A TMS or software with a similar functionality can be very helpful not only to automatically collect and distribute the KDMs but also to show if the schedule of the festivals corresponds with the KDMs. Implementing the TKR procedure can be a positive help. But it should solve automatically the problems of the match of KDM + CPL. Finding a problem Testing DCPs is a time consuming process and there are costs for renting extra equipment. There are different methods that festivals use for checking the DCPs. Some festivals use a screening room with a digital cinema projector and server, some just use software players and trust the hash check during the ingest to report errors when there is a problem. All these methods have advantages and disadvantages. Software players are useful as a quick check, but don't react like real cinema servers and sometimes play the DCPs that would not be accepted by a real digital cinema playout server. A screening room with a digital cinema server is more reliable but demands ingesting the DCPs first which takes a lot of time and storage space. The best solution is to have a combination of both, hardware and software playout. Few examples of common problems encountered at film festivals: The disk/ the DCP is not being seen on the ingest machines; Hash check and scheme errors; Naming convention errors: several versions with the same CPL name, film title or other CPL information unclear; Image problems: not DCI resolutions, image not properly positioned within the full container; Audio problems: wrong channel mapping; Slate, countdown or test charts at the beginning, long black after the end of the film; Sync problems:

33 Page 33 of 75 Subtitles problems: subtitles not appearing or invisible subtitles. First step: Communicate the problems to the owner of the film Never skip this step, even if you somehow solve the problem for your festival, don't send the DCP away without feedback to the maker: send an about it and label the DCP with a sticker describing the problem. Example of a sticker that you can use for marking the problematic DCP disks. Problematic disk/dcp: 1. Naming convention violation ( A. unclear/misleading CPL name; B. wrong content type tag; C. Other: 2. Disk file system not DCI or SMPTE (disk is unusable with a cinema server) 3. Exorbitant file size (bitrate unreasonably high = huge file) 4. Size/hash check failure (DCP broken) 5. Disk malfunctioning (disk broken) 6. Other: Festival: Date: Second step: Make things work - making the diagnosis and simple solutions (level: basic) Problem Possible cause Possible solution Tools needed The disk/ DCP is not being seen on the ingest machines Wrong disk format Permissions problems Copy the DCP to a disk that is being seen by the ingest machine (rsync) Copy the DCP directly to the ingest machine through the network (ftp client Filezilla) Try superuser for the permission problems Computer with Linux For exfat formatted drives you will need PC or Mac CRU or USB connection Broken disk The disk inside a broken casing might still be working Docking station for internal disk Hash check and scheme errors Bad download, bad copy, disk errors DCP has been edited after creation Make a copy and try to repack (will only work if picture and sound mxf are intact) DCP_inspect for diagnose and check Open DCP or Easy DCP creator for repacking

34 Page 34 of 75 DCP has been created with old tools and with wrong settings Advanced DCP repair: Make things better Sometimes the problems are not so crucial. These DCPs do ingest and play in the digital cinema server, but the quality is not according to the festival's standards. Bad mastering and no prior test is the cause of this kind of problems, so the problem should be reported and a replacement should be sent by the film maker. However, sometimes fixing the DCP is faster and more practical than waiting for the new version (especially from a maker that doesn't understand what the problem is). Problem Possible cause Possible solution Naming convention errors: several versions with the same cpl name, film title or specs unclear, wrong content tag Countdown or test charts at the beginning, long black after the end of the film Sync problems (check your testing environment with the sync test before making any conclusions) All the time out of sync: entry points for video and audio are not correct Make a copy and repack the DCP or make version file with a proper name Make a copy and repack with adjusted entry points Make a copy and repack with proper entry points Sync problems (check your testing environment with the sync test before making any conclusions) Getting more and more out of sync: audio and video duration are not the same or audio and video are packed with different fps settings. Image problems: Not DCI/SMPTE resolutions Extract the J2C, resize and repack Image not properly positioned within the full container Extract the J2C, resize and repack Audio problems: Wrong channel mapping Extract the audio channels and repack Subtitle problems: subtitles not appearing Scheme errors, wrong color settings, empty Adjust the subtitle files and repact

35 Page 35 of 75 subtitles not running in sync (check your testing environment before making any conclusions) subtitle lines Basic Workflow at the Festivals Every organization has both a formal structure, shown by the organization chart, and in informal structure that forms the culture of how the organization works. This informal structure, the culture, is created by the unwritten rules of the organization, and it can have a significant impact on the success or failure of any internal project. These rules guide behavior and attitudes throughout any organization. It is an aspect that is of special importance to establishment of a QSM. These rules make daily operations more efficient by improving how people interact. From a festival point of view we can consider three major activities: 1. Preparation and tasks outside of the festival: DCPs and KDMs generation. (Some festivals even smaller ones create DCPs and KDMs on their own. However, once DCPs are created by the festival they should be QCed by the festival). Quality Control of DCPs and KDMs, and their Approval. Processes complying with SMPTE/ISO Standards. Delivery of DCPs and KDMs complying with the Festival Regulations. Special screening related to the Pre-selections of the movies. 2. Tasks within the festival: Planning and preparation using the PMP support (Screening program, Systems, People, QC, Training, Special screenings for the Jury, Special screening/qc requested by production team of the movie). Manage operators, engineers, systems, and security of contents. Quality Control Management for the d-cinema systems and for the DCPs & KDMs. (Possibly using a dedicated screening room, and dedicated tools). Load Content (DCPs & KDMs) in the central library/tsm. Distribution of DCPs, KDMs, Play list, Show list and PCF in the presentation systems at each theater. Build the Show and manage final tune QC in each theaters. Play and control the Show. Reporting results of each step in the general Database 3. Processes after the screenings: Logging. Reporting results in the general Database. Erase the DCPs from the local storage and central library.

36 Page 36 of 75 The three activities, (1, 2 and 3), are intimately intertwined. Regarding the DCP QC workflow within a festival, it can be divided into five steps. For each steps there are several possible ways of operating depending on factors like festival size, type of venues used, number of films screened, infrastructure and personnel available: Step 1: DCP supply chain / creation of DCPs Usually a DCP will be received by a festival on one or several hard drives. Sometimes multiple versions of the film will be supplied. However DCPs can also be delivered digitally by downloads via satellite or network. If the festival accepts films in other formats like ProRes, tapes or disks it is an option to encode them to DCPs before screening. Step 2: QC of incoming / created DCPs Although the QC of all incoming DCPs should be handled by the submitting party (e.g. post-house) it is useful to have a QC process within the festival. The QC process can identify mislabeled DCPs, correct subtitles / language versions, correct audio format. An increasing number of DCPs are homemade and require special attention. To make sure that all DCPs are playable on all systems used by the festival a QC should be completed on time. For small or medium size festival (but also large festival) this can be done by using special software to analyze the DCP or manually by ingesting and playing the DCP in a test environment. Step 3: KDM management The correct KDMs have to be requested for all encrypted DCPs. Some festivals especially when a large number of screens are used might find it useful to request DKDMs to be able to generate KDMs as needed. This requires operating a secure environment. The aim of KDM management is to have an overview of all the supplied keys and to make sure that all keys are valid, targeted to the correct device and CPL and comply with SMPTE standards. Step 4: DCP distribution to the screening venues There are several options when it comes to distributing DCPs from the festival office to the screening venue. The hard drives delivered to the festival can be taken to the server for ingest, RAID sets can be created in the festival office for swapping RAID sets at the venue, network connections and storage systems can be used. In larger multiplex-theatres TMS systems might be installed, that require special attention during ingests (bottlenecks). Step 5: Monitoring All servers and processes used by the festival should be monitored. DCPs playable on the server, KDM status and disk space are aspects that need to be take in consideration. Golden rules Rule #1: The filmmaker/production/distribution people should thoroughly check that they are using a quality method of DCP production and that it is quality checked before the festival receives it. This should also be stipulated strongly in the festival guidelines. Even where very low budget movies are concerned the ability to produce and check a DCP should not be out of reach with today s tools.

37 Page 37 of 75 Rule #2: Experience has also noted that the earlier the DCP s are received by the festival, the better it is for all concerned. An offline QC structure within the festival should be able to further provide QC capabilities on site. Rule #3: Simply put, the more QCs completed before a show, the easier the running. If the technical manager of the event is confident that what is loaded into a server before it screens, then a good percentage of his time and effort can be directed elsewhere. Rule #4: Any repair should be done by expert from post-production facility that is knowledgeable on the DCP creation. Rule #5: Never attempt any repairs directly on the original disk, always make a copy of the original DCP. Rule #6: After any repairing operations the DCPs must be thoroughly checked in a screening room. Example of workflow used at medium size festivals Each festival, small, medium or large, can use this or make its own workflow that complies with the local organization, structure and environment. Example for DKDM to KDMs: Some festivals, (large festival) will require DKDMs some small festivals might want to request KDMs only for the venue were the screening is planned. The request of DKDMs is up to each festival. Of course, it should be agreed with the owner of the movie. And this is not a simple issue.

