Your short film deserves the same quality DCP as a feature. At Pure DCP, short films start at $150 — and that price includes professional encoding, color space conversion, quality control, and digital cloud delivery. No add-ons, no surprises.
What’s Included at $150
Every short film DCP order includes:
- Professional JPEG 2000 encoding at 2K or 4K
- Accurate color space conversion from Rec.709 to DCI XYZ
- Stereo or 5.1 audio packaging
- SMPTE or Interop format — your choice
- Digital cloud delivery with 6 months storage
- Download link you can share directly with festivals
- Quality control check before delivery
There are no extra charges for digital delivery. No per-gigabyte fees. No surprise line items at checkout.
Short Film Pricing
The $150 minimum covers up to 30 minutes of runtime at the standard 2K 5-day rate. For most short films, you pay exactly $150 regardless of whether your film is 5 minutes or 28 minutes.
Runtime | 2K Standard (5-day) | 2K Priority (3-day) | 2K Rush (24-hr) |
|---|---|---|---|
Up to 30 min |
$150 |
$240 |
$360 |
45 minutes |
$225 |
$360 |
$540 |
60 minutes |
$300 |
$480 |
$720 |
4K pricing is higher — see our full pricing page for complete rate details.
Rush turnaround options are available when you have a festival deadline coming up fast. Select your turnaround at checkout.
What Format Should You Send?
Send us your master file and we handle the rest. The best formats to submit:
- Apple ProRes 422 HQ or ProRes 4444 (Mac)
- DNxHR HQX (Windows)
- H.264 or H.265 accepted but ProRes/DNxHR strongly preferred
Export at your native resolution — don’t scale down. Export at your native frame rate — don’t attempt frame rate conversion yourself. We handle the conversion to DCI-compliant specs as part of the encoding process.
Not sure if your file is ready? Run through our DCP Submission Checklist before ordering.
Turnaround Times
- Standard: 5 business days
- Priority: 3 business days
- Rush: 24-hour turnaround — contact us before ordering
Have a specific festival submission deadline? Add a note at checkout and we’ll make sure your DCP is delivered in time.
How It Works
Getting your short film DCP made is a straightforward process:
- Place your order at puredcp.com/order-dcp — select your specs, turnaround, and delivery preference
- Upload your master file — we’ll send you a secure upload link after your order is placed
- We encode and check your DCP — professional encoding with a quality check before delivery
- Download your DCP — you’ll receive a cloud download link to share with festivals directly
Most short film orders are placed, uploaded, and delivered without a single back-and-forth email. If we have questions about your specs, we’ll reach out — but for a clean master file, the process runs automatically.
Common Questions from Short Film Makers
My film is only 5 minutes. Do I really pay $150?
Yes — the $150 minimum applies to all orders. That said, $150 is still significantly less than what most professional DCP services charge for a short film. And it includes cloud delivery, which many services charge extra for. For a film you’ve spent months making, the cost of a properly encoded, professionally delivered DCP is a small part of your overall festival budget.
Can I share the DCP download link directly with festivals?
Yes. Your cloud delivery link can be shared directly with festival technical directors. Most festivals accept digital delivery — check with each festival’s submission requirements to confirm they accept digital rather than a physical drive.
Do I need a 4K DCP or is 2K fine?
For most film festivals, 2K is perfectly fine and is the most common DCP format for short films. Unless a festival specifically requires 4K, 2K at $5/minute is the right choice. Our DCP aspect ratio guide explains the format options in more detail.
What if my film needs subtitles?
Subtitles can be added to your DCP. Contact us before ordering to discuss subtitle requirements.
How do I know my DCP will actually play at the festival?
Every DCP we deliver goes through a quality control check before delivery. Pure DCP is backed by Full Swing Media’s 25+ years of post-production experience, and our DCPs are trusted by film festivals internationally. If there’s an issue with your file, we’ll catch it before your DCP reaches the theater.
Ready to Order?
Your short film is ready for the big screen. Get started at the link below — most orders take less than 5 minutes to place.
Order Your DCP — Starting at $150
Digital delivery and 6 months cloud storage included with every order. Questions? Email info@puredcp.com or call 818-843-1262.
