Hey there, so I have this video that has both 16:9 and 2.21:1 aspect ratios, the best case scenario for me since my projection screen is scope, is for when the video is 2.21:1, it would take the whole screen (Scope), and when it's 16:1 it would turn to (Flat).
I don't know if I managed to explain well, but I couldn't find an option for this in DOM, Maybe the only way would be just to split the video (on another program) whenever the aspect ratio changes and add all the clips and resize accordingly, but maybe there is an option for this that I couldn't find.
Thank you for reading!
How to make a DCP that has both Flat and Scope aspect ratios?
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huster091
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How to make a DCP that has both Flat and Scope aspect ratios?
Last edited by huster091 on Sat Apr 26, 2025 1:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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IoannisSyrogiannis
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Re: How to make a DCP that has both Flat and Scope aspect ratios?
One feature DCP may only have one of two aspect ratio "containers". Meaning, whatever aspect ratio you want to use, or whatever number of them, you need to decide if you want them letterboxed/windowboxed on Flat (1,85:1) or Scope (2,39:1) exclusively.
DCP-o-matic doesn't cause any problem, if you try to enclose a Flat aspect ratio inside a Scope DCP or the other way around. Same for any original aspect ratio. 16:1 is a greatly wide aspect ratio, though, and it doesn't seem to be a good idea to try that on a cinema theater. Did you mean 16:9?
There is always the choice of using two DCPs, as you write, but then, what will you do for the transition time necessary for the projector to change lens settings?
If that simplifies things at all:
The proposed by ISDCF "container" aspect ratio for aspect ratios up to 2,3:1, is Flat, and Scope from 2,3:1 on. In practice, there have been different implementations.
If it was me, and I knew I could have screenings on theaters that have a 2,2:1 lens preset (not all do), I would enclose 2,21:1 and 16(?):1 inside that and use that preset. You will probably need to do the window-boxing somewhere else. Or, maybe, to export in such a resolution that would give you 2,2:1 when the image is 1998 or 3996 pixels wide.
In any case, best of luck.
DCP-o-matic doesn't cause any problem, if you try to enclose a Flat aspect ratio inside a Scope DCP or the other way around. Same for any original aspect ratio. 16:1 is a greatly wide aspect ratio, though, and it doesn't seem to be a good idea to try that on a cinema theater. Did you mean 16:9?
There is always the choice of using two DCPs, as you write, but then, what will you do for the transition time necessary for the projector to change lens settings?
If that simplifies things at all:
The proposed by ISDCF "container" aspect ratio for aspect ratios up to 2,3:1, is Flat, and Scope from 2,3:1 on. In practice, there have been different implementations.
If it was me, and I knew I could have screenings on theaters that have a 2,2:1 lens preset (not all do), I would enclose 2,21:1 and 16(?):1 inside that and use that preset. You will probably need to do the window-boxing somewhere else. Or, maybe, to export in such a resolution that would give you 2,2:1 when the image is 1998 or 3996 pixels wide.
In any case, best of luck.
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huster091
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2025 6:42 pm
Re: How to make a DCP that has both Flat and Scope aspect ratios?
Didn't notice that I wrote it wrong, yes I did mean 16:9Did you mean 16:9
This is what I'm aiming for, the video is mainly in Scope, but some scenes switch to flat, and this happens multiple times, so I can't make a different DCP each time it happens.if you try to enclose a Flat aspect ratio inside a Scope DCP
Guess it's best to avoid making a DCP out of these kind of videos
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IoannisSyrogiannis
- Posts: 253
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 8:40 pm
Re: How to make a DCP that has both Flat and Scope aspect ratios?
If making a Scope DCP with 16:9 and 2,21:1 is your goal, the only thing you need to figure, is how to eliminate letterboxing on your original video.
Therefore, you need to export in a 2,21:1 video, all your sequences. (Your 16:9 will be pillar boxed.) That's it.
If it was me, I would go for 4K if I could, to compensate for the shrinking of the videos to Scope (2K=858 pixels high, 4K=1716 pixels high). But I wouldn't, if the original video is 2K.
Therefore, you need to export in a 2,21:1 video, all your sequences. (Your 16:9 will be pillar boxed.) That's it.
If it was me, I would go for 4K if I could, to compensate for the shrinking of the videos to Scope (2K=858 pixels high, 4K=1716 pixels high). But I wouldn't, if the original video is 2K.
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cvila
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Re: How to make a DCP that has both Flat and Scope aspect ratios?
Hi there!
There are plenty of films that combine different aspect ratios within the same film, mainly because of narrative reasons. A prominent example which comes to my mind is "Everything everywhere all at once", I had the pleasure of mastering the Spanish version. In that case the main AR is FLAT, but it changes to SCOPE at a certain point (animatedly!) and switches back and forth several times. It was quite a challenge to deal with some cinemas that insisted that the DCP was badly mastered.
In the US (country of origin of that film), most cinema screens are FLAT. So the movie begins with the screen fully filled. During the scope parts, obviously there is letterboxing. No big deal.
On the contrary, here in Spain, most movie theaters have SCOPE screens, and that represented an added problem. The movie starts FLAT, so the left/right curtains are already covering part of the screen. When the scope parts come in, the letterbox reduces the projected picture area even more and the sensation is that only a small part of the screen is being used. Of course this is not optimal, but it is what it is.
In the OP's case, the fact that you know on what specific screen you're gonna project makes things easier. Your editing timeline needs to be scope (2048x858). Fit the 2,21 video in there, you can chose to have a little pillarbox or zoom in and sacrifice a bit of upper and lower image. Then the 16:9 parts will inevitably have pillarboxing. Also no big deal.
Cheers
There are plenty of films that combine different aspect ratios within the same film, mainly because of narrative reasons. A prominent example which comes to my mind is "Everything everywhere all at once", I had the pleasure of mastering the Spanish version. In that case the main AR is FLAT, but it changes to SCOPE at a certain point (animatedly!) and switches back and forth several times. It was quite a challenge to deal with some cinemas that insisted that the DCP was badly mastered.
In the US (country of origin of that film), most cinema screens are FLAT. So the movie begins with the screen fully filled. During the scope parts, obviously there is letterboxing. No big deal.
On the contrary, here in Spain, most movie theaters have SCOPE screens, and that represented an added problem. The movie starts FLAT, so the left/right curtains are already covering part of the screen. When the scope parts come in, the letterbox reduces the projected picture area even more and the sensation is that only a small part of the screen is being used. Of course this is not optimal, but it is what it is.
In the OP's case, the fact that you know on what specific screen you're gonna project makes things easier. Your editing timeline needs to be scope (2048x858). Fit the 2,21 video in there, you can chose to have a little pillarbox or zoom in and sacrifice a bit of upper and lower image. Then the 16:9 parts will inevitably have pillarboxing. Also no big deal.
Cheers