38 Page 38 of 75 Technical regulation forms for the submission of movies to Festivals The following technical regulation instruction sheet is used by some large festivals. This is offered here as a guideline. Each festival, small, medium or large, can use it, modify it or use their own. In any case it is suggested that each festival should have regulation forms that are compliant with their systems and rules. Technical Specifications and Requirements for the submission of DCPs (Digital Cinema Packages), KDMs, Supplemental Package, Subtitles for theatrical exhibition at (Name of the Festival) Film Festival Systems at (name of the festival): All Digital Cinema Systems in use at the (name of the festival): Film Festival meet the SMPTE Standards and DCI CTP Compliant Test Plan. DCP: It is requested to provide two identical DCP of the same movie, each one supplied on a Media Drive (HDD in CRU frame), by. Each HDD shall contain only the DCP related to the movie. No other content shall be included in the HDD. The Assetmap of the DCP shall include only the CPL required for the theatrical exhibition at (name of the festival). No multiple versions of CPLs are accepted. Each DCP submitted to the ( should meet the standard SMPTE-DCP. However, players at (name of the festival): will support also Interop-DCP format. No Mixed Format, SMPTE-DCP and Interop-DCP in the same DCP are accepted. The File name of the DCP should use current Digital

39 Page 39 of 75 Cinema Naming Convention. The ContentTitleText element of the CPL, shall comply with the standard SMPTE CPL Metadata. If the DCP were already made for other releases, it can usually contain several CPL. If this is the case, it is important to notify well in advance the festival organization. Soundtracks: Accepted soundtracks are 5.1 and 7.1 Channel PCM (Pulse Code Modulation). Other Sound tracks are ok but it should be notify to the festival organization before the festival starts. Media Drive & interface: Each DCP must be supplied on a 3.5 Media Drive HDD in an industry CRU frame with external power supply (220V), and all related interface cables. Each Media Drive should also support esata, and USB3/USB2 data interface. The Media Drive partition should be formatted in EXT3 file format. EXT2 or NTSF are also accepted. No other file systems are accepted. The xxyy cannot accept regular 3.5 and 2.5 media drives. Each Media Drive should be supplied in a dedicated safety packaging, and be labeled using current Digital Cinema Naming Convention and CPL Metadata standard. These data must be editorially and technically compliant with the DCP Technical Form. Media drive & DCP Technical Form: The safety packaging used to supply the Media Drives must include the DCP TECHNICAL FORM provided by the (name of the festival). The DCP Technical Form must be precisely, editorially and technically, compiled and verified by the organization that will submit the movie to the (name of the festival). QC (Quality Control): In order to achieve the best possible Sound & Vision Quality Experience, the (name of the festival) requires that, before being delivered to us, each DCP undergo an in depth Quality Control and be verified and validated by the organization that submits the movie to (name of the festival). QC should include image quality, picture format, audio quality, subtitles, interoperability and compliance with SMPTE standards, Media Drive requirements, data and asset integrity, etc. The results of this QC should be reported in the DCP Technical Form and be included in the safety packaging used to deliver the physical media to the (name of the festival). IC (Interoperability Control): Each DCP delivered on time to the (name of the festival) will be given a technical verification and validation assessment regarding the interoperability and compliance with the DCP Technical Specifications and Requirements. This verification does not replace the QC. If the result of the IC is negative, then it will be impossible to prepare the PCF (Project Configuration File) and thus program the DCP for the theatrical exhibition at the (name of the festival). Problems of non compliant DCPs cannot be solved at the (name of the festival). On-Screen Subtitles: The xxyy requires that On-Screen Subtitles be delivered as burned into the picture. If delivered as XML File Format embedded in the DCP, and/or as DCP Supplemental Package, it is your responsibility to have them in sync (Timed Text) with each frame of the entire movie and be positioned in the active area of the projected frame. XML File Format should be compliant with the DCP SMPTE Standard. Off-Screen Subtitles: These will appear on a separate screen under the main screen. The file must be delivered on separate media. These subtitles must be in sync (Timed Text) with on-screen subtitles.we require that you send a 100% identical DVD and the lists of subtitles with Time Code

40 Page 40 of 75 - both in (language) and (language) - by. Off-Screen Subtitles for 3D Stereoscopic DCP are not accepted. KDM: If you deliver encrypted DCPs, we require that the validity of the KDMs includes the day the DCPs arrive at (name of the festival) (not after ) till. The KDMs shall be valid for all the Servers/IMB/Media Blocks in use at xxyy. The list will be available on request. Please deliver KDMs to (name@xxyy.org) and to the Cinema Department of (name of the festival) (digitalcinema@xxyy.org). If an FTP service is available please let us know immediately the procedures to download the KDMs from it. Note: If the validity of KDMs will not be compliant with the above requests, the (name of the festival) will be unable to perform the IC and prepare the PCF. As a result, it will not be possible to plan the DCP for the theatrical exhibition at the (name of the festival). Intermission: If the DCP requires an Intermission (separation of the movie in two or more parts), the DCP should be made accordingly by the DCP Encoding Lab. Of course, any intermission must have the preventive authorization from the Director of the (name of the festival) and should be clearly shown in the DCP Technical Form and CPLs of the DCP. Understanding the key Terminology - a Glossary This section aims at identifying the sets of Terms representing primarily the basic communications language for engineers, operators and management dealing with digital and electronic screenings of film festivals. The today digital and IT age with its increasing specialisation on the one hand and its more interdisciplinary aspects on the other have created greater problems in communication especially at festivals. Every discipline has its own vocabulary, and the today festivals are no exception. That way, when one person communicates about DCP, KDM, CPL, HFR, and other d- Cinema issues, everyone else knows she or he is referring to. And this is the key purpose of this section. Asset Anything a Digital Cinema composition will reference for playback is an asset: Pictures, audio, timed text. Packaging List info/document, which list the content of a Digital Cinema Package, are assets as well. In Digital Cinema context an asset is identified exclusively by a unique number. Asset Map An Asset Map maps files to numbers. Numbers are used extensively in digital cinema packages to identify things. Everything (picture, video and audio files, subtitle files, compositions etc.) has a unique number. Here s a snippet from an actual Asset Map:

41 Page 41 of 75 <Asset> <Id>urn:uuid:483c3e49-837d-42af-bf9b </Id> <ChunkList> <Chunk> <Path>some_mxf_file.mxf</Path> </Chunk> </ChunkList> </Asset> This snippet says The asset with the number 483c3e49-837d-42af-bf9b is found at the file location some_mxf_file.mxf When ingesting a digital cinema package these number/file pairs will be added to an internal dictionary which keeps track of all the numbers and files. How a server does that varies. But the mechanism will reproduce the essential property of the Asset Map: Numbers pointing at files. Every time a playback system needs something for playback it will search the internal dictionary for the required number. The dictionary will know where to find the asset with that number. Audio An electrical representation of sound. Sound is converted to audio via a transducer (such as a microphone) and audio is converted into sound by a transducer such as a loudspeaker. Audio itself cannot be perceived by hearing, and thus is not audible. Audio Channel Distinct collection of sequenced audio samples that is intended for delivery to a single loudspeaker or an array of loudspeakers. May contain encoding that will allow enhanced reproduction by a number of additional loudspeakers in a designated manner. Access Audio Audio tracks intended for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Individually, these tracks are referred to as Hearing Impaired (HI), and Visually-Impaired Narrative (VI-N). Accuracy Closeness of the agreement between measurement result and true value. (Accuracy is a qualitative term only). Action An Action is a physical signal that is sent by the D-Cinema server (or by TMS) to the external devices to do a specific action such as shutting down the lights, opening the curtains or powering the projector lamp. An action is not contained in or referenced by a show playlist (SPL). Active picture The area of video frame which carries image information. Adaptive white A color that an observer, adapted to a set of viewing conditions, would judge to be white.

