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Topic: Create/convert to DCP

Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-21-2012 05:31 PM

Carl - Yes, using DVD-O-Matic to make the DCP. We have a GDC server and an NEC NC2000 projector. I made the clip in Sony Video Studio as an AVI so it should be fine from the front end at least.

I also have attempted to DCP-ize a couple of Looney Tunes from one of those DVD sets that came out a few years ago. I used DVDfab to extract the video but DVD-O-Matic gets to about 90% through the transcode process and then crashes. Any idea on that one?

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Carl Hetherington
Film Handler

Posts: 93
From: York, North Yorkshire, England
Registered: Jul 2012

posted 12-21-2012 06:36 PM

quote: Mike Blakesley
Carl - Yes, using DVD-O-Matic to make the DCP. We have a GDC server and an NEC NC2000 projector. I made the clip in Sony Video Studio as an AVI so it should be fine from the front end at least.

Very odd. I will have to think a bit about that one. If you get the time, perhaps you could send me all the .xml files from inside the troublesome DCP? (to cth@carlh.net) I will try to see if anything is different between them and a typical 2D trailer.

quote: Mike Blakesley
I also have attempted to DCP-ize a couple of Looney Tunes from one of those DVD sets that came out a few years ago. I used DVDfab to extract the video but DVD-O-Matic gets to about 90% through the transcode process and then crashes. Any idea on that one?

Which version of DVD-o-matic are you using? Is the crash during the "transcode" part or the "make dcp" part? Any chance you could send me the log file that is created inside the film directory?

Glad you are having at least some partial success with the -o-matic!

Best

Carl

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-07-2013 12:17 AM

Just wanted to report here that I've been experimenting a bit with DVD-o-matic and have reported a couple of issues to Carl -- he's been most helpful (and fast) in getting things solved and questions answered.

Among other projects, I even downloaded an old "1940s-era" Previews of Coming Attractions clip from Youtube, it looks awesome on the big screen. Never would have thought YouTube content could look that good that big. So now my list of "things to make" is starting to grow quickly.

Bottom line, this program works well and I'm sure I'll be making a lot of use of it. Thanks Carl!

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Gavin Lewarne
Master Film Handler

Posts: 278
From: Plymouth, UK
Registered: Aug 2009

posted 01-08-2013 12:17 PM

DVD-o-matic is a godsend, thankyou so much!

Using KDEnlive (linux video editing software) to generate a mpeg2 from some still images, and then DVD-o-matic I have been able to create a simple, but effective "Coming Soon" short customised with our business logo and some other stuff. We play it just after the ads before the trailers.

Rendering the mpeg2 @ 24fps in KDEnlive means we dont get any random flashes of junk on the screen, and the ability to name the end DCP anything we want (like PAC-COMING_SOON) without all the other DCI naming stuff is a brilliant feature. Makes building the shows very easy

So, thanks very very much for the brilliant and free software [Smile]

If you had a donation link on your website i would buy you a beer!

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-08-2013 02:49 PM

I created a one-minute plain black DCP called "Roxy Show Open" and a six minute one called "Roxy Close." I put these at the beginning and end of all my various templates, along with the necessary cues for starting the movie, shutting down the projector, etc. This takes the place of having to use multiple 30-second "MOS" clips and this way I can make sure that all the cues stay in the right places. Once the playlist is built, the only cue I have to add is the "lights mid" cue at the start of the end credits.

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Carl Hetherington
Film Handler

Posts: 93
From: York, North Yorkshire, England
Registered: Jul 2012

posted 01-11-2013 10:05 AM

Hi chaps,

Glad it is working and being found useful. Thanks for the comments.

Best
Carl

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Dennis Benjamin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1445
From: Denton, MD
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-20-2013 07:30 PM

Thanks Carl, for your help over the weekend regarding that DCP still you made.

I have now made a few DCPs and I have run into a sound issue:

I created a DCP Trailer for the film "Amour". We hadn't received one and we are playing the film as part of our "Encore" series in a few weeks and I like to run the trailer to let people know we are getting it.

I downloaded a 1080p .mp4 version of the trailer and ran it thru Dvd-o-Matic. It created the package just fine. I tested it this evening and the picture was awesome. However, the sound was tremendously loud. I had to run upstairs as it was piercingly loud. What's the best way to handle that? Lower the decibels when I create the file? How would i know to do that ahead of time?

Thanks.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 02-20-2013 08:34 PM

I have found that it helps to look at a downloaded video in some video editing software that shows graphical waveforms of the soundtrack. It takes a little bit of practice but you will eventually know what the "proper" volume looks like on the waveforms. You can adjust that volume in your video software and then make your DCP.

