Digital Cinema Packages
DCPs for $8 a minute, 2K or 4K, delivered in under 24 hours. Price your film in seconds.
A Digital Cinema Package is a must-have for filmmakers screening in theaters and at festivals. The digital equivalent of a 35MM film print, DCP is a universal industry standard format used by nearly every modern movie theater, worldwide.
Trusted by filmmakers screening at Cannes, Sundance, SXSW, and Tribeca.
DCP Cost Estimate
Price your film instantly
DCP Service Options
How Much Does a DCP Cost?
Films with standard specs qualify for Instant DCP: $8 a minute, $99 minimum, delivered in under 24 hours or your money back. Captions, 7.1 or Atmos, encryption and drives make it a Custom DCP, mastered by our engineers.
Instant DCP
$8/min of runtime
$99 minimum covers a film up to 12 minutes.
- Under 24 hours
- Included, or your money back
- Rush, typically under 6 hours
- +$99
- ✓Stereo or 5.1 audio
- ✓Burned-in subtitles
- ✓Download link delivery
- ✓2K and 4K, same price
Custom DCP
Mastered by our engineers. Priced per minute by how soon you need it.
| Delivered | 2K | 4K |
|---|---|---|
| 5 business days | $10/min | $15/min |
| 2 business days | $15/min | $20/min |
| Next business day | $20/min | $25/min |
Shorts up to 20 minutes are flat: $200 2K, $300 4K at standard turnaround.
- ✓7.1, Atmos and alternate audio
- ✓Caption and subtitle tracks
- ✓KDM encryption and versions
- ✓Drive delivery · quote first
Money-back guarantee applies to Instant DCP standard turnaround. The 24-hour clock starts when your validated upload completes; if we miss it, we refund your order. Rush is typically 6 hours. File requirements for both services are on the DCP delivery specs page.
Custom DCP add-ons and drivesDrives, KDM keys, timed text, extra audio and versions. The QC report is available on Instant too.+
- Digital Upload
- FREE
- Short USB Thumbdrive
- $35
- Features USB Thumbdrive
- $150
- CRU Drive Package
- $250
- 2K Version
- Included
- KDM Encryption
- $100
- Timed Text - Shorts
- $150
- Timed Text - Features
- $350
- Alternate Audio
- $50
- DCP Re-Wrap
- $250
- Version Files
- $150
- Quality Control Report
- $50
High speed upload + 30 day sharable film download link
USB 3.0 drive | EXT2 format for digital cinema | <20 min TRT
USB 3.0 drive | EXT2 format for digital cinema | >20 min TRT
500GB drive in CRU sled | EXT2 format | Pelican carrying case
A 2K DCP alongside every 4K Custom DCP
Includes 10 keys
Adding subtitles and captions
Adding subtitles and captions
Alternative soundtracks | Audio Description Track
Open and change DCP
Additional versioning not listed above
Software-generated QC validation of your finished DCP, verifying RDD-52 compliance.
Captions & Subtitles
Captions and subtitles for your DCP
Many festivals and theaters now ask for closed captions, and a cinema server can reject a caption track that breaks the SMPTE limits. Send us a clean .srt file and we build the timed text track for you: $150 for a short, $350 for a feature, within the standard 5 business days turnaround. No .srt yet? We can write English captions from scratch for $4 per minute of runtime. Other languages are quoted per film.
What to send, closed captions vs on-screen subtitles, and the SMPTE limits your file has to meet are in our guide to captioning for cinema.
Your DCP Specialists
Cinematiq has created Digital Cinema Packages for filmmakers screening at major film festivals including Cannes, Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, and San Francisco International. We've worked with Oscar-nominated filmmakers and a variety of distribution networks creating DCPs and other digital video projects.
What people say about us
“I’ve worked with Cinematiq on the post-production of two feature documentary films and two short films, working closely with them to create a post-production workflow and the DCP materials necessary for film festival distribution. Cinematiq has been an invaluable resource meeting deadlines with no sacrifice of excellence.”
“I've had the pleasure of working with Cinematiq for DCPs on three separate films and they've always been great to work with. They're not just button pushers; they're communicative problem solvers and intuitive filmmakers and even on one of the rush jobs they were resourceful, supportive and professional. I highly recommend them to other filmmakers.”
