Michael Gillessen, Content Operations Manager of XDC Digital Content Lab, talked with Jim Slater (Cinema Technology Magazine) about workflow related aspects of 3D digital cinema.
Jim: Give us some examples of the installations that you have been involved with in recent times, and some idea of what percentage involve 3D
Michael: XDC has installed over 300 digital cinema installations in 10 European countries. 10 to 15% of them are 3D digital screens, including both active and passive technologies, as well as double projector systems.
Jim: Cinema Technology readers are familiar with the mastering suites of companies like Arts Alliance and Dolby - are these similar to what you call your content lab?
Michael: The XDC Digital Content Lab offers filmmakers, producers and distributors bespoke end-to-end services to get content faithfully and securely to screen in conformance with to the highest available interoperable DCI Specifications. The XDC Digital Content Lab is regularly servicing major and independent distributors all over Europe. We have already processed over 300 movies. Only last year, we produced 1,000 Digital Cinema Packages (DCP) for 100 films. We have also processed numerous 3D movies in order to deliver DCPs to many European screens. These movies include Hondo, Haunted Castle, Encounter the 3rd Dimension, Haunted House, Scar, Kaelou, Le réveil des géants d’Auvergne…
Jim: As Content Operations Manager of XDC Digital Content Lab, tell us a bit more about what is different about mastering 3D movies. For instance, is there a specific content workflow related to the preparation of DCP for 3D films?
Michael: As Cinema Technology readers will know, the 3D stereoscopic principle is based on the human eye. The info that needs to be provided for left and right eyes is different. This means that the amount of uncompressed data which has to be processed is twice that required for a 2D film. For example, the source files for a long feature film in 2K resolution are typically stored on several hard disks and it can go up to 3 or 4 TeraBytes.
Jim: What are the specific operations required?
Michael: The images must be processed to modify the initial frame rate from 24 fps to 48 fps, while having successively one image for left eye and one image for right eye. In addition, for some 3D systems, it is necessary
to incorporate a de-ghosting operation, because there can be interference (cross-talk) linked to the information aimed for the left eye, but which is in fact captured by the righteye, and inversely.
Jim: Are there also some particularities in terms of logistics and getting the 3D movies to the cinemas?
Michael: Yes … It is often necessary to produce specific DCPs (like de-ghosted ones) for some 3D systems and different packages for other 3D systems. We must ensure that each cinema receives the digital copy that it is appropriate for its installed 3D digital cinema system. In spite of this we have managed to simplify the logistical operations thanks to customized tools that we have developed in-house. The CineStore® Data is a huge database application supporting the content operations as well as the XDC Network Operations Centre. This is really a must when hundreds of digital copies have to be managed including 2D and 3D versions, with tight delivery schedules all around Europe. XDC and its Digital Content Lab provides the full range of service that customers have come to expect of a digital mastering house, including :
• Encoding & Encryption
• Versioning and Subtitling
• DCP Duplication
• Delivery and Logistical Services
• Key Management
• Archiving
• Network Operation Centre Services
