VF workflow.

[DerAlSem]

Hi.

I have an open (i.e not encrypted) DCP, which consists of three "physical" parts. How do i create a VF, that will not play first two parts, playing only last one?

Thanks in advance.

[rahmani]

What does VF means?
If you have a DCP which is included three or four reels and you would like to use one of the reels as a new DCP it is very easy! just open a new project in DOM and then Add files(video part you want with related sound and subtitle from DCP folder which is not encrypted) and make a new DCP!

I hope that will help you!

Soleyman

[DerAlSem]

VF - version file.

I don't want new DCP to be created. Let's assume you have 100 gb DCP. HDD is already in Theatre and the DCP is ingested.

You need to show only 2-3-4-5 reels, without first.

You create a small VF with CPL containing all parts except 1st. And send it to the Theatre via email (it's size about 30 kb). No need to redeliver whole DCP.

[Carsten]

I just tried this with the Bunny Demoproject - created full length DCP first. Then created a new project, added the first DCP to be the OV. Checked 'refer to existing DCP for both image and audio (OV and VF always need to be the same wrapping type - Interop or SMPTE).
Then trimmed out the second half of the clip under 'Timing'. Created DCP (VF). It took only a second. The new VF only consists of metadatafiles: PKL, Assetmap, VolumeID, CPL. The CPL shows the following:

---
<MainPicture>
<Id>urn:uuid:dff3d8e3-7867-4485-834e-31fed59adf4e</Id>
<AnnotationText>j2c_dff3d8e3-7867-4485-834e-31fed59adf4e.mxf</AnnotationText>
<EditRate>25 1</EditRate>
<IntrinsicDuration>825</IntrinsicDuration>
<EntryPoint>0</EntryPoint>
<Duration>415</Duration>
<Hash>R986ZmpSDjFcPGnDmI4fcZ8QuzY=</Hash>
<FrameRate>25 1</FrameRate>
<ScreenAspectRatio>1998 1080</ScreenAspectRatio>
</MainPicture>
---

You can see that the CPL exits at 415 from 825 frames (same for audio MXF).

The full OV shows this:
---
<MainPicture>
<Id>urn:uuid:dff3d8e3-7867-4485-834e-31fed59adf4e</Id>
<AnnotationText>j2c_dff3d8e3-7867-4485-834e-31fed59adf4e.mxf</AnnotationText>
<EditRate>25 1</EditRate>
<IntrinsicDuration>825</IntrinsicDuration>
<EntryPoint>0</EntryPoint>
<Duration>825</Duration>
<Hash>R986ZmpSDjFcPGnDmI4fcZ8QuzY=</Hash>
<FrameRate>25 1</FrameRate>
<ScreenAspectRatio>1998 1080</ScreenAspectRatio>
</MainPicture>
---

When testing the VF in DOM, unfortunately, DCP-o-matic is not able to load/play this VF, DOM exits with an error after I load both VF and OV (OV by right clicking VF in content list):

Bildschirmfoto 2017-08-10 um 00.24.12.jpg

However, when I first add the OV as a regular DCP, then add the VF, THEN assign the same original OV by right clicking, it works, and I can even delete the OV I loaded initially. DOM plays the VF as I set it up. So, maybe this only a small quirk when loading VF/OV in DCP for reuse/playout. Doremi Cineasset Player Demo (7.x) will load the VF, complain about missing asset, asks for file location, I point it to the OV, then it works.
So, basically it seems this work.

- Carsten

[DerAlSem]

Thanks for the reply.

I've added DCP, i can see R1 and R2 on the timeline, still i can't "refer to existing dcp" - greyed out. And no tooltip.

And advise appreciated.

Capture2.JPG

[carl]

If you can email me the metadata.xml from that project (to carl@dcpomatic.com) then I will take a look.

[Carsten]

Can you try reel splitting to content boundaries under DCP?

The best way to create a VF with the recent test versions ist to create/open the OV project, save and open a duplicate, delete your original content, import the OV DCP, then click 'refer to existing DCP'. That makes sure all your project settings are the same between OV and VF.

- Carsten

[DerAlSem]

Do you mean adjusting timing by "trim for start"? It could work in case "refer to DCP" is checked. And i can't check it.

[cloud06]

Can you try reel splitting to content boundaries under DCP?

- Carsten

I believe this is the problem. Original DCP has few reels as it is visible in the timeline. You just need your new DCP using same number of reels as original to be able to create VF. This VF workflow is very solid - used it a lot for adding subtitles and sometimes head logo and subtitles...

[Carsten]

That's right, if the OV contains more than one reel, the VF needs to pick up the same reel structure, which only works if you have automatic reel segmentation by content boundaries activated. I remember I once talked about this with Carl, and wether DOM should do that automatically. But the intent to do that is unclear at the time a multi-reel DCP is added. I guess it would be good if at least the tooltip would indicate it.

Then what happens if you trim away exactly one or two reels, I don't know, it could work, it could crash. Anyway, for this case, it would be nice if you'd be able to cue precisely to reel boundaries.
Leaving out whole reels is very simple formally on the CPL level - you could do it with a few simple edits in the CPL. But DCP-o-matic can't have a job menu for every imaginable application.
It would be much easier the other way round - have an OV with only two reels, add a VF with another reel. Of course, that VF would need to carry it's whole reel data to the destination, while a VF cutting content from an existing longer OV would only need a few bytes being sent by email.

- Carsten