42 Page 42 of 75 Aspect Ratio The aspect ratio of an image is its displayed width divided by its height. Most common D-Cinema aspect ratios are: 2.39 (Scope); 1.85 (Flat); 1.77 (16/9). Artifact Particular visible effects which are a direct result of some technical limitation. Bias (of a measuring instrument) Systematic error of the indication of a measuring instrument. Breaking the frame (Stereoscopic) Stereo objects in front of the screen plane (negative parallax) are problematic if they intersect the edge of frame, as contradictory depth cues are sent to the viewer. Essentially one cue is saying that the object is in front of the screen and another is saying that the object is behind it. This problem can be reduced in post production by a technique known as a floating window. This involves applying a partially transparent mask, reducing the strength of the cues on whichever side the object is breaking frame (and simultaneously if there are objects breaking frame both left and right). Another kind of issue is caused by objects moving backwards and forwards over the edge of frame. As an object moves off the edge of a screen one stereo camera signal is lost before the other. The result is that the stereo signal temporarily switches off. This can sometimes be solved by sizing up both images in post, causing the object to move off screen altogether. Brightness The property of a surface emitting or reflecting light. In lighting, it is our impression of the amount of light received from a surface. It is measured in Foot lambert (FL) or candelas per square meter and is called luminosity in the USA. Burnt-in Subtitles Subtitles that have been keyed onto the picture and cannot be turned on or off by the d-cinema projection system in any way. Caption Textual representation of the audio track, usually including all sounds, and usually in the same language as the audio track dialog, intended for hearing impaired audiences. CaptiView (CV) CaptiView is one of Closed Caption Viewing System for hearing impaired movie audiences. Support SMPTE and CineCanvas package, and can support up to six languages. The system consists of a small OLED display on a bendable support arm that fits into the theater seat cup holder. The easy-to-read screen is equipped with a high contrast display that comes with a privacy visor so it can be positioned directly in front the movie patron with minimal impact or distraction to neighboring patrons. Calibration The process by which a device or system is brought into the condition whereby a defined input produces a defined output. Central Storage

43 Page 43 of 75 A central location where the packaged Digital Cinema DCPs are stored for a multiple screen installation. Certificate The certificate is a digital document establishing the identity of security devices such as the IMB (decoder) or projector in order to create the security key (KDM). Channel-Based Audio Essence (CBAE) A collection of audio channels that conveys the information necessary to create an intended soundfield. Current Digital Cinema standards specify up to 16 channels in the Main Audio track file CBAE is delivered via AES3. Chrominance The part of the video signal which conveys color hue and saturation information as distinct from luminance. Also called chroma. Closed Captions Refers to text that describes the dialog and action of the movie. It is transmitted discretely to an audience member over a personal display, for which several types of devices are now marketed. Closed Captions may be displayed or not displayed depending on user preference. Closed Captioning System (CCS) Closed Captioning System (CCS) is designed to enhance the hearing impaired cinema patron s movie-going experience. A single infrared emitter broadcasts closed caption text and two channels of audio into an auditorium. Channel one is for hearing impaired (HI) and Channel two is for visual impaired narrative (VI-N). CMS Content Management System CobraNet - Is a combination of software, hardware, and network protocols designed to deliver uncompressed, multi-channel, low-latency digital audio over a standard Ethernet network. Developed in the 1990s, CobraNet is widely regarded as the first commercially successful implementation of audio over Ethernet. CobraNet was designed for and is primarily used in large commercial audio installations such as convention centers, stadiums, airports, theme parks, and concert halls. It is most useful in applications where a large number of audio channels must be transmitted over long distances or to multiple locations. Colour appearance What a colour looks like to an observer. Colour appearance depends in many factors including absolute luminance, surround luminance, adaptation of the observer, etc. Colour appearance differs from colour measurements in that the same measured colour will change its appearance as the environment in which the colour is observed changes. Colour Gamut

44 Page 44 of 75 The range of colors allowed in a specific system, as defined within a triangular area located on the CIE colour locus diagram whose corners are the three primaries of the system. The limits of the colours that can be displayed by a system. Also the limits of the colours that belong to a set of colours that are mathematically defined. Colour Space The color space is a set of numbers that are used to represent actual colors. Most common Digital Cinema colors are: XYZ or X'Y'Z'. XYZ is the color space specified for Digital Cinema content in JPeg2000. RGB or Video 709 is a color space used for Digital Cinema in Mpeg2. Composition A single element used for a D Cinema presentation ex: a feature or a trailer or an advertisement. CPL Composition Playlist A text file that contains all of the information on how the files for a specific Composition should be played back, including how the audio and subtitles are synchronized with the picture. The CPL could contain one reel or many reels, and there are different CPLs for each soundtrack or version that are to be played at the time of a presentation. The CPL is created by the Digital Cinema Packaging Facility. Crosstalk (Stereoscopic). Incomplete isolation of the left and right image channels so that one leaks (leakage) or bleeds into the other. Looks like a double exposure. Crosstalk is a physical entity and can be objectively measured, whereas ghosting is a subjective term. CSP/RPL Is an acronym for the standardized, Ethernet-based protocol used in digital cinema to synchronize and source content to a 3rd party closed caption display system. db Short for decibel. A unit of measurement that, in audio, describes sound pressure level or amplifier gain. The decibel scale is logarithmic, meaning that an increase of 10dB represents a tenfold increase in power: it takes ten times as much energy to produce an SPL of 80dB as one of 70dB, even though 80dB is subjectively only twice as loud as 70dB. Doubling the power raises the SPL by about 3dB; cutting the power in half reduces the volume about 3dB. DCDM - Digital Cinema Distribution Master The DCDM is created in Post-Production and can be used to convert into a DCP. DCDM is a master set of files for picture, sound, and subtitling, that have not been compressed, encrypted, or packaged for Digital Cinema distribution. The image DCDM is color corrected for Digital Cinema projection and will be used to create the files for Digital Cinema distribution (DCP). DCP - Digital Cinema Package The DCP is created in Post-Production from a DCDM (Digital Cinema. The DCP is the collection of files that are the result of encoding, encryption and packaging process from the DCDM.

45 Page 45 of 75 A DCP is delivered by the distributor to the exhibitor using a physical media (e.g. Hard Disk Drive) or satellite. A distribution package may contain pieces of a Composition, or one complete Composition, or replacement/update files. The Distribution DCP would always contain a Packing List for all the elements in its distribution package. An encrypted DCP requires a KDM ("Key Delivery Message") to unlock it. Presently there are two types of DCP used in digital cinema: DCP Interop, and DCP SMPTE. Interop DCP was introduced as an interim format prior to the release of the full SMPTE DCP standard. Each DCP, prior delivered to exhibitors, should have a Quality Check in each of its components. Note: DCP can also be delivered to the exhibitors without the requirement of KDM. DCP SMPTE The DCP SMPTE stage reflects the set of published SMPTE specifications as summarized and constrained by SMPTE ST429-2, D-Cinema Packaging DCP Operational Constraints. All motion picture distributors and equipment manufacturers are encouraged to adopt the accessibility methods outlined in this document. DCP Interop, Transitional 1, or JPEG Interop (Legacy Format) The DCP Interop is the legacy distribution format for digital cinema. While it is encouraged that distributions eventually migrate to DCP SMPTE format, players must continue to support DCP Interop format. Descriptive Video - DV Descriptive narration in specially equipped auditoriums is fed via infrared or FM transmitter to a small portable receiver, enabling blind and visually impaired moviegoers to hear the descriptions on headsets from any seat in the theater. Definition A description of sharpness or clarity of a picture. High definition pictures portray a lot of detail, while low definition pictures look soft and less clear. Descriptive narration Descriptive narration is a way of making visual media more meaningful to people with vision loss. Narrated descriptions provide information about key visual elements such as actions, settings, facial expressions, costumes, on-screen text and scene changes. The descriptions are inserted into pauses in the soundtrack and do not interfere with the dialogue. Digital Cinema In the classic model the entire production chain from scene to screen is a digital process, with images first captured and processed digitally before then being compressed, encrypted and transmitted via satellite, broadband or disc to cinema theater for digital projection. In the pure digital cinema model it is the projection of a theatrical motion picture through a digital presentation system that is compliant with DCI specifications and SMPTE standards. Digital Cinema Naming Convention Recommendation for naming DCP files. To be used for text that goes into the Content Title Text element of a composition playlist. Present version is created by ISDCF and Studios. Naming Convention, has two primary objectives: 1) to make as much information visible as possible, and 2)

46 Page 46 of 75 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. (See the following illustration string that represents Version 9. Additional info in Annex A The Digital Cinema Naming Convention) Digital image An image defined by code values. Distribution Channel Forensic Mark (DCFM) A unique visible identifier in the feature that marks specific distribution channels (Film, JPEG D Cinema, DVD, etc.) for Anti-Piracy. DSM Digital Source Master The Digital Source Master is created in Post-Production and can be used to convert into a DCDM (Digital Cinema Distribution Master). The DSM can also be used to convert to a film duplication master, a home video master, and/or a master for archival purposes. DKMS Data and Key Management System Encode (Compression) In order for the digital cinema file to be a manageable size, it is compressed. A typical uncompressed feature can be approximately 2 Terabytes (TB) in size. After the compression process, those files may range between Gigabytes (GB). This size file, while still large, is more easily delivered. Encryption Encryption can be considered as putting a lock on the content. The content is transformed by applying the encryption algorithm in conjunction with the encryption key. During the encoding process files must be encrypted to allow for secure transport of feature content. DCI and SMPTE adopted the AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) 128 bit encryption. AES 128 is the standard approved for U.S. government information classified to the SECRET level. Encryption is thus Hollywood s primary concern (fear) when it comes to digital cinema. End-to-end Security The consistent application of security measures across an entire process or system (the cryptosystem) such that the most vulnerable elements are sufficiently strong to maintain the desired level of security overall. Error Offset or deviation (either positive or negative) from the correct value. Event Play List A play list of compositions, describing an assembly of compositions in sequence. An event play list is typically created by content distributor and transferred to exhibition.

