Anatomy of a VF

A Version File (VF) is a lightweight DCP that "borrows" video and audio from an existing Original Version (OV) to create localized versions without duplicating heavy data.

OV (Original Version)
~150 GB (Heavy)
Video Track
MXF / J2K
Audio Track (5.1)
MXF / PCM
Original CPL
Playlist
VF (Version File)
~20 MB (Light)
Video Reference
UUID Pointer to OV
Audio Reference
UUID Pointer to OV
Subtitle Track (FR)
XML / New Asset
NEW
VF CPL
Composition Playlist

The Golden Rule of VF

A VF DCP cannot play alone. It contains instructions, not the full movie. You must ingest BOTH the OV (Original Version) and the VF (Version File) into the cinema server for playback to work. Missing OV = Black Screen.

Why use VF?

  • Storage Efficiency: Send 1 movie + 20 small text files instead of 20 full movies.
  • Speed: VFs ingest in seconds, while OVs take hours.
  • Flexibility: Fix a typo in credits without re-exporting the video.