Exhibition Sound Format

Elmer_Lang

Elmer_Lang

Well-known member
Hi
I'll soon be sending a film off to festival fantasy land. They ask for exhibition and sound mix formats. If I get so lucky as to be picked, I choose HDCAM as my exhibition format. I have no idea which sound mix format to choose. Any suggestions from the list below?

Dolby
Digital EX
Magnetic
SepMag/Cardband
Dolby A
Dolby SR
Dolby Digital
SDDS
Other
SILENT
Dolby E
LTRT
Optical
DTS

Thanks,

Elmer
 
Hi Elmer,

With HDCAM, I usually do LtRt for channels 1 & 2, then Dolby E for channels 3 & 4. I think this is the way Sundance still does it. The LtRt can be split out into 5.1 if the theater has a decoder. If the theater doesn't have a LtRt decoder, then they will just play the LtRt as a regular "stereo" file. It's sort of "bullet proof". Not all theaters have Dolby E, but it's nice to see that they gave you the option.

Best,

Ryan
 
Hi Ryan,

Thanks much for the reply! And a very impressive resume I see on your site.

I edit with fcpx. What kind odf file would I give to someone to make an HDCAM transfer and what is the cost? For one thing, doesn't one have to license the Dolby?
 
Thanks Elmer.

Did you (or a post sound guy) make a stereo or 5.1 mix for your film?

If it's only a stereo mix, then this will replace the LtRt. You'll need to indicate that it is not a LtRt.

If it's a 5.1 mix, then your post sound guy (assuming you worked with one) should make a stereo LtRt for you. There's no need to make a Dolby E if you don't have a 5.1 mix.

If you're giving this to a transfer house, then they will need to provide you with the appropriate video specs (codec, etc.) - I imagine it would be a ProRes 422 file... Sometimes they like the audio as a separate .wav/.aif file with 2pops placed 2 seconds before the first frame of action (FFOA) and another 2 seconds after the last frame of action (LFOA).

If the transfer house wants the audio embedded in the QT file, then the audio codec should be uncompressed/wav/pcm.
 
I hate to come off sounding like an A-hole, but I would avoid HDCAM if you can.

There are in my opinion, better, more modern formats now as opposed to an 8bit 1440x1080 tape based format which is nearly 17 years old.

Also playback quality of your film will be at the mercy of how well maintained the tape deck in question is.
 
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Thanks for the reply! A different opinion is good to hear. The problem is, it seems like the most common format in the 6 or 7 festivals I'm considering to enter is HDCAM, and Digibeta is often an option. Probably DCP, too, I forget.

I shot with the Pana GH2, that's AVCHD.

Now, first off, I'm a long way from being invited to screen my flick, but I admit I like the lower cost of HDCAM tho if I was actually invited to show my flick I'd be wise to consider all possibilities.

For instance, one festival has these choices for exhibition: 35mm, HD Cam, DCP, Digibeta. And I see by googling, Digibeta isn't terribly expensive (affordable to moi) and was (is?) a broadcasting standard.

I hear one can make one's own DCP but it sounds a bit daunting.

Any suggestions or preferences? Digibeta?

best

elmer
 
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don't ask me, ask the people you're delivering your film to.

Unless someone here is planning to screen your film, no one here can really answer your question. And even if they are, that answer is only good for that one festival.

Wait until you get accepted to a festival before you make the deliverables for it. don't expect there to be a single standard deliverable, there isn't.
 
I could be wrong but don't some festivals have the applicants send in DVDs for screeners first. If they like it and want to screen your film, they would then request a more elaborate format like DCP, HDCAM, HDCAM-SR, Dbeta.

DCPs are popular. The one thing about DCPs is that the picture and audio have to slowed down or sped up to 24fps (sample rate converting the audio). 24fps is/was?? the standard for DCP since it is the most universally accepted according to other forums. With that said, another member of this forum mentioned that they can do 25fps DCPs. I guess it all depends on the venue...

I have witnessed a person creating a DCP using a home system and it took 10+ hours... Might be more efficient to have an authoring house do it - it'll save you the pain.
 
Thanks for the replies.

Of course I'm going to wait till I'm asked but festival submission apps ask what you can deliver for exhibition, there are options, and I'm asking what people think of the different options.
 
You should discuss this with your mixer. If they can give you a surround mix in LtRt (which is a widely used standard), then you will be covered for both stereo & surround with a single 2 track output. They should also be able to provide you with a LoRo, which is old fashioned, non surround stereo and a 5.1 discrete mix with 6 separate mono files. Ask what the mixer recommends, and also ask how much extra it will cost for all of the outputs.
 
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