There is a middle ground. Create a test DCP. It need not be more than 5 minutes. Select an average scene, and a couple more extreme light or dark scenes. Show each shot at slightly different gamma, and maybe saturation. View the test in a calibrated theater and pick the best overall approach. Then you can make 1 or 2 corrections to the entire project if desired. Perhaps your DCP house has such a theater to check their work. They may not charge extra for the short test. I've done this approach myself and ended up adding something like 5% saturation to the project. I might have made the overall gamma slightly darker as well, but I'm nervous about dark projection in many multiplexes...
Very usefull approach. Thanks for the tip. Great to have experienced pros in the forum.
Well, I only did one DCP 3 years ago. It was for an advertising campaign. I used at that time something called openDCP.
It worked fine. The AD talked to the dcp people in the theater it was tested with a reference clip. If dcp created was
Corrupted then they would tell the guys to do it but it played all ok with just a slightly gamma (almost undetectable
If not viewed side by side with original). Big luck.
I remember that the cost in the case it went wrong was very affordable.
So indeed it might not be a so good calculation to DIY considering that prices went down.
I also see the same corrections as you mention. Sort of 5%.
But I prefer a slightly lighter gamma than the opposite.