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Di - how much $$$


David Willis

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How much does it cost for a DI on a 35mm film? I meant what's the cheapset for a 100 minute feature?

 

Need to finish for a 35mm release print. It's a romantic comedy with a lot of daylight exteriors and colorful costumes, I want it bright and playful.

 

thanks

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How much does it cost for a DI on a 35mm film? I meant what's the cheapset for a 100 minute feature?

 

Need to finish for a 35mm release print. It's a romantic comedy with a lot of daylight exteriors and colorful costumes, I want it bright and playful.

 

thanks

 

There have been many, many threads on this. Search the archives.

 

As for "the cheapest," you get what you pay for.

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Did you shoot the movie in such a way as to not need a D.I. -- i.e. you can just contact print it?

 

D.I.'s tend to be one of those things that if you have to ask the price, you probably can't afford it. Especially if all you want is a couple of prints! You have to think of them as part of a whole delivery system when you will be required to create an HD master, IP's & IN's, release prints because otherwise, the sticker shock is incredible.

 

Let's just say that a "traditional" D.I. at minimum is going to cost you at least $100,000. You basically are paying for:

 

(1) scanning the camera rolls

(2) conforming the scans to match the offline edit

(3) building transition efx like fades & dissolves, importing graphics like titles

(4) color-correction

(5) dirt & dust removal

(6) film recording to 35mm

(7) check-printing

(8) downconversions from the digital master for home video masters

 

Some costs are based on the amount of footage, while others are based on the amount of time needed, which can vary more radically. For example, if your color-correction sessions are costing you $4000/day, it's going to make a big difference whether you take 5 days, 10 days, or 20 days to color-correct the movie. On the other hand, laser recording the final 100 minute feature to a 35mm I.N. tends to be more of a known cost, somewhere in the $50,000 range, maybe more, maybe less.

 

Now there are shortcuts in cost & quality, some minor, some major. The next step below 2K data as the digital format is HD, and 4:4:4 HDCAM-SR as the intermediate format is becoming a popular choice for people who can't afford 2K. Laser Pacific has a whole 4:4:4 HD D.I. system in place.

 

But even that's not much cheaper. You'd have to start getting into the compressed 4:2:2 HD tape formats and desktop color-correcting to really start saving money, and then maybe also a cheaper film recorder like an older Celco going out to camera original stock.

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  • 4 weeks later...

You're absolutely right, David. Quotes and structures of DI's have such a large range, and currently there simply isn't a universal 'quote' structure-- some quotes will include one service, such as the film recording itself, and others leave it out. That said, DI costs can be difficult to assess, given what is included, and what is not.

 

Some film recorders, I believe, can actually record to particular print stocks, which may or may not be a useful purpose-- I guess that just depends on the production and if that is really needed.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Now there are shortcuts in cost & quality, some minor, some major. The next step below 2K data as the digital format is HD, and 4:4:4 HDCAM-SR as the intermediate format is becoming a popular choice for people who can't afford 2K. Laser Pacific has a whole 4:4:4 HD D.I. system in place.

 

 

I've been speaking with Laser Pacific about their InDI program (the 4:4:4 HD DI) and they're telling me the quality is just below a 2K, noticable only to the trained eye. Does anyone have any experience with this process. What is the quality difference between the InDI and a 2K?

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I've been speaking with Laser Pacific about their InDI program (the 4:4:4 HD DI) and they're telling me the quality is just below a 2K, noticable only to the trained eye. Does anyone have any experience with this process. What is the quality difference between the InDI and a 2K?

 

 

Hi,

 

I am sure Laser Pacific can show you some comparison tests.

 

Stephen

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