Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Off aspect ratio DCPs

This is topic Off aspect ratio DCPs in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=001848

Posted by Eugene Lehnert (Member # 7066) on 03-27-2014, 09:21 AM:

How do you prefer a DCP with an aspect ratio of 1.33, 1.66 or 1.78? Is it best to put an aspect ratio other than a 1.85 or 2.39 into a 2048x1080 DCP?

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 03-27-2014, 09:28 AM:

Narrower aspect ratios are pillarboxed within a flat 1998x1080 DCP.

Pixel dimensions should be as follows:

1.33 - 1440x1080
1.37 - 1480x1080
1.66 - 1792x1080
1.70 - 1920x1080

I have never seen a scope DCP that was narrower than 858x2048 (2.39), but I suppose that a 2.35 or 2.21 image would be pillarboxed within a scope DCP.

There is an optional entry in the DCP naming convention for narrower aspect ratios: a flat "F" DCP would be "F-133" or "F-166" (etc.) for nonstandard flat formats. This seems like a useful attribute and probably one to include in the DCP name.

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 03-27-2014, 01:34 PM:

I've gotten a few features and trailers that were 2.39 inside 16x9.

As for 70mm titles, I wish they would make them so that they used the full width of the container, instead of pillarboxing them in 2.39, or letterboxing them inside 1.85.

I don't like referring to 1.33, 1.37, etc as "non-standard" -- they may be uncommon (for some of you) but they do indeed adhere to a standard.

Posted by Jarod Reddig (Member # 6363) on 03-27-2014, 08:19 PM:

I believe Escape From Planet Earth was 2.39 inside of 16x9 to allow for certain effects to fly out into the letterbox bars.

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 03-28-2014, 02:45 PM:

If there's actual picture content in the black bars, I'd be inclined to regard that as 16x9.

BTW does anyone else hate it when subtitles are in the black bars?

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 04-01-2014, 06:29 AM:

quote: Manny Knowles
I don't like referring to 1.33, 1.37, etc as "non-standard" -- they may be uncommon (for some of you) but they do indeed adhere to a standard.

Agreed. I was thinking of those formats in the context of the DCI standard, which only specifies 1.85 and 2.39. But, yes, they are standard, of course.

Has anyone seen full-container DCPs used for anything other than test material?

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 04-02-2014, 11:09 AM:

I won't swear to this, but I think CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS used the full container -- but that wasn't the intended aspect ratio for presentation. (IIRC it was 2.39).

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 04-11-2014, 06:45 AM:

We had an Aussie movie that was full container...'The Goddess'. It was meant for 2.39 also.