The Two DCP Containers
Every DCP in the world fits into one of two container sizes. Flat is 1.85:1 — at 2K resolution that is 1998×1080 pixels. Scope is 2.39:1 — at 2K that is 2048×858 pixels. Those are the only options. There is no 1.78 container, no 2.0 container. Whatever shape your film is, it goes into one of these two boxes. And the image inside does not have to fill the box completely.
The Two Cinema Screen Types
Cinema screens also come in two native configurations — and the container is separate from the screen. A natively Scope screen is sized around 2.39:1. When a Scope DCP plays, the image fills the screen. When a Flat DCP plays, the height stays the same but left and right edges are unused. Cinema people call this Common Height.
A natively Flat screen is sized around 1.85:1. When a Flat DCP plays, it fills the screen. When a Scope DCP plays, the width stays the same but top and bottom are unused. This is Common Width.
Quick reference: Common Height = natively Scope screen. Common Width = natively Flat screen. If you ask a cinema "Is the screen Flat or Scope?" they will often say "We can play both". — that is not what you need to know. Ask for their native aspect ratio or physical screen dimensions.
What If My Film Is Not Exactly 1.85 or 2.39?
Most films aren't. Films narrower than 1.85 — including standard 1.78 HD — go into a Flat container with pillarbox bars at left and right. Films wider than 2.39 go into a Scope container with letterbox bars top and bottom.
The difficult territory is anything between 1.85 and 2.39 — most commonly an exact 2:1 ratio. In a Flat container, a 2:1 image fills about 85% of a natively Flat screen and 68% of a natively Scope screen. In a Scope container, it fills 69% of a Flat screen and 88% of a Scope screen.
There is a secondary consideration: at 2K, a Flat DCP has a frame height of 1080 pixels. A Scope DCP has only 858 pixels. A 2:1 image in a Flat container gets significantly more vertical resolution. Unless there is a specific reason to choose Scope, Flat is generally our recommendation for in-between ratios.
How to Find Out a Cinema's Native Screen Type
If you have one key screening and want to optimise the container for that screen, ask the venue: "We have a film with an unusual aspect ratio and need to know whether to put it into a Flat or Scope container. Can you tell us your screen's native aspect ratio — or if you don't know, the physical width and height in metres?" Divide width by height. A result near 1.85 means Common Width (natively Flat). A result near 2.39 means Common Height (natively Scope).
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