47 Page 47 of 75 Expert viewing test An assessment session based on the opinions of expert assessors, in which judgments are provided on visual quality and/or impairment visibility. FLM Facility List Message (defined by SMPTE 430-7) File A structured collection of data characterized by a metadata header and a single body of data payload. Frame rate The number of pictures presented or recorded each second. It is measured in frames per second. FIPS and FIPS DCI compliant theater systems must be certified to meet this Federal standard for data security, which includes security from physical intrusion. Forensic Tracking Forensic Tracking does not protect the content per se but it provides the means to determine the origin when content appears in unauthorized places. This is done by hiding identification information in the content itself in such a way that it is not perceptible when it is played back. Watermarking technology is often used as the embedding method. Gamut mapping A process by which one color, which a device cannot produce, is replaced by another color, which the device can produce. Ghosting The perception of crosstalk is called ghosting. Gray scale The series of achromatic colors from the lowest luminance to the highest luminance. HFR High Frame Rates Frame rates are the number of images displayed by a projector in one second. 24 frames per second (FPS) was the initial standard in cinema. High frame rate refers to higher frame rates vs. 24. E.G.: 48 or 50, 60 or 120FPS. HDR High Dynamic Range is a set of techniques used in imaging to reproduce a greater dynamic range of luminosity. HDR images can represent more accurately the range of intensity levels found in real scenes, from direct sunlight to faint starlight, and is often captured by way of a plurality of differently exposed pictures of the same subject matter. HI - Hearing Impaired Is the acronym for "Hearing Impaired" audio. It describes an accessibility audio channel whose dominant content is dialog. This channel may be included in the DCP, or produced in the cinema

48 Page 48 of 75 audio processor as mix of left, center, and right channels, with a 3-6dB emphasis on center (for dialog). It is delivered to the audience member over a personal headset. HVDLT Human Vision Delta Luminance Threshold. This is the minimum change in luminance that a group of people can correctly identify 50% of the time. See also HVMT from which this is derived. HVMT Human Visual Modulation Threshold. This is the minimum modulation that a group of people can correctly identify 50% of the time. IMB - Integrated Media Block Integrated Media Block is the solution for the next generation of digital Cinema projection. IMB is normally designed and available by all d-cinema manufactures to seamlessly integrate into any Series 2 DLP Cinema projector. Should work in 2K and 4K resolution, should have HFR (High Frame Rate) capability, and meet DCI specifications and SMPTE standards. Some capability of IMB includes a Multi-IMB sync for dual-projector 3D and quad-projector 3D, and operate also as autonomous IMB for standalone operation without storage server. Immersive Soundfield An acoustical space where sound can be reproduced from all three dimensions Immersive Soundfield Configuration A defined arrangements of configuration of loudspeakers that conveys an Immersive Soundfield Immersive sound Sound that is experienced within an Immersive Soundfield Immersive Sound System A sound system that is capable of producing Immersive Sound Immersive Audio Audio that is designed to feed an Immersive Sound System Audio that is created with the intent of being reproduced as Immersive Sound Interoperability The ability of systems to interoperate to understand and work with information passed from one to another. Digital signals may be originated in various formats and subjected to different types of compression so care is needed to maintain interoperability. This is an issue to analyze very carefully when a d-cinema projector should work with alternative contents or from players that are not compliant with DCI Specifications and SMPTE Standards. Intra-frame contrast The ratio of the luminance of the white divided by the luminance of the black, normalized to a denominator of 1, when the white and black that are measured are projected onto the screen in the same image. This is usually expressed as number: 1, for example 2000:1. JPEG 2000

49 Page 49 of 75 A wavelet-based image compression standard. It was created by the Joint Photographic Expert Group (JPEG) committee with the intention of superseding their original discrete cosine transformbased JPEG standard. It is the compression method specified by DCI and standardized by SMPTE for digital cinema presentations. KDM Key Delivery Message The KDM provides the method for securely delivering content and key elements. A KDM contains the keys to unlock the elements of a CPL for a specific device (server) during a certain time period. If a DCP contains multiple CPLs, a unique KDM is required for each different CPL ID #. KDM can only be generated for devices included in the Trusted Device List (TDL). The KDM is delivered separately from the DCP shipment that it is associated with. The KDM is created, today, by the Post-Production in charge for the DCP after the ok from distributors. The KDM is delivered separately from the DCP shipment that it is associated with. New methodology is under study by SMPTE and ISDCF. LASER Acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Laser light is seen as a replacement of Xenon lamps for D-Cinema projectors in order to increase features and benefits for exhibitors and audience. Legacy Something that is influenced by or a part of the past. As much as new applications and technologies spring up, most times even these bright new ideas are steeped in legacy they are not a clean break from the past. Library Management Server (LMS) A group of servers and networking components that are integrated and tested to create a powerful central hub for all communication needs in the multiplex equipped with d-cinema systems. It allows central storage of all movies, alternative content, trailers, advertising and more. This component networks the theatre, increasing the value of the individual components on each screen. Link Decryption (LD) Decrypts the content that has been encrypted by the Link Encryptor. Link Encryption (LE) Encrypts the transmission of the content over links between physical devices in exhibition. Local Storage A storage device that is associated with the individual playout device. Logs The term "logs" was originally used to designate notes on a trip or event. In the jargon of digital cinema, "logs" designate data recorded by digital cinema projection equipment in cinemas. These data are quite varied: - Technical information on the state of the projection equipment: temperature, number of hours the lamp has been used, etc. These technical logs, also known as status logs are useful for remote diagnostic and remote maintenance of projection equipment.

50 Page 50 of 75 - Information on the use of DCP in cinemas: time of the beginning and end of each digital projection of a movie, breakdowns causing interruptions, etc. DCI specifications recommend that distributors can regularly access these logs on the commercial use of their feature films. This seems indispensable for cinemas which have equipment that is financed with the virtual print fee system since the distributor pays a fee to finance the equipment every time he sends a DCP to a theater. The availability of the logs allows him to check that the film has effectively been screened in the theater before paying this premium fee. Luminance A measure of the energy being reflected or emitted by a surface and in which the energy is weighted by the CIE Vʎ, also called the CIE y-bar color matching function. Luminance is an approximate correlate of brightness. The Y value in the set of CIE XYZ tristimulus values is the luminance. Masking Masking (also known as cropping ) is a cache that hides certain zones located on the edges of the screened image. Masking is a feature included in the control software of the d-cinema projector. This operation is carried out by the installer when he configures the macros or by the projectionist if he wants to change or adjust certain settings. Media Block (MB) The hardware device(s) that convert(s) the packaged content (DCP) into the streaming data that ultimately turns into pictures and sound in the theater. The MB is a secure entity that is not field serviceable. Media Server Each digital cinema projector requires a media player to decompress and decrypt Digital Cinema Packages (DCP), allowing the content to be played on the associated projector. There is one media server for every projector for each screen. Metadata Data about data. For programme material this might include the title, duration, time and date, copyright details, location or type of programme. Metadata has become a vital part of storing digital content, image and audio, in large archives to enable it to be found again easily. Information that is considered ancillary to or otherwise directly complementary to Essence. Any information that a content provider considers useful or of value when associated with the Essence being provided. MXF - Material exchangeformat The Material Exchange Format is aimed at the exchange of program material between file servers and is a format for tape streamers and digital archives. In short, MXF is intended to be a standardized way to move picture and sound files between systems regardless of operating system and/or hardware. NOC (Network Operating Center) With the advent of high-speed broadband networks (ADSL, optical fibers), cinema projection equipment can be connected to a central control point known as NOC (Network Operating Center).

