Why I Chose DCP

In preparing "NYZ" for premiering at NYU's First Run Festival last week, they specified that there were only three deliverable formats acceptable: HDCam tape, Digibeta tape, or DCP, which stands for Digital Cinema Package.  Looking at these three formats, I decided to go with DCP.

Let's break down what each format brings to the table:

Digibeta, or Digital Betacam, is a great format with great uncompressed color and sound, but it comes with a few limitations.  First of all, it's standard definition (SD), so the maximum amount of pixels is 720x480 with an anamorphic squeeze.  And since First Run did not want anamorphic squeezes, that meant that my film, which is at a 2.39:1 aspect ratio, would simply be letterboxed into a 4:3 screen--obviously not the most aesthetically pleasing or economical use of space.

Then there's HDCam, which is high definition (HD) with up to 1440x1080 upscaled to 1920x1080.  That's great because 1080p was the native format that we shot in, so I know I won't be wasting pixels.  The only big caveat for HDCam, as well as Digibeta, is that it only allows for up to four channels of audio.  Since I mixed in 5.1 surround sond, that would mean mixing everything down to 4.0 at best, though most likely just 3.0--dialogue in the center, and everything else on the left and right stereo. All the work that I put into crafting a 5.1 surround mix would be wasted.

Which brings us to DCP.  DCPs are the new standard for delivering films to movie theaters in this modern digital age.  There are no reels, no tapes, just a server where all the media is stored and read as it's projected.  It can project up to 4k files and supports up to 7.1 surround sound.  And it plays back at true 24 frames per second.  So, for this film, it supported everything I needed.

Now the only problem was actually creating the DCP...

Day 781
(Technically: 930)

It all comes down to this: after nine-hundred and twenty-nine days, "NYZ" finally hits the big screen at NYU's First Run Film Festival.

I was very pleased with the reception. It got plenty of laughs (even on the first shot!) and it looked and sounded great on the big screen with 5.1 surround sound.

Some of the cast and crew were in attendance, and I'm glad to say that they got to finally see their hard work up on the big screen with a receptive audience.

What's next? Now begins the festival submissions. First up is Telluride, which has a deadline just around the corner. And then, after that, the first real wave of submissions will start in August with Sundance, Slamdance, Edinburgh, and many more. I will keep you posted about these, too in the future.

I am very grateful to everyone who came out in support of "NYZ"and I hope for those of you who could not make it, we hope to bring it to a film festival near you!

Day 780
(Technically: 927)

Congratulations to Alexandra Naides for short film "Knee High" screening at First Run Film Festival last night.  I was the co-editor and sound designer, as well as clapper/loader and DIT on set.

I've noticed this year, though, that there are no audience ballots for audience awards. Perhaps they just didn't want to bother counting them.   I'm really disappointed with the festival this year in comparison to last year's.  This year there aren't even programs! Imagine that! I asked about this and they just replied, "Oh, the Xerox machine broke." You do realize there's a Kinko's right down the street, right? Very frustrating because I want to be able to know what films are coming up in the screening.  Even the projector wasn't working this morning and cut off the first few minutes of Andrew Cannizarro's "A Girl and Her Guardian," which meant skipping most of the animation that I worked on.  Andrew had to run back and make them start over from the beginning.

Anyway, that's beside the point. This afternoon is the world premiere of "NYZ."  I've spent the past few weeks testing it at the theatre, so any bugs or glitches I've been able to iron out in advance.

Day 779
(Technically: 926)

First Run kicked off last night with two blocks of films, including fellow classmate from Yemane's Advanced Production Workshop, Ginny Mohler and her short film "THE ADVENTURES OF GORDON & GRACE."   It's almost hard to believe that's it been two years since we shot our projects. Now they're finally ready to screen!

Tonight at 8:30pm, be sure to watch for "Lifted" by Zachary Goldberg, and, especially, "Knee High" by Alexandra Naides!

Tomorrow, we have another Yemane alum, Andrew Cannizzaro, and his film "A Girl and Her Guardian" at 12:30pm, which features animation by both myself and Eric Pato.  And don't forget: "NYZ" tomorrow at 4:30pm!

In other zombies news...

Day 763

(Technically: 910)

I'm feeling a bit run-down today. All of this running around and staying up till 1AM every night for the last week or so working on finishing up "NYZ."

For First Run, they accept either HDCam tape or Digital Cinema Package (DCP), which I've decided to use for one reason and one reason only: sound.

HDCam tapes can only hold up to 4 channels of audio, and DCPs can hold up to 6 channels, which would be best for the 5.1 surround mix I've prepared. I will be going to the theater to meet with the projectionist again to make one final stab at the DCP.

I downloaded a program that allows Macs to read and write Linux drives, but upon further investigation, discovered that most people didn't have much success with anything outside of directly using Linux, which I've been submerged in the past few nights learning how to use.

If it doesn't work, then I must use the inferior HDCam tape.

Day 761

(Technically: 908)

Yesterday I was at Tisch working on the final sound 5.1 mix for "NYZ" when I ran into Chris Hoffman, Tristan Nash (fellow students), and our professor Yemane. It was great to see them again and catch up, and they even came up to listen to the mix and give me some feedback (though not literal feedback, because that would be detrimental to the mix). I am pleased to say that their reactions were very, very positive.

