Post-Production
DCP & Delivery Formats
You finished the film — now you have to hand it over in exactly the right format, or it gets rejected at the door. This course demystifies delivery: masters, codecs, DCPs, subtitles, and the specific deliverables festivals, streamers, and broadcasters demand. The unglamorous last step that decides whether anyone sees your film.
By Will Roberts — updated August 14, 2026
What you'll learn
✓Understand masters, codecs, and containers so you export the right file every time
✓Make and test a DCP for cinema and festival screenings on a budget
✓Add subtitles, captions, and accessibility tracks that meet delivery specs
✓Hit festival, streaming, and broadcast deliverable requirements without rejection
Pairs with this tool
Distribution Readiness
Run your finished film through Distribution Readiness — check your masters, deliverables, and specs against what festivals and platforms require, so you catch problems before a rejection letter does.
Open Distribution Readiness →Course chapters
Module 1 — Foundations
I8 min
Delivery is the last mile — why the right file matters as much as the film
What Delivery Actually Means
II8 min
Masters, mezzanines, and deliverables — the file hierarchy explained
Masters, Mezzanines & Deliverables
III9 min
Codecs, containers, and wrappers — ProRes, DNxHR, H.264 and what they're for
Codecs, Containers & Wrappers
IV9 min
Resolution, frame rate, color space, and loudness — the specs that get checked
Color, Frame Rate & Technical Specs
Module 2 — Core Craft
V9 min
What a DCP actually is — the cinema's delivery format, demystified
What Is a DCP?
VI9 min
Build a DCP yourself with free tools — step by step, on a budget
Making a DCP on a Budget
VII8 min
Test your DCP so it plays, and understand KDMs and encryption
DCP Testing & KDMs
VIII8 min
Subtitles, closed captions, and accessibility tracks done right
Subtitles, Captions & Accessibility
Module 3 — Putting It to Work
IX9 min
What festivals actually want — screeners, DCPs, and the delivery deadline
Festival Delivery
X8 min
Streaming and VOD specs — aggregators, platforms, and their requirements
Streaming & VOD Delivery
XI8 min
Broadcast and sales deliverables — the full package a distributor demands
Broadcast & Sales Deliverables
XII9 min
Your master delivery checklist, and how to archive everything safely
The Delivery Checklist & Archive