51 Page 51 of 75 Different types of NOCs are in operation: Those operated by third-party providers enable these services to collect information on festivals and/or exhibitors digital film programming via network connections. Installation and maintenance companies also have their NOCs to supervise the state of d-cinema equipment in cinemas via remote network connections. Major festivals have their own NOC included in the d-cinema system architecture. Object Audio of any duration that has associated metadata that describes how it is to be reproduced within a soundfield. This metadata describes the position, spread, motion characteristics and other rendering information. Objects can move within the soundfield, be reproduced in a single position, or by a specific loudspeaker. An object may be defined to behave very much like a channel. Object-Based Audio Essence (OBAE) Any audio essence that is comprised of both PCM audio essence and associated descriptive metadata, including temporal and spatial metadata. The associated descriptive metadata, combined with the audio essence to which it refers, allows the object to be reproduced from any desired location in the sound field. At present date, multiple immersive sound formats exist and/or are deployed based on different concepts and bitstream formats. A single immersive sound data model and bitstream format is required such that a standard immersive sound track can be distributed and reproduced in theaters using different compliant systems. Note from DCI Digital cinema Object-Audio addendum: The rendering of object-based audio into a specific sound re production format is proprietary to manufacturing companies and is not addressed in this document, Though object-based audio rendering may be carried out differently by individual systems, it is required that said audio in the DCP be interoperable within all DCSS compliant architectures that support object-based audio. Open Captions (OC) Refers to text or graphics that describe the dialog and action of the movie. It is delivered on-screen, visible to all audience members. Packaging List Like a packing list for deliveries, the Packing List contains the identification of each individual file included in a DCP. This list also includes information about each file that allows the receiver to verify that they have every file in its entirety. Playlist The list of Compositions to be played. Portable Network Graphics (PNG) A type of graphic file that is compressed in a lossless fashion. Used in Subtitles using Subpictures. Primary A color from which other colors are made by addition or subtraction. The Reference Projector primaries are red, green, and blue and all other colors are made by addition of light from each of

52 Page 52 of 75 these primaries. The DCDM encoding primaries are X, Y, and Z, which are imaginary primaries, and by which all other colors are defined. Projector Configuration File (PCF) A file that is put into the TI (o SXRD) D-Cinema projectors in order to configure the projector to a standardized set-up. PTS Presentation Time Stamp - specifies the time at which a picture element (such as a subtitle) should be presented to the viewer. RW - Rear Window Captioned A transparent acrylic panel attached to the seat reflects the captions so that they appear superimposed on the screen. Rights Material can only become a valuable asset if it has rights to its use. Such information which defines the allowable circumstances of its use needs to be associated with the material as a part of its linked metadata. For example, rights may be granted for broadcast on a certain channel at a particular time. At the same Rights Protection prevents the use of the asset where it is not licensed. RPGB Reference Projector Gamut Boundary, the limits of the colors that can be displayed by the Reference Projector. Screen Management System (SMS) The user interface that a theater manager would use to control a single screen s system including start, stop, the creation or selection of a Show Playlist and editing of a Show Playlist. It is required that each auditorium has one SMS. Show Play List SPL A playlist that describes the order of how the Compositions should play back. It is typically created by exhibitor using theatre management software to transfer screen ads, trailers, features to the equipment controlling a particular screen. The exhibitor could have multiple Show Playlists. Silvered screen A type of screen surface used for passive 3D stereoscopic front projection. These screens maintain the polarization of the light introduced by polarizing filters in front of the projector lenses. Sound A pressure disturbance in air that can be perceived by hearing, and thus is audible. Soundfield The acoustical space created by simultaneously reproducing one or more audio sources. Traditional soundfields are two dimensional in the horizontal plane. Soundfield Configuration Defined arrangements of configuration of loudspeakers that convey the intended Soundfield.

53 Page 53 of 75 SSMS Show and Schedule Management System, a component of a Theatre Management System (TMS). Stereoscopy The art and science of creating images with the depth sense stereopsis. Supplemental Digital Cinema Package Files that are delivered separately and added to an existing presentation at the theater, such as a replacement reel, replacement audio track, or replacement subtitle tracks. Most Digital Cinema Packages (DCP) contain an entire feature or trailer. Sometimes, however, especially for festivals, a "Supplemental" Digital Cinema Package is sent with an alternate reel, different language, or other features. This "Supplemental Package" does not contain the entire feature; both packages are necessary to run the feature as intended. In order to differentiate package types and the CPLs associated with them -- to know if a package contains an entire feature or a partial one -- a code is added at the tail of the CPL Naming Convention. There are two types of codes: OV = Original Version, and VF = Version File. Subtitle Textual representation of the audio track, usually just the dialog and usually in a language other than the audio track dialog, intended for foreign language audiences. Subtitle using Subpictures One of the two ways of subtitling in D-Cinema. Normally used for the display of special characters like certain Asian characters. Graphics are pre-rendered for display and are called up on-screen by a script. Subtitle using Timed Text One of the two ways of subtitling in D-Cinema. Subtitles are rendered out during play out at the theater. Surround sound A catch-all term used to describe any multichannel audio system that requires more than two speakers for playback. The most common surround sound speaker configuration is 5.1, and 7.1. TMS (Theater Management System) TMS is a software tool that enables e.g. the technical manager of multi-screen systems to control all of the digital equipment, whatever the number of screens he manages, using a single computer. The TMS seems to be indispensable in cinemas with several digital screens (unless the projectionists prefer to rush from one cabin booth to another). True value The value that would be obtained by a perfect measurement TDL Trusted Device List The TDL is list comprised of digital equipment installed in theatres for which studios or other rights owners have given their approval to these trusted devices to play their content. KDMs are only created for devices on the list. This adds another level of security to the DC process.

54 Page 54 of 75 Theater Space The region appearing to be in front of the screen or out into the audience. Can also be called audience space. S-3D images with negative parallax will appear to be in theater space. The boundary between screen and theater space is the plane of the screen and has zero parallax. Transport and Delivery Digital Cinema Packages (DCPs) and Key Delivery Messages (KDMs) are transported either physically on media (such as hard drives) or electronically via satellite. When the DCP arrives at the theater and is loaded, it is unpackaged, decrypted and decompressed for play out by the projection equipment. Wrapper A digital container that contains program Content and also defines and describes the structure of the Content. VI-N Is the acronym for "Visually Impaired Narrative" audio, often referred to as "video description" or "descriptive narration". This audio channel provides a narration of the action in the movie. It is delivered to the audience member over a personal headset. Visually Lossless An image is considered visually lossless when the processed image is indistinguishable from the unprocessed image under normal theatrical viewing conditions. XML extensible Markup Language. It is a common computer language used to markup data with simple, readable tags XYZ A shorthand notation for the CIE tristimulus values. X Y Z A shorthand notation for the DCDM encoded code values. Notably, the DCDM encoded code values are normalized to a maximum code value of 4095 and have a non-linear transfer function of 1/2.6. Zigby Exlpoits Zigby is a broadband communications protocol that can be used in place of WiFi, typically for controlling equipment. One manufacturer uses it for their hearing and visual impaired equipment in the cinema. 5.1 Describes the standard speaker setup used for surround sound playback: Five main (full-range) speakers (left, right, center, rear left, rear right), plus a subwoofer (the ".1"), which reproduces the LFE channel as well as (in most consumer systems) the low frequency information from the five main channels. 7.1

55 Page 55 of 75 An alternative variation on 5.1 which adds two additional speakers. In some consumer systems, the extra speakers act as side fills. Sony SDDS is a cinematic 7.1 configuration which places the extra speakers behind the movie screen. The site Case Study: The Norwegian Short Film Festival Grimstad, Norway, in summer a modern cinema. But it sounds better than it looks. The Norwegian Short Film Festival - NSFF takes place in mid-june, in a small town called Grimstad. It is a picturesque little place on the south coast of Norway with small white houses and narrow streets. The population in the city is around 5000, but that more than doubles during the summer holidays. They have a municipally owned cultural house with 3 screens. The largest one is a multipurpose room, with 340 seats, a large roller screen, a large stage and a little more reverberation than you will find in The Festival NSFF started in 1978, and since 2001 it has been an international festival for short and documentary films, with both national and international competition programs. In addition there are retrospectives, seminars, panel discussions and many other special programs. The festival has quite limited resources, even with the public support they get. Much of the work is based on the enthusiasm of people who love the festival. Compared to other festivals I know of, this festival spends a larger share of its budget on technology and Grimstad Cultural house, Screen 1

56 Page 56 of 75 a skilful technical staff. When the festival moved to Grimstad in 1988, we had technical seminars to attract people working in film production and post-production. Amongst the guests were Tomlinson Holman (THX), Harry Mathias (Cinematographer and ex Schneider, Barco and NEC), and not the least Ioan Allen (VP Dolby Laboratories) who has visited the festival 14 times with seminars and as head of the Dolby Laboratories Sound Award jury. Dolby gave an award to best sound in a Norwegian short film, and the jury did a retrospective session at the end of the festival, discussing the use of sound on films in competition with the filmmakers and the audience. One night every festival, there is an outdoor screening, using 35mm film. Most of the content is curiosities from archives. That always creates a good atmosphere. In 2001 NSFF became one of the 11 European festivals with the power to nominate to the European Film Awards, Europe s equivalent of the Oscars. The attendance It is a small festival, with about attendants. But they are all very dedicated. In the old days people in Grimstad called them the black-clad, and found them mysterious. Now the difference is smaller, but it is still easy to distinguish between the festival people and the locals. Setting up and testing outdoor cinema Most people visit NSFF either because they are involved with a film in the program or in the seminars, or because they are interested in film in general, and short films and documentaries in particular. The challenges In the major film festivals, I imagine one can demand that films are delivered within a limited spectre of formats decided by the festival. If not, the film will not be screened. They can do that because they are big and attractive. But for small festivals, the situation is different. They often have to fight (and pay) for content, and it will be delivered on the format the content owners decide. And for a short film festival it can be even more difficult, with a lot of content made by amateurs who have very little, if any, knowledge of formats, aspect ratios, gamma, sound levels and so on. It looked fine at home on their computer, so they expect it to play on the festival's system and look and sound great in the auditorium. That can be a big challenge for the festival, and the festival will be blamed for anything that goes wrong. NSFF has always had a generous attitude, trying to find a solution so the helpless and hopeful filmmakers will get their movie correctly screened. Sometimes it goes wrong, but surprisingly often we find a solution. Like 10 minutes before a screening we found that one film was delivered without the dialogue track, and our technician found a version on YouTube copied and synced the soundtrack to the file on our player and it was played perfectly on time. Such moments are magic.

