If you’re making an independent film in Australia and you want it screened at festivals or in cinemas, you’ll almost certainly need a Digital Cinema Package. A DCP is the standard delivery format for digital cinema projection, and despite what some people claim about the shift to streaming, it’s still the format that most festivals and cinemas require.

The problem is that DCPs are expensive, technically complex, and poorly understood by many independent filmmakers. Here’s what you actually need to know.

What a DCP Is

A DCP is essentially your finished film packaged in a format that digital cinema projectors can read. It includes the picture (as a sequence of JPEG 2000 files), the audio (typically in 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound, though stereo is acceptable), subtitles if applicable, and metadata that tells the projector how to play everything back.

The format is standardised by the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) consortium, which means a properly made DCP should play on any DCI-compliant projector in the world. That standardisation is why festivals and cinemas insist on DCPs rather than ProRes files or Blu-rays.

How Much Does a DCP Cost

This is where it gets painful for micro-budget filmmakers. A professionally created DCP from an Australian post house typically costs between $800 and $2,500, depending on the running time, the complexity of the audio, and whether you need subtitle tracks.

That’s a significant chunk of a micro-budget. Some filmmakers create their own DCPs using software like DCP-o-matic, which is free and open source. I’ve seen mixed results with this approach. Some filmmaker-made DCPs play perfectly. Others have issues with colour space, audio sync, or playback compatibility that only become apparent when the DCP hits an unfamiliar projector at a festival.

My recommendation: if your film is screening at a major festival like MIFF, SFF, or internationally, pay for a professional DCP. The risk of a playback failure at your premiere is not worth saving $1,500. For smaller festivals or test screenings, a well-made DIY DCP may be acceptable.

Technical Specifications

The standard DCP specs for a feature film are 2K resolution (2048x1080 or 1998x1080 depending on aspect ratio), 24fps, with JPEG 2000 compression and uncompressed audio. 4K DCPs exist but most projection systems in Australia are 2K, and the file sizes for 4K DCPs are enormous.

Colour space matters a lot. DCPs use the XYZ colour space with a Gamma 2.6 tone curve, which is different from the Rec.709 space your NLE probably works in. A good DCP creation process includes a proper colour space conversion. If you skip this step, your film will look wrong on the big screen, either too dark, too saturated, or with weird colour shifts.

Audio should be delivered as 5.1 if possible. Most cinema systems are set up for surround sound, and a 5.1 mix gives the projectionist the best chance of presenting your film properly. If you can only afford a stereo mix, that works too, but let the venue know in advance so they can configure their audio system accordingly.

The DCP Delivery Process

Once your DCP is created, you need to get it to the festival or cinema. DCPs are typically delivered on a CRU hard drive, which is a specific type of external drive that digital cinema servers can read. You can also deliver via satellite or internet transfer services like GoFibreSpeed, but physical drives are still the most common method in Australia.

CRU drives aren’t cheap either, typically $150-$300 depending on capacity. You’ll also need to budget for return shipping if the festival doesn’t keep your drive.

Some festivals now accept DCP delivery via cloud platforms specifically designed for the purpose. This is more common for international festivals where physical shipping is expensive and slow.

When You Don’t Need a DCP

Not every screening requires a DCP. Many smaller festivals, particularly regional events, accept ProRes files on a standard hard drive or even via download link. Some screening events use Blu-ray projection. And of course, online festivals and virtual screenings don’t need DCPs at all.

Check the technical requirements for each festival you’re submitting to. Don’t spend money on a DCP if the festival doesn’t need one. And if you’re screening at a venue that uses a standard projector rather than a digital cinema server, a DCP is useless anyway.

Practical Tips

Budget for your DCP from the start of production, not as an afterthought. Include it in your post-production line items alongside colour grading and sound mixing.

Keep your master files in the highest quality format possible. A good DCP can only be made from a good source, and you can’t create a DCP that’s better than your master.

Test your DCP before its first public screening. Most post houses will provide a screening room where you can verify the DCP plays correctly. Use it.

Finally, keep a copy of your DCP creation files. If you need to make corrections or create additional versions (with different subtitle tracks, for example), starting from existing DCP elements is much cheaper than building from scratch.