5.1 + Stereo Surround Encoding. Dolby E?

[Unsound]

I have to deliver a surround mix with the 5.1 on channels 1-6 and stereo mix on 7-8. Does this have to be Dolby-E or are there other options?

Just to confuse the situation more the initial release will be on Blu-Ray but the producer wants it ready to be printed the 35mm for theatrical release in the fall. Will this require different encoding later on?

[mikevarela]

well, Dolby E is often between post houses and is never used directly to consumer disc. Whereas Dolby Digital and DTS are.

you'll wanna ask them how they want it. Digital file delivery is used a lot - you just send the files with pops.

If you're prepping the mix for an authoring house, you'll wanna leave the mix full resolution for them to compress (ask them though). However, if you are releasing it then you can compress the mix into a stream with a variety of tools, Apple's compressor being one.

There are also plugins that can handle the compression (Dolby media encoder - and Neyrinck)

Usually, though not always, the video house takes care of this end of the game. you provide the mix, they marry and hand off to the authoring house, or do it themselves.

For the 35mm, usually there'll be an LtRt shot to optical on the side and either AC3 or DTS along the perfs.

again, ask the editor. if they're asking you deliver on 1-6 and 7-8, they probably mean an HDCam Tape, which you'll have to layback too. if you don't have the resources, save your pro tools session and take it to a house that can, have them do it.

[JoeMilner]

If the producer will be making a 35mm print, then you'll need to do a proper Dolby Printmaster, at an approved facility, whereby the mix is recorded to the Dolby MO disc which is then used to shoot the sound optical (at least Dolby Stereo and Dolby Digital) that Mike described above.

[neilwilkes]

Could equally be DTRS tape - I still have to supply these to a lot of US distributors.
If initial release is Blu Ray, then DA-88 DTRS machine will give a 16/48 fileset, and a DA-98 will give a 24-48 fileset. You really want to be using the 24-bit version if the intended destination is Blu Ray - assuming of course it's not going to get mullered down to the appalling Dolby Digital.
BluRay audio can be Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS (DTS-HD MAS is the better option as it includes downmixing & legacy "core" streams all in a single file and is a mandatory BD surround set for multichannel lossless).
Can be Dolby True HD, but that is not mandated in surround - stereo only. I have seen occasions where the player is lighting the True HD light, but outputting the hidden AC3 stream because the player only supports True HD in stereo........be careful.

[jhorsley]

Just wanted to add that it's extremely important that you get all your delivery specs IN WRITING BEFORE YOU START MIXING. There could be a misunderstanding that could end up costing you a lot of time and money if you have to get involved with the encoding, or anything else you don't normally do.

All the best with it-

Joachim