57 Page 57 of 75 The formats The list of approved formats has varied over the years. In the old days the program was dominated by 16mm films, where some also were delivered with separate magnetic sound. We talked about writing a book on different ways to mark the sync for sepmag (there seems to be an infinite number of ways to do it). We even had super8mm projection, but most professional film makers delivered their content on 35mm. In the mid 80's we started to screen video-formats, like U-Matic lowband, and later high-band using CRT Video control centre in the old days (2004) projectors but only on the small screens. In the late 80's we got better CRT projectors and new formats like BetaCam SP tapes, followed by DigiBeta in the mid 90's. DVCam became a popular format for the amateurs, and we were surprised how little some filmmakers cared about the quality. We have had dirty and reused MiniDV cassettes with different versions of the same film on the same cassette, and where the sound is out of sync. From a technical point of view it is an interesting challenge, and most of the times we found solutions, even if the result was not perfect. The CRTs were difficult to set up and adjust. When we had guests like photographer Anton Corbijn, we never managed to make him 100% satisfied with the colours (but he still was a great guest!). In 2004 we rented a Barco DP30 1.3K digital cinema projector from Arts Alliance and screened Norway's first two digital cinema films. The next year we rented a DigitalProjection IS40 2K projector (DP's licence with Texas Instruments was later bought by NEC). Since then we have accepted and encouraged filmmakers to deliver their content in digital cinema format (that later became DCP). Since 2011 all three screens have been fully digitized, and DCP has been our preferred format. We are trying to make it easier and better by specifying accepted formats. The table below shows the accepted medium with accepted picture and sound formats for each medium.

58 Page 58 of 75 Medium Picture formats Sound formats DCP 2.39:1 1.85: :1 Anamorphic Dolby Digital 35mm film 1.85:1 Flat Dolby SR 1.66:1 Flat Dolby A 1.37:1 Flat Mono 16mm 4:3 Flat Mono 16:9 Flat ProLogic Video, DigiBeta 16:9 Anamorphic Stereo (Left/Right) 4:3 Letterbox 4:3 16:9 Flat ProLogic Video, BetaSP 16:9 Anamorphic Stereo (Left/Right) 4:3 Letterbox 4:3 HD Formats: System Frame size ProRes 422, ProRes 444, Cineform 422, Cineform x858, 1998 x 1080 or 1920 x 1080 Other aspects need to fit inside one of these resolutions

59 Page 59 of 75 Frame rate Audio Color Subtitle 23.97, 24, 25, 29.98, 30 fps QuickTime with stereo: 24 bit, 48 hz, L R Seprate 5.1 Mono wav files: 24 bit, 48 hz SMPTE Rec709 (HDTV), 8bit SRT, PAC, D-Cinema INTEROP XML, D-CINEMA SMPTE 2010 XML We know from experience that not all films will be delivered according to the list. We can handle other formats either by converting them to DCP or via FinalCut or different players on our computers. The equipment Throughout the years we have had a lot of different equipment. We can still show 35mm in two screens with Ernemann 15 projectors. The one in the main auditorium can run at variable speeds, especially for silent movies with live music. In Screen 2 we have an Eiki 4130PS (pin cylinder) projector. The festival has always tried to be in front with new technology, and was the first in Norway to screen Dolby SR and Eiki EX-4130PC 550W Xenon, PinCylinder 16mm projector Dolby SR*D when these formats came out, and we were the first one to show Norwegian digital cinema movies. Screen 1 was one of the pilots in the Norwegian digital cinema rollout projects, and had a BarcoDP90 and a Doremi DCP2000 installed in Since 2011 Screen 1 has had a Christie CP2230 projector, Screen 2 a CP2220 and Screen 3 a CP2210. Each of them has a Doremi DCP2K4 player. For all screens there is a RosettaBridge TMS with its integrated IQCC automation. To play non-dcp video formats we still have BetaCamSP/DigiBeta tape players, DVD/BluRay players and can also provide DVCam or VHS if that is desired (we have had artists who love the look of VHS). Apple has been a sponsor for the festival in many years, so we use 3 or 4 Mac computers for playing different file formats, or material we are logging from tapes to the computers. To have the best control, we have used FinalCut to make playlists. All of the computers are connected through a local network, so we can easily move content from one screen to another.

60 Page 60 of 75 For many years we used AJA cards to output audio and video signals in HD-SDI format to the scalers. When it works, it gives very good results, but it is a bit complicated to switch the settings on the AJA cards between films in the same program. It is easy to make a mistake and having to restart. We also had some issues de-embedding the sound from SDI in our scalers, so now we have simplified and use HDMI output to the FPS IA200 scalers. The sound from the scaler is sent as S/PDIF to an USL ECI-60 where we can switch between sound from the Doremi server or the scaler. Because of 35mm film, we still use a Dolby CP650 as our main sound processor, but the new QSC sound system in screen 1 also has a Q-Sys processor, so we can do 7.1 sound. We have customised projector channels for different aspect ratios. Switching between formats is done with the projectors touch panel, on the TMS or the Doremi servers Since screen 1 is a multi-purpose room, we have lot of theatre lighting available, that we can use for setting light on the stage. There is also a separate PA and the large stage is nice to use for presentations. We have a technician in the auditorium who can adjust the sound level and operate the PA system and the light controller. That person also handles communication with the booth. For international guests we use the infrared hearing impaired system to translate Norwegian films that come without subtitles. On some occasions we use Skype, projected on screen, to have a conversation with (important) filmmakers who cannot be present, after screening of their film. The execution Filmmakers submit their films for competition in February/March. A short film, independent of category, is defined as a film less than 35 min. A documentary is defined to be over 25 min. For a documentary between 25 and 35 min one must choose one of the categories. There is also a separate competition for music videos. A pre-selection committee selects the films to be screened in competition at the festival. Films for the international competition are selected from screenings at other international festivals. Filmmakers must fill in a form with technical details about their film. It is a problem that many of the filmmakers do not know the formats of their own film and they do not bother to find out. The result is that we sometimes miss important information to make a correct screening. As far as possible we do a QC of the films as they are delivered, but with a lot unconventional films, it can be difficult to know if something strange is intentional or wrong. The festival reserves the right to convert any film to DCP. Our magician, Knut Erik Evensen, also converts to DCP on site. He uses his system with EasyDCP Creator/Player, After Effects, Subtitle Edit, ProTools and IzotopeRX. Films can be delivered on hard drive or uploaded to an ftp-server as ProRes or Cineform Quicktime files according to our specs. Sometimes we have problem ingesting home-made DCPs. Then we ask for a new, or a backup in another format. When ingested, we test all DCPs as far as the time permits. All DCPs are deleted from the Doremis and the library after the

61 Page 61 of 75 festival. Converted films are also deleted, as we do not want to make DCPs for free, competing with other companies making DCPs. In this year's festival we converted almost every non-dcp film. Using the functionality of the Doremi players, the automation and the TMS, gives a smooth presentation. Part of the technical staff is always the first ones to arrive in Grimstad, 4-5 days before the opening, bringing in a lot of equipment. The technical staff are hand-picked from all over Norway, each representing skills in fields we need. For us, the projection room is the heart of the festival, and we spend more time there than needed, because it is fun and inspiring to be there. With so many films and many of them delivered in different versions, we may experience that the hard drive on the Doremi is almost full, and we have to delete content. Even if we do careful planning, there can be situations where a film has not been transferred from the library to the player in time for screening. If we cannot find a way around, we must cancel that screening and show it in another program. This happens very seldom, maybe once per festival or less. Some films can be only a minute or two long, and there are very many titles at NSFF, and very many of them are premiers with the film makers in the auditorium. A bad screening can ruin the experience. The festival aims to give the audience and the film makers the best screening they will ever have of the movie. Screening at the Festival Screen 1

