Animator here, haven't released a new short film since 2009, back in the 35mm / DVD era
But now I'm working on a new short film, and it's my first time using DCP. I know DCP-O-Matic can open a huge variety of file formats, but since my animated film will be shot in RAW images, I want to make sure I can maintain the best possible image quality until the end. I've used PNG and TIF many times before, but I was wondering if now I should start using EXR and DPX.
I've seen this debate on a few forums around, but all of them were focused specifically on intermediate prints for VFX (the Nuke forum for example). People cited many details that didn't matter for me, such as the capacity of rendering more than 4 channels, etc.
For me, what really matters is image quality. I want to make sure the RAW sequences I'm opening on After Effects will have the best possible reproduction when projected on the big screen. I'm talking about good contrast, texture, bit depth, dynamic range, etc.
If I just followed my heart, I'd choose EXR because it is an open format and it was created by LucasArts, a company that usually knows what they are doing when it comes to film and animation.
But before I make the final decision, I'd like to hear from your experience. Anyone here has any strong opinions on whether DCP streams should be generated from either DXP or EXR files?
Thanks!