Flat DCP - Horizontal Black Bars

[Guddu]

Dear All,

Are horizontal black bars on top and bottom supposed to show up on the screen when projecting a FLAT DCP?

Or should it be scaled in the input Video File so that the bars disappear?

And if the bars are supposed to show up indeed then should the subtitles show up on the bar or above it?

Please guide.

[lemgeo]

If the source is 1920x1080
and the black bars are 138 lines top and 138 lines bottom, then you should make a scope DCP,
and at content tab select fit to width.

[Guddu]

Thanks Lemego

[Carsten]

Never put subtitles into black bars for cinema playout. If you can force playout of your content with visible black bars (as some rare features do switching aspect ratios), that may be okay. But in general, and for main features, black bars will usually be projected into the screen masking, walls, ceiling, etc., and the subs may then become invisible or a distraction.

- Carsten

[Guddu]

Agreed. Thanks for the guidance. In this particular case, I made a SCOPE DCP out of the video that had the black bars.