62 Page 62 of 75 Training Programs Training outline for film festivals an example from the London Film Festival. Reports from the LFF Technical Management indicated that the 2012 festival was almost in crisis due to non-compliant DCPs, non-compliant equipment in the festival venues, venues moving equipment thus rendering keys void and a lack of onsite or adjacent ability to fix issues arising. A training course / workshop was designed to smooth the process and lead to a change-over to an all DCP operation. This training was for both the management and the technical staff. Traditionally there was not much dialog between festival management and the technicians but now it is essential to have a board level technical representative in the festival management. Statistics from the LFF Features DCP mm 26 Tapes (HDCAM and DIGIBETA) 24 Blu Ray 1 Features 223 Shorts DCP mm - 16 Tapes (HDCAM and DIGIBETA) 47 16mm 8 Blu Ray 3 Shorts 108 Total Presentation 876 (or 903 including shorts programme titles) Incl Industry 58 Press 81 Education 35 During this Festival there were approximately 260 programmes with over 600 public screenings at 14 venues the content was on 16/35mm and tape but predominantly DCP. Some DCPs would play in one screen and then not work at a different venue this was particularly noticeable when the DCP had sub titles. There were problems with approximately 10% of all the DCP and around 24 hrs notice before a screening to sort it out- it became a very close and sometimes expensive call to rectify the problems in time for the screening. Excerpt from the HDDC Ltd, creative Skillset Training plan. Part one

63 Page 63 of 75 The first half-day seminar will give management an overview of Digital Cinema, how it works and its benefits to the movie business. This introduction to the concept of distribution and presentation will show how the digital process has been developing within the production process for the last forty years but is still a mystery to many. We will cover the concept of the virtual print fee and Distribution for regular movies and then cover the special requirements of Digital festivals which are essentially more complex where Digital Movies may be originated on a variety of equipment and Digital Cinema packages will be assembled with a mixture of mainstream businesses with up to date proprietary tools and other companies and individuals using the latest free authoring package. A key feature will be the commercial approach to the cottage industry supporting the festivals. Digital: - what does this often used word actually mean? Digital is a system of sampling using a number system centered on base two not the base ten we use in everyday life, What is sampling and what are the benefits. We hear about bits and bytes, gigabits and terra bytes what are they? Film and Digital the Digital Intermediate, scanning, CGI, colour balancing Digital Distribution and Projection Paying for it all Security / Piracy 3D Issues Quality assurance Distribution Logistics Festival Technicians Training Part two Implementing the technology This section will be 1.5 days in duration and will be based on the previously successful DCM courses operated by HDDC at the BFI Southbank. There will be less accent on generating DCPs from scratch but more emphasis on Quality assuring the submitted packages. If the packages are non-compliant or broken the course will highlight how to identify this and cover the process to repair them. There will also be a new section on preparing video tape submissions for processing into compliant DCPs to simplify the festival s logistics. This tape to DCP process can be carried out by the festival

64 Page 64 of 75 or be beneficial to the local businesses by facilitating the work to be outsourced to simplify the festivals operations. The course will be supported by several DCP Q/A and authoring tool manufacturers and examples of broken DCPs will be prepared, repaired and test screened. Summary Festivals are a team effort and are sometimes beset with problems created not by technology but by politics, cliques and working practices. In any festival training it s important to break down the boundaries between the various parts of the team. Only then can we expect to have a harmonious and structured programme which can both instruct and assist the creative who wish to bring their creations to the festival. It is preferable to have guidelines for content submissions with festival assistance than inflexible rules. As a result of this training the British Film Institute has installed a DCP QA station to facilitate the QC and repair of the submitted movies.

65 Page 65 of 75 Annex A The Digital Cinema Naming Convention The Digital Cinema Naming Convention is a voluntary industry recommendation, designed to provide HUMAN READABLE information. This should not be depended upon for AUTOMATION. Systems SHALL NOT reject content based on real or perceived errors in the use of the Naming Convention. Digital Cinema Naming Convention The problem: Some Digital Cinema servers only show a limited number of characters on their display screens. If the title of a composition is long, much of the information may be cut off or not visible unless you scroll to a second page. This makes locating a specific composition difficult if you have multiple titles. It s especially confusing when you have multiple trailers as well as the feature with the same name. If a feature composition were labeled: Pirates_Of_The_Caribbean_At_World's_End_Feature_2.39_English_Spanish_subtitles_United_Sta

66 Page 66 of 75 tes_rated_pg-13_5.1_audio_2k Then Digital Cinema Servers that only display 40 characters would only see: Pirates_Of_The_Caribbean_At_World's_End_ Is this the feature or a trailer? Is it flat or scope? What language is it? No one can tell if the information is cut off. The solution: 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: 1) to make as much information visible as possible, and 2) 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. (See the illustration chart above.) Facility Codes The Facility field is useful as a record of which company packaged a given DCP. Facility names are abbreviated to 2 3 characters. The codes are determined by the individual facilities and can be changed at any time. The facility codes in the table below are added upon request by each company. The list does not represent any kind of technical endorsement it is for identification purposes only. The list was accurate as of this printing, but new facilities are added often. A complete, up-to-date list will always be available on the website at: If you have a facility that is not represented on the website and you would like to be, please us at: digitalcinemanaming@isdcf.com. Projector Aspect Ratio The Projector Aspect Ratio ("F", "S" or "C") indicates the pixel array size at which the projector should be set. It does not necessarily indicate the aspect ratio of the image -- or theatre masking instructions -- since often times content such as trailers may be letterboxed or pillarboxed. The choices are: F = Flat (1.85:1) Pixel array size: 1998 x 1080 = 2k 3996 x 2160 = 4k

67 Page 67 of 75 S = Scope (2.39:1) Pixel array size: 2048 x 858 = 2k 4096 x 1716 = 4k C = Full Container (1.90:1) Pixel array size: 2048 x 1080 = 2k 4096 x 2160 = 4k Digital Cinema projectors are designed to project Flat, Scope or Full Container images. Occasionally product is packaged with Aspect Ratios other than 1.85 (Flat) or 2.39 (Scope). For example, an older 1.33 Aspect Ratio film may be packaged as a 1.85 Flat package with black pillars on the sides to "pad out" the 1.33 image to (The top and bottom of the 1.33 image would be in the same place as the top and bottom of 1.85.) Similarly, older wide formats such as 266:1 might be packaged inside a Flat or Scope container with horizontal black bars on the top and bottom to "pad" the image up to the top and bottom of 1.85 or (The 2.66 would be "common sides" with the 2.39 or 1.85.) In order to alert theatres that these are intentional black bars or pillars around the edges, the Aspect Ratio Field can be modified to clarify what the theatre is getting. For example: "F-133" would indicate a Flat package with a pillar-boxed 1.33 image inside it. "S-266" would indicate a Scope package with a letterboxed 2.66 image letterboxed within the 2.39 etc. The theatre would have the option of adjusting its masking to block the black pillars. Note: Never use this labeling device with Trailers! Trailers are almost always produced in both Flat and Scope versions regardless of the aspect ratio of the feature advertised. Quite often, the "non-native" format of the trailer is letterboxed or pillar-boxed. These "cross aspect ratio" trailers should never be identified using this method (F-239 or S-185) since theatres should not be encouraged to change masking for a single trailer on the playlist or this could inadvertently spoil the needed masking for the feature. (Changing masking from trailer to trailer is not practical.)

68 Page 68 of 75 Annex B Digital Cinema QC - Best common practices Each system used by any festival, small, medium or large size, should be subjected to a quality control of its main parameters. This should be true also for festivals that use non-digital cinema systems. However, for digital cinema systems it s mandatory to perform quality tests. If the festival has no engineer and no tools, they should ask help from the company that sold and installed the systems there. No excuse on quality at festival! Movie owner spend a lot of money to produce a movie. So, she/he deserves the maximum possible quality for her/his movie during the projection. This includes sound and picture quality, as well as on-screen and off-screen subtitles quality. Only systems compliant with SMPTE 431 are able to provide (potentially) top quality digital cinema projection if managed by expert operators/engineers using special tools. It wise to remember that running digital cinema systems at festivals is more complicated versus running commercial cinemas. One way to tare the Invisible Killers of the Quality is to automate whenever possible. For various reasons this is not always possible. E.G. there are solutions to automate some measurement procedures. Sure, having automated tools would be an effective solution, but basically the uses of these tools are not possible on any version of digital cinema systems and at every festival size. However, various processes and functions of digital cinema system at festivals can have different needs and require different management/automation solutions. The following digital cinema projection best common practices are for information only. Each festival can use it, modify it or not using it. However, systems at festivals should be SMPTE 431 compliant to get precise and top quality of digital cinema projection. Festivals, small, medium or large size, if SMPTE 431 compliant will avoid not only complains from directors and movie owners, but also interoperability problems with DCPs, Supplemental Packages, KDMs, etc. Every projection system should check, and eventually recalibrate the lamps regularly to get the recommended level of 14 fl for 2D and 4.5 fl for 3D unless a new fl value will be standardize for 3D. Note: A practical case at festivals is that personal fl value for 3D can also be requested by movie owner or by the director of the movie. This value is normally specified in the DCP name and in the DCP Technical Form that should be included inside the DCP shipping box. Every theater of any festival size should keep the port glass, 3D system and optics very clean to avoid a washed out picture. If possible, and depending on availability of money, every festival should keep up with cinema technology improvements for images and for audio, including screens. Every cinema used by festivals should have good acoustics, and should be calibrated to sound good and be powerful enough to be able to play content at reference levels. The SMPTE 431 compliant standards The SMPTE 431 standard are described in these two documents: ST 431-1:2006 D-Cinema Quality - Screen Luminance Level, Chromaticity and Uniformity and

