Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Invisible watermark for DCPs.

This is topic Invisible watermark for DCPs. in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Rayjohn Tagayon (Member # 9659) on 09-22-2016, 05:39 AM:

Is there any plugin nowadays for Davinci Resolve, etc. That can burn in invisible watermarks to digital cinema packages as an anti piracy measure?

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 09-22-2016, 08:19 AM:

Probably, but what's the point? If you find your movie on a DVD-R at a flea market you know it was pirated. Adding a watermark won't add any clue on its source - unless you render each distribution copy individually... not likely unless your release goes to under a dozen screens.
The standard digital cinema image and audio watermarks are generated in the server media block during playback: they will reveal the server serial number and show date/time of a pirated copy. That info is somewhat useful, I suppose.

Posted by Stephan Shelley (Member # 8587) on 09-22-2016, 01:05 PM:

All DCI servers can enable a watermark that gives the serial number of the media block. One can trace back the source through it. I think you will find that most piracy comes from post production often in the form of screeners rather than from the cinemas.

Posted by Rayjohn Tagayon (Member # 9659) on 09-23-2016, 12:41 AM:

Say I only want to watermark one or two copies to be sent abroad. Where do I go from there? Thanks for you replies.

Posted by Stephan Shelley (Member # 8587) on 09-23-2016, 02:25 AM:

Your DCP authoring program should be able to turn it on or off or maybe it has to be encrypted and the key turns it on for the server.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 09-29-2016, 05:53 PM:

If it's encrypted, then video and audio become watermarked during playout on any DCI compliant projection systems.

If you issue a KDM for a 'DCI compatible only' (not DCI *compliant*) system - like some software players that support playing encrypted DCPs - then no watermarking will be applied (unless that specific software has that option).

But what's the point? How do you think you will be able to use these watermarks for your purpose afterwards? They are invisible and inaudible, they won't prevent your content being shot or recorded. You could only find out afterwards where the leak was...

Watermarking is useful for studios/distributors since they have many releases and are interested to find possible leaks to prevent further piracy. For a single, limited release, it is useless.

- Carsten