Chapter Breaks Timecodes

Review guidelines for inserting timecodes for Chapter Breaks. These will be used by ad-supported platforms. Chapters are recommended and only apply to the Main Video (not to trailers or other videos). These are just timestamps and should not be in the Main Video file. No Chapters in the first or last 5 minutes. After the first Chapter, each subsequent Chapter must be every 8-12 minutes. Your first Chapter break can be at any point after 5 minutes. Chapter 1 always starts at timecode 00:00:00:00. For titles less than 20 minutes, only 2 Chapters are allowed. For titles less than 10 minutes, no Chapter is allowed. Enter only “00:00:00:00” as chapter 1. All time codes must be frame-accurate. Frames in the time codes must match the video’s frame rate, or you will not be able to save. For example, entering “27” as FF for a 24 fps video is invalid. Chapter Tip: It is best to place a Chapter after a scene’s end or before a major lighting change. Try to avoid placing ad breaks in the middle of a monologue, dialogue, or action sequence. It is best to find scene changes with black frames in between. If not available, use the timecode of the first frame of the next scene/shot.

Artwork Specifications

Image Listing Requirements For Single Works: 2:3 – Minimum 1400 x 2100 pixels (required) 3:4 – Minimum 1575 x 2100 pixels (required) 16:9 – Minimum 1920 x 1080 pixels (required) 16:6 – Minimum 1920 x 720 pixels (highly recommended) 4:3 – Minimum 1920 x 1440 (highly recommended) 2:1 – Minimum 1920 x 960 pixels (highly recommended) 16:9 Textless (3 images) – Minimum 1920 x 1080 pixels (highly recommended) Size: At least 900 x 1285 pixels at 72 dpi Size: At least 896 x 504 pixels at 72 dpi NOTE: Upload under Other Images and label each one “16×9 textless” For Series: 2:3 – Minimum 1400 x 2100 pixels (required) 3:4 – Minimum 1575 x 2100 pixels (required) 16:9 – Minimum 1920 x 1080 pixels (required) 4:3 – Minimum 1920 x 1440 (required) 16:9 Textless (3 images) – Minimum 1920 x 1080 pixels (highly recommended) Size: At least 900 x 1285 pixels at 72 dpi Size: At least 896 x 504 pixels at 72 dpi NOTE: Upload under Other Images and label each one “16×9 textless” For Each Episode in a Series 4:3 Textless – Minimum 1920 x 1440 (highly recommended) NOTE: Upload under Other Images and label “4:3 textless” Size: At least 900 x 1285 pixels at 72 dpi Size: At least 896 x 504 pixels at 72 dpi Content Quality Requirements JPEG or PNG, no PSD. No stretched or padded images. The Title name must match the metadata exactly, and be readable at thumbnail size. No images with only plain title text and solid color(s) in background. All images should use the same imagery and fonts for consistency. No subtext or promos (credits, billing blocks, production companies, actor names, taglines, URLs, quotes, streaming service logos, festival laurels, QR codes, release dates, etc.). No season numbers. No images depicting drug usage, nudity, excessive violence, etc. Images of weapons are permitted if they are presented discretely and do not point at the viewer or characters in the image. Stills are not mandatory but are recommended.

Intellectual Property

All must projects must include the following: Music Cue Sheet – to ensure the proper licensing for any music in the film Image clearance rights. You are responsible for clearing all the images used in your project prior t submitting the project.

Audio Formats Preferred delivered audio formats include: PCM 16-32 bit, 44.1k-48kHz audio AAC audio A stereo audio stream is required when available Any extra audio channels should be mapped as described in the Audio Mapping Guidelines. Important: A stereo stream or correctly labeled streams that can be down mixed to stereo are required.

Frame Rates & Resolution

Accepted frame rates are 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97p, 50i, 59.94i fps. If the native frame rate is one of our accepted rates, we would prefer to receive that native frame rate. However, if the native frame rate is not an accepted frame rate, conversion is required. Interlaced content is only accepted for SD content or for HD content at 59.94i fps. Resolution Native resolution is required along with a minimum size of 640×480 pixels. Preferred resolution is 1920×1080 All upscaled content will be rejected.

No Letterbox Videos The preferred video codecs in decreasing order are: ProRes 422 HQ ProRes 422 H.264 (AVC) Accepted file container formats are: .mov .mp4 .mpeg .mpg .mxf

Contact - Deja Vu Film Distribution

Give us a call Monday- Friday 9am-5pm est.

Deja Vu Film Distribution, the leading marketing solutions provider for indie filmmakers.

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Main: (646) 261-3840

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Requirements for captions and text tracks (subtitles)

We require all content to be submitted with English closed captions.

Closed captions are mainly designed for hearing-impaired viewers. However, most streaming channels these days mandate closed captions for reasons besides physiological hearing issues. Your audience will often watch films on a laptop in a noisy cafe, or a tablet on a commuter train, or a TV in a bar – or simply at home in the kitchen with the sound of cooking and kids. Closed captions allow consumers in all these scenarios to enjoy your content comfortably.

Basic Requirements

We prefer SubRip (.srt) format in plain UTF-8. We recommend using a text editor such as BBEdit to open and re-save your .srt files in UTF-8.
Scenarist Closed Captions (.scc) is also accepted. A frame rate must be selected for SCC files. Learn more about SCC.
All text tracks should be complete, accurate, and should stay in sync with the video at all times.
Correct punctuation and spelling are important.
Avoid formatting tags.