69 Page 69 of 75 RP 431-2:2011 D-Cinema Quality - Reference Projector and Environment. This document introduced a new projector color gamut / projector configuration (PCF) called virtual white. All DCPs should also be SMPTE 431 compliant because DCPs uses a display referred color encoding. Each post-production facility should QC the DCPs they create on a projection system that is compliant with SMPTE 431 Review room that specify 14fL, 100:1 Intra frame contrast, 1500:1 Sequential contrast. The practical experience at festivals, small, medium or large size, have shown that each system used at each size festivals are using three different kind of systems: SMPTE 431 Cinema Theatre 14 fl, 100:1 Intra frame contrast, 1200:1 Sequential contrast. Cinema Theater non at 14 fl. Uncalibrated cinema. (Black will be gray or dark scenes will look brighter, white will be too bright or less bright). Some simple guidelines and common practices: Adjust the white luminance to 14 fl (Using a standard White test image, not a projector white test image). Check the framing with a framing chart. Check the sound for 85 dbc per channel. Clean the port glass and optics. Avoid spill light from projection booth. Use matte black cover for shining furnishing and walls of the auditorium. Check the performance of the existing screens. The following is the sequences of procedure and guideline used by some expert engineers at festivals. Each festival can use, modify it or not using it at all. Of course, the festival that have no tests or procedures in place should expect not only quality complains from the owner of the movie, but also technical problems. 1. Check for 14 fl Lamp Levels - Projection lamp levels that are set too low have a disastrous effect on the picture. When projected at the SMPTE standard of 14fL full white, the image is sharp and colorful. At lower levels, the colors become muddy and gray. The picture has less snap to it and feels lifeless. Important details in the darker areas will disappear if the light levels are too low. -Turn the lamp on the projector and wait 10 minutes. -Go to the middle of the auditorium and to the other places of the auditorium as specified in the section Quality Management System (QMS) at Festivals. -Point the spotmeter on the framing Chart test DCP. -Check for 14 fl. -Then adjust the power until it is 14 fl. -Repeat every day during the festival.

70 Page 70 of 75 For 3D movies you want to hit the fl target for that specific movie. Often the target is around 4.5 fl. Sometimes the target is part of the DCP name, 4.5 is a common target. Some movie owner have moved their 3D luminance target to 6 fl, their acceptable luminance levels are now between 4,5 and 7 fl. This value is measured through the 3D visual system (3D Glasses). 2. Check the framing chart. If the movie has a framing chart you can adjust a preset on the projector to fit the framing chart. It is important to avoid cropping 3D movies because it could break the 3D illusion on objects near the edges of the picture. You can also use the projector framing test images to check framing. You could also check if the picture is in focus when checking the framing. 3.Check sound levels Your theater sound system should be tuned to 85dB (C-weighted) on all screen channels using pink noise. The correct fader setting on Dolby and DTS systems is 7. On SDDS systems, the correct master volume setting is 0. Use a SPL meter to check the dbc level. If there is a drop in dbc in one channel you should check speakers and amplifiers for faults. You should also play a familiar DCP at the reference level to check if the sound system works OK. Note:A cinema can pass the 85 dbc test without having 20 db of headroom. RTA (Real Time Analyzer) / SPL (Sound Pressure Level) - Alternatively you could use a Real Time Analyzer (RTA) to check dbc level when playing the pink noise. With a RTA/SPL you would see both the pink noise frequencies and the pink noise dbc level. If there is some frequencies missing on the display when playing the pink noise an amplifier, speaker or other equipment could be faulty. You will notice which frequencies are peaking. The SMPTE standards

71 Page 71 of 75 Some cinemas may need to change port glass, change screen, change audio equipment, upgrade to series 2 projectors and similar actions to meet the SMPTE standards. Problems with the X-Curve/85 dbc sound standard: Virtually all cinema playback systems today are aligned using SMPTE 202M or ISO The two documents are virtually the same and both define the measuring method and the resulting frequency response known as the X-Curve. This provides a uniform frequency response adjustment for all theaters throughout the world. Cinema playback is also tuned to a specific level. All standard cinema systems are optimized for 85dB SPL (2/3rds back in the center) from each front channel and 82dB SPL for each of the rear channel arrays. All channels should have 20dB of headroom. The LFE channel is set at 10dB of in band gain; that is, 10dB greater than the screen channels in each 1/3 octave frequency band. SPL ranges from 88dB to 92dB, depending upon the specific bandwidth of the LFE system in use. (More info from: The current concepts of calibration were developed at a time when reasonably good room acoustics and high output, low distortion, wide directivity loudspeaker systems were by no means as easy to find as they are today. Good systems in good rooms should automatically produce good sounds. Many cinemas turn down the fader level because the sound does not sound good at the standard level. The problem with turning down the level is that the sound will be different on many levels at a lower fader setting: The dynamic range of the sound will be less, some sounds may not be audible anymore. Different frequencies will sound louder. The surround sound could sound lower compared to the main channels. A better solution would be to get the sound mix to sound good at the standard fader level. This is difficult. Applying one calibration level for all cinema rooms has been shown to lead to an unpleasant, overpowering sensation in smaller rooms. Here are some possible ways to improve the sound: The sound X-curve has some +/- tolerances, so the X-Curve EQ could be adjusted by ear to sound better. The X-Curve was made for big rooms, for small rooms you need to use a modified X-Curve. Floor dips cannot, and should not, be equalised. Listen to material at the standard level and check if the sound system sounds good and can handle it. Better acoustics (example: more damping material around the speakers, mix of reflective and damping materials in the auditorium ). Better equipment (example: modern loudspeakers). Amplifiers with more power that is closer to the loudspeakers. CobraNet or similar digital transmission of sound to the amplifiers. Digital transmission of the sound from server to the sound processor. Better DACs (digital-to-analog converter). For more detailed info on the Audio included in this section please go to:

72 Page 72 of 75 Annex C A typical data base structure for Festivals Data bases are available in many forms, and touch our operations in many ways. Having, and using the right database structure is essential for being efficient and effective in everything we do at festivals. This is why every festival in any place in the world, small, medium or large, should use a data base. Some festivals use only a simple data base while others use a very sophisticated Database Management System. This Annex C is concerned with basic information on databases. Database Management Systems (DBMS) are out of scope of this first edition of the EDCF Guide. The information included in this guide is here only as example. Each festival, depending of the size and organizational models, could use them or just ignore them and build their own database that is meets their needs. What is a database? A database is a collection of data which can be used alone, or combined / related to other data to provide answers to the user s questions. What is a Database Management System? A DBMS is a collection of programs which provide database management, control access to data and contain a query language to retrieve information easily. The following is information about one database used by a large festival and designed directly by the festival team. The design team took into consideration the following: Requirement analysis: what does the festival user at want? That a specific item (items related to the festival like DCP, KDM, system, theatres, projection date, QC results, Technical Forms, etc. etc.) can be reached easily and with the maximum guarantee. That the database can respond to the users different questions easily. The database should contain no unnecessary data. Data can be added and updated easily without producing mistakes. The database occupies minimum storage space. That the database can show at any moment, and inquire about the DCP Life Cycle. (Tracking method of each DCP). This particular database is still evolving; however, it is delivering the following benefits: Main Toolbar - Ability to Create New or Select Existing Desktops. Scheduling Calendar to display the Screening Halls Resource Group (See the following screenshot).

73 Page 73 of 75 Ability to see more than one day. Ability to customise the display and provide an over-view without the need to drill down into the booking. Details of the Work Order/Booking (See the following screenshot). Statuses that can be assigned to a booking Naming convention can be changed as required (See the following screenshot).

74 Page 74 of 75 Ability to Associate a Booking/Work Order (WO) to a Project for Reporting and grouping purposes. Associated Media accessible from within the work order. History/Audit Trail of the work order, with recording of time and date, by user activity and action. View of Library Items sorted by Content Number (E.G. DCP number). Library Maintenance Form (See the following screenshot). This is a very small selection of the facilities that a fully functioning database can provide. This particular database is in operation and is still evolving. New user requirements are discovered and added at each event.