Pixel Arrays for Digital Cinema

So we make things around here for Digital Cinema since the incredible IU Cinema is fully DCI compliant at 2K and will be considered an E-Cinema for 4K content.  The digital projectors both have a 1:1 PAR, that's pixel aspect ratio, so the dimensions of source material are projected true.  The pixel array values we use when creating content and packing digital cinema packages (DCPs) are:

• 2K container = 2048x1080
• 2K Silent 1.33:1 = 1440x1080
• 2K Academy 1.37:1 = 1480x1080
• 2K European 1.67:1 = 1804x1080
• 2K Flat 1.85:1 = 1998x1080
• 2K Scope 2.39:1 = 2048x858

• 4K container = 4096x2160
• 4K Silent 1.33:1 = 2880x2160
• 4K Academy 1.37:1 = 2960x2160
• 4K European 1.67:1 = 3608x2160
• 4K Flat 1.85:1 = 3996x2160
• 4K Scope 2.39:1 = 4096x1716

The accepted aspect ratios are: 1.89:1 for the container, 1.33:1, 1.37:1 for Academy, 1.67:1 for European, 1.85:1 for Flat, and 2.39:1 for Scope.  We only need to know the full container aspect because that is what we pack the DCPs in.  Movies aren't generally made with this 1.89:1 aspect in mind.  Most everything you'll see these days are made for Academy, Flat, or Scope.

For a bit of history regarding aspect ratios, check out this article from the Creative COW.