“I’ve worked with Cinematiq for my last three films and will continue to for future DCP and BluRay creation. Aaron, Paul, and Luke are knowledgable, great to work with, and have always been patient and kind when it came to my learning curve. Many of my existing colleagues and clients already work with them and I regularly recommend them to fellow filmmakers and clients who need DCP and BluRay creation for their projects.”
“Cinematiq is always a pleasure to work with on creating DCPs to exhibition. They are excellent communicators and go above and beyond to answer any questions. Their delivery of masters is very timely and I would highly recommend Cinematiq to other filmmakers! ”
“I’ve had technical problems with other companies getting my two films, “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill” and “Cold Refuge,” up and running for theatrical release. Luke not only solved all my tech issues, but also educated me in a low-key, friendly, matter-of-fact way on what makes a DCP actually work!”
“DCP Transfer by Cinematiq is the missing link in DCP creation, helping filmmakers ensure their DCP files are formatted properly for theatrical and festival delivery.”
“I had the pleasure of working with the Cinematiq team on several projects while I was Program Manager of LUNAFEST at Clif Bar & Company. Cinematiq provided equipment, the production team and the editing skills to quickly and seamlessly produce a high quality, professional video piece that was used in several ways. ”
DCP Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Digital Cinema Package (DCP)?+
A Digital Cinema Package is the digital equivalent of a 35MM film print — a collection of files that movie theater servers recognize and play on the big screen. It is the universal industry standard format used by nearly every modern movie theater worldwide, and a must-have for filmmakers screening in theaters and at festivals.
How much does a DCP cost?+
Instant DCP is $8 per minute of runtime, the same for 2K and 4K, with a $99 minimum that covers a short up to 12 minutes. A 15-minute short is $120; a 90-minute feature is $720. Custom DCPs (captions, 7.1 or Atmos, encryption, drives) are $10/min for 2K and $15/min for 4K at the standard 5 business days, more per minute for 2-day and next-day delivery, with shorts flat at $200 (2K) and $300 (4K). Add-ons like timed text, KDM encryption and drives are priced separately.
What file do I need to send to make a DCP?+
A QuickTime file in Apple ProRes 422 (HQ recommended; H.264 is also accepted) with one embedded stereo or 5.1 audio stream, at 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97 or 30 fps in Rec-709. Our DCP delivery specs page has the full requirements and Premiere and Resolve export settings.
How fast can I get my DCP?+
Instant DCP is delivered in under 24 hours of upload, with a $99 rush option typically delivered within 6 hours — often far less for shorts. Custom DCPs take 5 business days at the standard rate, with 2-day and next-day tiers priced per minute. Same-day delivery is Instant DCP only.
What is the difference between Instant DCP and Custom DCP?+
Instant DCP is our automated service for standard projects: 2K or 4K, stereo or 5.1 audio, digital delivery. Custom DCP is mastered by our engineers and covers complex projects — 7.1 and Atmos audio, caption and subtitle track creation, multiple versions, KDM encryption, and USB or CRU drive delivery.
Will my DCP work at any theater or festival?+
Yes — DCP is the universal standard accepted by virtually all modern cinemas. Cinematiq has created DCPs for filmmakers screening at Cannes, Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, and San Francisco International. An optional Quality Control Report ($50) adds a software validation of RDD-52 compliance for your finished DCP.
Can you add captions or subtitles to my DCP?+
Yes. Our Custom service creates timed-text caption and subtitle tracks ($150 for shorts, $350 for features), including ADA compliance tracks. If your film already has burned-in subtitles, it qualifies for Instant DCP.
Do you deliver DCPs on physical drives?+
Digital download delivery is always free. We also ship USB 3.0 thumbdrives ($35 shorts, $150 features) and CRU drive packages with a Pelican carrying case ($250), all formatted to cinema standards.
More help: why a DCP fails at the theater · DCP drive formats · festival submission guide
New to the DCP process?
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Or email info@cinematiq.com
“I've had the pleasure of working with Cinematiq for DCPs on three separate films and they've always been great to work with. They're not just button pushers; they're communicative problem solvers and intuitive filmmakers and even on one of the rush jobs they were resourceful, supportive and professional. I highly recommend them to other filmmakers.”