What You Need to Successfully Upload Your Film to Gathr

Find out what you need to get your Film ready for screenings and Video on Demand.

1. General Requirements
2. Theatrical Screenings
3. Non-Theatrical In-Person Screenings 
4. Virtual Screenings
5. Video on Demand
6. Film Fees

1. General Requirements

For screenings, Video on Demand, and to properly configure your Film’s landing page, Gathr needs the following for any Film you onboard:

• Trailer URL (Vimeo or YouTube URL, set to “public” or "hide from vimeo")
• High resolution poster image
• Highest quality uploadable Film file*/***
• Highest quality Film URL**
• Film subtitle files (optional)***
• Film audio files (optional)***

2. Theatrical Screenings 

For theatrical screenings, you'll need to provide your maximum resolution Film file that you will use for screenings. Gathr works with DCU to create and distribute DCPs to theatres for your screenings.

While having your Film file onboarded to DCU already gives you a head-start, it's not necessary, as Gathr will get in touch with you to walk you through that process once you onboard your Film. 

3. Non-Theatrical In-Person Screenings 

To enable your Film for non-theatrical community screenings, you must upload your Film, subtitle files, and audio tracks to our secure private storage.

This way, hosts who have booked your Film for a non-theatrical screening will get your encrypted Film and related files as a downloadable file via our truster partner, Artinii's proprietary Cinema Player app, enabling offline playback, watermarked preview playback for equipment checks and setup, and playback expiration parameters, ensuring your Film is only viewable for your approved screening Event.

Please ensure your video file, audio file(s), and subtitle file(s) adhere to these requirements:

Video File:

Compatible video formats:

• MP4
• AVI
• MOV

• Lossless or Common Codecs

Compatible video resolutions:

• Full HD
• 2K
• 4K

Film subtitle files (optional):

• Either included in your video container or as a separate .srt file.

Film audio files (optional):

• Stereo or 5.1 Surround Sound (AC3 Codec - channel order L, R, C, LFE, LS, RS - multiple channels must be in a single stream.)
• All available languages must be in their own audio stream.
• Multiple audio streams for multiple languages are supported.
• For example, a 5.1 mix in a single stream and stereo downmix in a single stream.

4. Virtual Screenings 

You can opt to use either a Vimeo video link or an HLS link for delivery of your Film virtually. Note that any subtitle files must be added along with your Film file on your preferred video hosting solution, such as Vimeo, Bunny.net, or other. 

Vimeo Video link

Key Features:

• Easy setup with a direct Vimeo link

• Supports Video on Demand (VOD) playback

• No interactive features

• No Gathr TV app compatibility

For Vimeo video links, input your Vimeo link by copying it from your Vimeo dashboard, after configuring the video privacy setting to "Hide from Vimeo" and adding "Gathr.com" as an approved embeddable domain.

There are two crucial Vimeo settings you must set manually in Vimeo in Privacy Settings:

• Set to "Hide from Vimeo."
• Add Gathr.com as an approved domain where your video can be embedded.

HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) (required for virtual screenings with Zoom)

Key Features:

• Integrated Film playback with live introduction or Q&A

• Supports Video on Demand (VOD) playback

• Enhanced audience engagement in virtual Film Screenings through Zoom

• Enables Gathr TV app playback for wider accessibility

Enable this feature to integrate any HLS URL from your preferred streaming video platform. With this setting, your HLS URL will be used for all virtual screenings, including with Zoom, and for your Film's Video on Demand (VOD) Watch page.

You can provide a Vimeo HLS link, a Bunny.net HLS Playlist URL, or any compatible HLS URL.  

Different video hosting platforms have different names for this URL. Some different naming conventions include: 

• HLS Playlist URL
• HLS link
• Live stream link

5. Video on Demand

Setting up your Film for VOD is similar to doing so for virtual screenings.

Your VOD playback will use whichever link you provided in your Streaming Settings on your Film dashboard - either a Vimeo video link or an HLS URL.

6. Film Fees

Coming soon.