The software I use is Sony Video Movie Studio (it's something like $79) but I'll bet there are lots of other alternatives out there.

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Carsten Kurz
Film God

Posts: 4340
From: Cologne, NRW, Germany
Registered: Aug 2009

posted 02-21-2013 06:18 AM

Best practical solution is to extract the audio/MXF from commercial trailers and use them as a hearing reference. E.G. you could extract the audio part from a few different types of trailers - action, romantic comedy, whatever.

Then you simply play these through VLC in comparison with the audio you want to compile into your DCP.

There are proper LEQ/ITU based VU meters available for video editing software, but they need some special knowledge to be set up and used, so I think the direct listening reference is the most practical approach.

Another one, of course, is to always create 3-4 different versions with different sound levels, then test each of them on screen and choose the best one.

- Carsten

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Aleksandar Obradovic
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 125
From: Belgrade, Serbia
Registered: Oct 2012

posted 02-21-2013 04:31 PM

Of of solution is to normalize sound levels with SoX (Sound eXchange) but you have to be familiar with command line/console within your operating system. I am using this occasionally during DCP creation process (OpenDCP is my choice btw).

Command to normalize sound of 5.1 audio channels looks like this (i assume that you already have all channels separated):

sox left.wav norm -20 remix 1
sox right.wav norm -20 remix 2
sox center.wav norm -20 remix 3
sox lfe.wav norm -20 remix 4
sox ls.wav norm -20 remix 5
sox rs.wav norm -20 remix 6

Of course you can build script when you find right level which suits your needs. I made one such script which covers entire DCP creation process with OpenDCP (con is that i have to always use same folder and same filenames except for wrapping which is handled by another script btw)

A little bit off topic question
Some of you guys and girls has knowledge of open source KDM generator???

BR Alexander

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Wolfgang Woehl
Film Handler

Posts: 31
From: Munich, Germany
Registered: Apr 2012

posted 02-21-2013 05:24 PM

Cinemaslides will generate KDMs.

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Carl Hetherington
Film Handler

Posts: 93
From: York, North Yorkshire, England
Registered: Jul 2012

posted 02-22-2013 03:58 AM

quote: Dennis Benjamin

Thanks Carl, for your help over the weekend regarding that DCP still you made.

No problem, hope it was ok!

quote: Dennis Benjamin

I have now made a few DCPs and I have run into a sound issue:

I created a DCP Trailer for the film "Amour". We hadn't received one and we are playing the film as part of our "Encore" series in a few weeks and I like to run the trailer to let people know we are getting it.

I downloaded a 1080p .mp4 version of the trailer and ran it thru Dvd-o-Matic. It created the package just fine. I tested it this evening and the picture was awesome. However, the sound was tremendously loud. I had to run upstairs as it was piercingly loud. What's the best way to handle that? Lower the decibels when I create the file? How would i know to do that ahead of time?

You can fix it by going to the Audio tab of DVD-o-matic and changing the value for "audio gain". A negative value will make it quieter. If it is way too loud you might start with -12dB and see how that sounds; you will need to recreate the DCP afterwards but it should be fairly quick as it will re-use the video encoded for the previous run.

As for knowing to do that; as others have suggested, you can only really do it by playing back the source file and referencing it to others. There should be a way of getting DVD-o-matic to give some indication of the source audio level, but it might be hard to get a representation that is useful.

Best

Carl

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Kris Verhanneman
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 182
From: Belgium
Registered: Dec 2009

posted 02-22-2013 08:49 AM

Is there an easy way to get a DCP back to a HD video file (unwrap the clip)? Something with a user interface please.

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Wolfgang Woehl
Film Handler

Posts: 31
From: Munich, Germany
Registered: Apr 2012

posted 02-22-2013 09:02 AM

Kris, I've written a proxy tool which does exactly that. Handles DKDMs for encrypted packages etc. CLI app, there is really not that much you'd want to interface with. Not open source, get in touch for details.

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Carsten Kurz
Film God

Posts: 4340
From: Cologne, NRW, Germany
Registered: Aug 2009

posted 02-22-2013 10:45 AM

quote: Kris Verhanneman
Is there an easy way to get a DCP back to a HD video file

To do what with it?

Unwrapping is one thing. Playing back a J2C-MXF another.

Unwrapping only gives a folder full of j2c files. Transcoding? Yes, but takes time.

Unwrapping is CLI with asdcp-test, but can be be made drag'ndrop easily under any OS.

A proxy solution with CPL parsing like Wolfgang mentions it is a nice testing tool until capable players (and hardware) turn up.

- Carsten

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