Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: How do make singalong version of a movie?

This is topic How do make singalong version of a movie? in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by James Waite (Member # 4536) on 10-29-2014, 04:37 PM:

A local theatre group wants to run a singalong version of White Christmas in December as a fundraiser. I've booked the movie on DCP. I told the group a ready made singalong version wasn't available. Any idea of how to create one?

I could turn on the captions but then they would have to play through the whole movie I assume?

The low tech solution would be to hand out paper lyric sheets but then there's no guide to when to sing.

Anyone know of a better solution?

Thanks in advance.

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 10-29-2014, 04:45 PM:

"A local theatre group", as in live performers? If so, why not have a chorus. The group members can stand at the front of the auditorium or along the sides or whatever and sing along at the appropriate moments -- hand out lyric sheets to the audience on the way in and you're all set.

That's a lot more "personal" than just printing lyrics on the screen, and you're guaranteed to get more audience participation that way.

Posted by Mark Strube (Member # 4190) on 10-29-2014, 04:47 PM:

If you have someone who is competent with editing digital files, they could edit the subtitles track to only include them while there's singing. (This would involve not using the DCP and instead using a DVD or Blu-ray.)

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 10-30-2014, 07:23 PM:

The DCP is most certainly encrypted, so, there's no way to change the content in the DCP itself. Trying to load external subtitles will not work either. Captions, like you already assumed, will play trough the entire movie, not just the "singalong" parts.

Like Mark already pointed out, you could use the DVD or better, the Blu-Ray source material and edit your subtitles right in there, using a decent video editor utility. You could export the end-result back to an unencrypted DCP, which you could play as a regular movie.

Make sure you do not mess up the audio tracks during editing and you end up with misaligned audio channels.

I would really go the route to embed the subtitles. Don't even try to create your own SMTPE subtitles, as this format is a mess and should only be touched with the proper tools and knowledge.

Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 10-30-2014, 07:37 PM:

I remember going to some of those Follow the Bouncing Ball Song Movies in the 60's.Most of the Audience sang along with the Audio. If you did that today in Multiplexes the Kids would probably think your insane....