Currently, I am bouncing out the 5.1 files and gearing up for the deadline this Thursday to turn in all the materials for the First Run Film Festival, where "NYZ" will have its world premiere on Saturday March 24th at 4:30pm.

Also, Tristan's film from our class, "No Wing High," will be screening at First Run as well. as well as a few other of my fellow classmates.

First Run Film Festival at NYU

If you're in New York City this coming week, please stop by for the NYU First Run Film Festival, which includes some projects by my fellow classmates and friends:

Thursday March 24
8pm
Frequent Flyers by Matthew Troy

Friday March 25
6pm
Real Talk by Patrick Ng
Merhaba by Lauren Brady
10pm
The Sailor by Raquel Cedar
Going Home by Greg Gordon

Saturday March 26
4pm
The Road to Montana by Caitlyn Cody
The Sierra Project by Gabriel de Urioste
6pm
Borderland by Alexander Smolowe
8pm
Infallible by Jacyln Gramiga
Frustrated by Sam Thonis
The Survival of the Family Unit by Kevin Huang
Hotel Traveler by Alexis Lancer
10pm
Birds of a Feather by Gabriel Flaksman
Jolly Bankers by Eric Goldberg
Passed Down by Zachary Goldberg

Sunday March 27
6pm
Close. by Tahir Jetter
8pm
Blacktruffle by Katelyn Howes
For the Record by Sarah Rudoy
10pm
The Sunset by Misha Sundokovskiy

"Kiss Me" a winner at NYU Film Fesival!

Last night at the New Visions and Voices Film Festival, Zachary Poots received an award for Production Design on Kiss Me, I'm English!

Congratulations, Zach!

"Kiss Me" at NYU Film Festival!

This Friday marks the premiere of Kiss Me, I'm English.

New Visions and Voices Intermediate Film Festival 2010

November 5th at 7:30pm in Room 200 at the Cantor Film Center on West 8th Street and University Place, New York.

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Drama, the Story and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why Kiss Me, I'm English
Should ever be forgot.

Admission is free and Kiss Me, I'm English is only one of many more NYU short films playing as part of the film festival. Hope to see you there!

-------------------

From the Vault...

Part of selected Ballard student works for the Seattle Channel.

"Time Keeps on Skippin'" at NFFTY! (Reprise)

Check out the highlights from last year's National Film Festival for Talented Youth! Keep your eyes peeled for my "blink-and-you'll-miss-it" appearances in the background of two shots around :41 and :43!

"Time Keeps on Skippin'" at NFFTY!

Time Keeps on Skippin' just had its world premiere at the SIFF Cinema as part of this year's National Film Festival for Talented Youth. My film was listed as third or fourth from the last, but was skipped. At first, I was really worried, and even Matt Lawrence got up and ran back to the projector booth to find an answer. Fortunately, everything was okay, and my film was withheld until the very end of the program because it was submitted on DigiBeta tape, while everyone else's films were on DV tape or DVD. Because it was on DigiBeta and anamorphic widescreen, they had to open up the big screen and change the projector's aspect ratio.

I don't mind saying I was glowing from all this specific attention for my film. Already it was the longest one in the Northwest Scene program, and then its format required unique presentation. And when it blasted onto the big screen for the first time in all its uncompressed DigiBeta glory, I couldn't stop smiling. It looked so incredibly good, so much so that one person in the audience afterwards asked if I shot on film. A lot of people were surprised when I told them it was shot on regular-old standard definition Mini-DV.

It was great seeing it with an audience again. They laughed exactly where I was hoping and it got a huge round of applause. It didn't win anything (though I suspect that's because people like my parents were not aware that there was a chance to vote!).

Even though I've only been back for a few days and I have to fly back tomorrow, I am really glad that I got the opportunity to come to this festival and the world premiere of my most ambitious short film to date.

"Bittersweet" and "Love is the Elle Word" at NFFTY!

Nearly two years later, Bittersweet is still going strong, screening at the National Film Festival For Talented Youth on Sunday March 30th as part of the festival's Family Cinema program. Bittersweet is one of two of my films screening at NFFTY this year, the other being my first independent short Love Is the Elle-Word, which premiered Saturday March 29th.

This is likely going to be Bittersweet's final film festival, marking the end of a long and fruitful run through the festival circuit. My thanks goes out to my friend, fellow classmate, and producer Coburn Erskine, who tirelessly championed this film (and since he was still a high school student, he was able to submit to more student festivals long after I had graduated!)

"Bittersweet" and "Soccer Dads" at Westport Youth Film Festival!

Bittersweet, thanks to the hard work of co-producer Coburn, was an Official Selection at the Westport Youth Film Festival, along with another one of our films, the lighthearted documentary Soccer Dads. Our two shorts were among six films by Ballard High School students that were made Official Selections.

"Bittersweet" and BHS Win at Northwest High School Film Festival

A year after its completion, Bittersweet finally screened at the Northwest High School Film Festival, where it received one of three Awards of Excellence in the Dramatic Narrative category. Ballard High School videos, all in all, walked away with 11 Awards of Excellence (a third of all the awards!) and nine honorable mentions, marking yet another consecutive year of Ballard domination.

"Bittersweet" World Premiere!

Bittersweet made its world premiere at the 30th Annual Young People's Film and Video Awards on July 16th in Portland, Oregon, along with two other Ballard High School student films.