Requirements for DVD distribution

D

deathwinger

Active member
Hi guys,
I was wondering if anyone know the requirements that a film needs to meet for official dvd distribution. (in terms of sound, lighting, colour correction, shooting format, etc.)

Any advice on this subject would be most appreciated.

When I say official, I mean those movies that would be on netflix or a best buy.
 
In my opinion, the only requirements are that the video be watchable and interesting. All of the specific elements you listed (sound, lighting, colour correction, shooting format) just need to be "good"--and that's all subjective.

I have no idea what criteria Netflix uses to choose titles for distribution. But I think Best Buy only buys through major distributors, so anything picked up by one of those distributors has potential to be sold through Best Buy.
 
KMR said:
I have no idea what criteria Netflix uses to choose titles for distribution. But I think Best Buy only buys through major distributors, so anything picked up by one of those distributors has potential to be sold through Best Buy.
Click to expand...

Best Buy uses All Media Guide to cover data for their products (as do most stores; Borders, Target, ect.)... normally all you need to do is is submit to All Media Guide, and then contact Best Buy (or another store) about being a Vendor.

http://www.allmovie.com/about/product-submissions

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=cat12104&type=page
 
From a deliverables point of view, you do want to make sure the final program meets at least basic broadcast specs for picture and sound. Fitting it into that will give a chance that anyone watching it will have close to the same experience. On some past projects, I brought my DVD into the special screening rooms at home theater type stores to make sure I had a consistent experience in picture and surround sound mix.

Michael
 
KMR said:
In my opinion, the only requirements are that the video be watchable and interesting. All of the specific elements you listed (sound, lighting, colour correction, shooting format) just need to be "good"--and that's all subjective.

I have no idea what criteria Netflix uses to choose titles for distribution. But I think Best Buy only buys through major distributors, so anything picked up by one of those distributors has potential to be sold through Best Buy.
Click to expand...

Right, I was actually told by someone who has 'run the route' that the distributors actually have a checklist in which they look for requirements of the movie being 'up to mark' before they consider distributing it. Now I cannot get the said checklist from the individual because he claims its a NDA contract issue if he were to show it to me.

He's been involved in at least two projects I know that have gone to DVD release so I know he has an idea about what he's talking about.

Does anyone here have any idea about this said 'checklist' and if so, what exactly does it cover?

I mean, I know that I film must have all things looking and sounding good, but is it really as simple as ensuring that the movie is playing well in a professional home theater environment or is the rating so subjective that if I intended a scene to have a slight blue tint to it they are gonna scream 'Colour correction on this, everything is looking blue!' ?
 
You need to separate the creative "up to mark" from the technical "up to mark". Assuming that story is good, acting is good, camera work is good, music is good, etc. That is why a distributor is interested. The technical deliverables will be to make sure that a program passes QC (quality check) as far as proper color etc. This is does with a waveform/vectorscope (as the color correction should have been done) Audio has delivery specs as far as DB etc. There will be no comment about a scene being blue if that is the creative choice for the film. There will be an issue is if the blue is pushed so hard that it is out of gammut. That's when flags go up.

All of this is to allow a common viewing experience - not all, if most home televisions are calibrated. But you have to start somewhere which is why there are standards to help bound that. For example, if you color correct on your computer monitor which is full gammut 0-255 RGB and create a video DVD that way, there is a chance that someone on their DVD player or television set the "cinema mode" which basically takes digital video spec of 16-235 and stretches back to 0-255 creating a deeper black, thus richer look. If you delivered somehting at 0-255 already, this will crush the blacks even more leaving no detail in the shadow... thus the basic specs.

Color correction has two basic goals - one is to ensure image satisfies the look and feel of the story (creative) and then to ensure that those decisions meet the technical requirement of the delivery.

Michael
 
By the way, any facility can give you a quick check of your master to ensure it meets broadcast standards. At least you know you're in the right ballpark. Foreign deliverables can have more or less stringent standards (I'm looking at you Germany! ;) ) Other deliverables that may differ for distribution will be subtitles, etc.

Michael
 
deathwinger said:
Right, I was actually told by someone who has 'run the route' that the distributors actually have a checklist in which they look for requirements of the movie being 'up to mark' before they consider distributing it. Now I cannot get the said checklist from the individual because he claims its a NDA contract issue if he were to show it to me.

He's been involved in at least two projects I know that have gone to DVD release so I know he has an idea about what he's talking about.

Does anyone here have any idea about this said 'checklist' and if so, what exactly does it cover?

I mean, I know that I film must have all things looking and sounding good, but is it really as simple as ensuring that the movie is playing well in a professional home theater environment or is the rating so subjective that if I intended a scene to have a slight blue tint to it they are gonna scream 'Colour correction on this, everything is looking blue!' ?
Click to expand...

Yes those list for some reason are like top secret. I can tell you they are out there you just have to dig. We are in the process of delivering our film here is an idea of some of the things you'll need;
HDCAM SR Master
Fully filled M&E
Downconversion to 4:3, Digitbeta, PAL, etc.
10 bit uncompressed file on hard drive of the entire film
Production stills (not behind the scenes stuff, but of the actors doing the scenes) also promotional type shots
Dialogue continuity script
Chain of title
All key cover art
All contracts and documents relevant to the production ie. Location releases, crew and actors contracts, product releases etc.

This list is for someone who has sold or wants to sell to a distributor. If you're DYI'ing it then what ever the DVD replicating place want and I'd have all the legal stuff to CYA.
Believe me delivering a film is almost as much work as either production or post IMHO.
Good luck
Allen

'The Killing Strain'
http://www.killingstrainmovie.com
 
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