For other file formats, you can use the below apps or web apps to convert to SubRip.

Review guidelines for inserting timecodes for Chapter Breaks. These will be used by ad-supported platforms.

Chapters are recommended and only apply to the Main Video (not to trailers or other videos). These are just timestamps and should not be in the Main Video file.
No Chapters in the first or last 5 minutes. After the first Chapter, each subsequent Chapter must be every 8-12 minutes. Your first Chapter break can be at any point after 5 minutes.
Chapter 1 always starts at timecode 00:00:00:00.
For titles less than 20 minutes, only 2 Chapters are allowed.
For titles less than 10 minutes, no Chapter is allowed. Enter only “00:00:00:00” as chapter 1.
All time codes must be frame-accurate.

Frames in the time codes must match the video’s frame rate, or you will not be able to save. For example, entering “27” as FF for a 24 fps video is invalid.

Chapter Tip:

It is best to place a Chapter after a scene’s end or before a major lighting change.
Try to avoid placing ad breaks in the middle of a monologue, dialogue, or action sequence.
It is best to find scene changes with black frames in between. If not available, use the timecode of the first frame of the next scene/shot.

Image Listing Requirements

For Single Works:

2:3 – Minimum 1400 x 2100 pixels (required)
3:4 – Minimum 1575 x 2100 pixels (required)
16:9 – Minimum 1920 x 1080 pixels (required)
16:6 – Minimum 1920 x 720 pixels (highly recommended)
4:3 – Minimum 1920 x 1440 (highly recommended)
2:1 – Minimum 1920 x 960 pixels (highly recommended)
16:9 Textless (3 images) – Minimum 1920 x 1080 pixels (highly recommended)
Size: At least 900 x 1285 pixels at 72 dpi
Size: At least 896 x 504 pixels at 72 dpi

NOTE: Upload under Other Images and label each one “16×9 textless”

For Series:

2:3 – Minimum 1400 x 2100 pixels (required)
3:4 – Minimum 1575 x 2100 pixels (required)
16:9 – Minimum 1920 x 1080 pixels (required)
4:3 – Minimum 1920 x 1440 (required)
16:9 Textless (3 images) – Minimum 1920 x 1080 pixels (highly recommended)
Size: At least 900 x 1285 pixels at 72 dpi
Size: At least 896 x 504 pixels at 72 dpi
NOTE: Upload under Other Images and label each one “16×9 textless”

For Each Episode in a Series

4:3 Textless – Minimum 1920 x 1440 (highly recommended) NOTE: Upload under Other Images and label “4:3 textless”
Size: At least 900 x 1285 pixels at 72 dpi
Size: At least 896 x 504 pixels at 72 dpi

Content Quality Requirements

JPEG or PNG, no PSD.
No stretched or padded images.
The Title name must match the metadata exactly, and be readable at thumbnail size.
No images with only plain title text and solid color(s) in background.
All images should use the same imagery and fonts for consistency.
No subtext or promos (credits, billing blocks, production companies, actor names, taglines, URLs, quotes, streaming service logos, festival laurels, QR codes, release dates, etc.).
No season numbers.
No images depicting drug usage, nudity, excessive violence, etc. Images of weapons are permitted if they are presented discretely and do not point at the viewer or characters in the image.
Stills are not mandatory but are recommended.

All must projects must include the following:

Music Cue Sheet – to ensure the proper licensing for any music in the film
Image clearance rights. You are responsible for clearing all the images used in your project prior t submitting the project.

The project submitted must be associated with a verified IMDb Account.

The project must also be registered here: The Movie Database (TMDB)

Audio Formats Preferred delivered audio formats include:

PCM 16-32 bit, 44.1k-48kHz audio
AAC audio
A stereo audio stream is required when available
Any extra audio channels should be mapped as described in the Audio Mapping Guidelines.
Important: A stereo stream or correctly labeled streams that can be down mixed to stereo are required.

Accepted frame rates are

23.976, 24, 25, 29.97p, 50i, 59.94i fps.
If the native frame rate is one of our accepted rates, we would prefer to receive that native frame rate. However, if the native frame rate is not an accepted frame rate, conversion is required.
Interlaced content is only accepted for SD content or for HD content at 59.94i fps.

Resolution

Native resolution is required along with a minimum size of 640×480 pixels.
Preferred resolution is 1920×1080
All upscaled content will be rejected.

No Letterbox Videos

The preferred video codecs in decreasing order are:

ProRes 422 HQ
ProRes 422
H.264 (AVC)

Accepted file container formats are:

.mov
.mp4
.mpeg
.mpg
.mxf

Contact

Give us a call Monday- Friday 9am-5pm est.

Phone numbers

Services

Recent projects

Deja Vu Film Distribution Submission Guidelines

Captions Requirements

Requirements for captions and text tracks (subtitles)

We require all content to be submitted with English closed captions.

Basic Requirements

Chapter Breaks Timecodes

Artwork Specifications

Image Listing Requirements

Intellectual Property

Account Requirements

Audio Formats

Frame Rates & Resolution

Video Formats

Deja Vu Film Distribution Marketing