Begin a cinema delivery with the projection team’s requirements and a booked test. The finished package must reach the right auditorium, contain the intended version, and play correctly through that room’s picture and sound system.
Confirm the venue’s requirements before mastering
Name one contact for the filmmaker or distributor, one for mastering and one for projection. Ask the venue what it accepts and when it needs delivery. A DCP is common for cinema playback; some events accept another file format through a separate playback route. Get the intended route in writing before exporting.
| Topic | Confirm with the venue |
|---|---|
| Picture | Accepted package type, resolution, frame rate, aspect ratio and 2D or 3D presentation. |
| Sound | Channel layout, channel assignment, language and the approved mix version. |
| Text and accessibility | Subtitles, captions, language versions and supported accessibility delivery. |
| Delivery | Transfer method, drive/interface or upload requirements, ingest deadline and storage needs. |
| Security | Whether encryption is required, who creates KDMs and which auditorium equipment must be authorized. |
| Test and contact | Test date, projection contact, issue-report deadline and agreed fallback. |
Treat frame-rate conversion as a mastering decision. DCP-o-matic’s frame-rate documentation explains that source and DCP rates may differ. Confirm the accepted rate and review any effect on motion, running time and sound sync before making the final package.
Know what the package identifies
A Digital Cinema Package contains media assets and the information needed to locate and play them. The Composition Playlist (CPL) identifies a particular composition and its track references. A Packing List (PKL) identifies delivered files and supports integrity checks. Picture, sound and text may be separate assets. The DCI Digital Cinema System Specification explains the packaging and theater-system roles.
Record the CPL’s identifier and human-readable title in the handoff. Similar filenames can describe different audio languages, subtitles or edits. The server/media block and projector participate in playback; the projection team also builds the show playlist and controls the room’s presentation.
Ask whether the delivery is self-contained or a Version File (VF) package that depends on assets from an Original Version (OV). DCP-o-matic’s version-file workflow illustrates that relationship. When a VF is used, verify that the required OV assets are also available and ingested. Keep the package contents and filenames as supplied by mastering.
Arrange encryption and KDMs with the right identifiers
An encrypted DCP needs a valid Key Delivery Message (KDM) for the intended playback system and time window. An unencrypted package has no such decryption-key requirement. Let the distributor and venue agree on the security choice before mastering.
The DCP-o-matic KDM documentation explains the relationship among a screen’s certificate, the selected CPL and validity dates. Obtain the correct equipment certificate through the projection team and confirm the auditorium, equipment identity and local time zone. Include the test as well as the public screenings in the agreed validity window.
A room change, replaced playback equipment or revised CPL can require a new KDM. Keep the mastering contact available for those changes. The venue should confirm successful playback during the authorized window; receipt of a KDM email alone leaves that check unfinished. Keep private keys and sensitive mastering credentials with the responsible provider.
Separate package checks from a room test
- Mastering checks the package and saves the verification report. Resolve errors and discuss relevant warnings before delivery.
- Projection confirms receipt, complete ingest and the exact CPL/version selected. Check dependencies and KDM readiness where applicable.
- Play the delivered composition in the intended auditorium. Check framing, image geometry, motion, sound-channel assignment, sync and the complete subtitle or caption treatment.
- Review the beginning, end and sensitive transitions, then agree on the scope of full-length QC. Record what was actually watched and listened to.
- Document the result, issues, responsible person and resolution. If the package changes, identify the new CPL and repeat the affected checks.
For example, DCP-o-matic Player’s verifier reports package errors, Bv2.1 errors and warnings. Such checks can find structural problems; the room test evaluates the actual presentation. A technical pass should accompany a content review, including spelling, version, audio language and subtitle timing.
Ask the projection team to check the show playlist and relevant automation cues as part of rehearsal. A correctly ingested film can still be scheduled with the wrong version or presentation settings. Record the agreed contingency if delivery or playback fails.
Send one clear delivery record
Use the screening handoff checklist to collect the package title, CPL ID, duration, image and sound settings, languages, delivery details, test result and contacts. Keep a copy with the delivered package and with your production records. Update the record when any version changes.
The UK Digital Screen Network’s 2005 rollout illustrates the broader move from physical film prints toward server-based distribution and exhibition. Today’s handoff should follow the receiving venue’s requirements and the applicable package documentation, rather than a historical server’s feature list.
For upstream file choices, see masters, editing and viewing copies. For overlays and titles before mastering, use clean video composites.