DCP-o-matic

Just a general question without getting into any technical issues ...

Does a projectionist have to do anything different for a DCP with "projector added subtitles" than he would with a DCP with burnt subtitles?

No. Projector added, or, timed text, subtitles are always played without special action.

HOWEVER - it depends on the package. If there is a single package/title that contains these subtites, they are automatically shown. Often, subtitled (as in language translation) DCPs come with a non-subtitled, and an additional subtitled version, that have to be ingested into the server separately, and the subtitled version has to be selected explicitly for playout. So, in this case, one would have to say that 'some' special action has to be taken. If the subtitled version is the only version, then, obviously, it will play with subtitles automatically.

Other than on DVD players, media players, YouTube, etc, there is no 'subtitle' button on a digital cinema projector.

Thank you Carsten...

I understand about "version files" VF DCPs needing especial action on the part of the protectionist but wasn't clear if the projectionist needed to take any additional action with a "Projection added subtitles" DCP. I've been told that many protectionists don't bother with separate files for a single film or worst still, don't know what to do.

The reason I asked: It's faster to generate a DCP with Projection added subtitles" than one with burnt subtitles and it's therefore more practical to have a master DCP without subtitles from which to generate a subtitled DCP.

Probably depends on the country and language. In Germany, we show many european films, and ingesting a foreign language DCP including dubbed and subtitled versions is quite common. There is also a certain habit among projectionist to ingest EVERY version/VF on the distribution media in order to be on the safe side. Subtitled versions also need a different key, if encrypted.