- Production Technology
- Envisioning Production in 2030 – White Paper
- Securing the Vision – White Paper
- Software-Defined Workflows - White Paper
- Content Protection
- Enhanced Content Security Framework (ECP)
- Automated Content Notification System (ACNS)
- Distribution Supply Chain
- MovieLabs Digital Distribution Framework
- Ratings
- Next-Generation Formats
- Ultra HD & HDR (High Dynamic Range)
- Digital Extras—Cross-Platform Extras (CPE) & Interactivity
- Consumer Lockers
- Data & Business Intelligence
- Creative Works Ontology for film & television
- Talent ID
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Production Technology
MovieLabs is working with studios and the industry to define and advance the future of production technology.
Envisioning Production in 2030 – White Paper
MovieLabs and its member studios have published a white paper that lays out a bold vision for the future of media creation technology some 10 years into the future. We describe technological advances which will enable seismic changes in media workflows, and we propose ten foundational principles as keys to that future. We invite stakeholders across the industry to read the white paper and work with us to deliver on the future of media creation and continue to empower some of the world’s best storytellers and the entire creative community.
Securing the Vision – White Paper
Protecting cloud production needs a new approach to security. This second white paper outlines the principles required to build a foundation of security for the 2030 Vision.
Software-Defined Workflows - White Paper
Delivering on the promise of the 2030 Vision requires supporting creative workflows with new methods and tools to promote automation and interoperability. The third white paper in the 2030 Vision series addresses our approach to software-defined workflows.
Content Protection
Enhanced Content Security Framework (ECP)
The proliferation of diverse devices and the advent of OTT have complicated the deployment of content protection. To give the industry a common target for implementing content protection for Ultra HD, MovieLabs developed with its members the MovieLabs Specification for Enhanced Content Protection (ECP). The specification includes best practices for digital rights management, platforms, and end-to-end systems. It covers a range of practices around cryptography, device binding, software diversity, title diversity, revocation & renewal, output & link protection, secure media pipeline, secure computation environment, hardware root of trust, watermarking, playback control, and certification.
Automated Content Notification System (ACNS)
To increase efficiency and reduce the costs of responding to copyright notices, MovieLabs created ACNS, an open-source specification for automation of notice handling.
Distribution Supply Chain
MovieLabs focuses substantial effort on improving the competitiveness of digital distribution by driving new technologies and standards that enable automation between studios and distribution partners, lower costs, increase efficiency, and improve the consumer experience. Whether it’s SVOD, TVOD, D2C, AVOD, IFE or any other business model, these technologies help studios and partners deliver a wide range of content to consumers.
MovieLabs Digital Distribution Framework
For automation of digital workflows and supply chain efficiency, MovieLabs has created a suite of compatible standards and specifications. They cover core aspects of online distribution, including identification, metadata, avails, asset delivery, and reporting. Developed and delivered through industry collaboration, these standards and technologies enable automation, cost reduction, and improved consumer experiences across the industry. Collectively, we call these the MovieLabs Digital Distribution Framework (MDDF)
MDDF is based on a cohesive set of specifications that support business models and promote efficiency across interrelated entertainment workflows. The recommended standards and specifications cover:
- Identification of content using the Entertainment ID Registry (EIDR)
- Delivery of content metadata using Common Metadata and related standards such as Media Entertainment Core Metadata
- Delivery of availability metadata using EMA Avails and Title List
- Specifying asset delivery using Media Manifest and the Interoperable Master Format (IMF)
- Delivery of digital extras using Cross-Platform Extras and CPE-Manifest
- Delivery and QC workflows supported by Asset Ordering, Delivery and Tracking and QC Vocabulary
- Precise transaction reporting using EIDR roundtrips and the DEG Digital Sales Reporting Specification
- Supporting materials including Best Practices, video training material, and online tools and code
Ratings
MovieLabs aggregated ratings information from ratings bodies around the world and created a centralized web resource for reference by content publishers and distributors, allowing automated retrieval of the most current ratings information to support metadata standardization across distribution work flows.
Next-Generation Formats
MovieLabs is a key resource helping the industry define next generation consumer experiences and build the technology platforms that deliver them.
Ultra HD & HDR (High Dynamic Range)
In 2013, MovieLabs led a cross-industry initiative to add High Dynamic Range and full color gamut to the Ultra HD/4K roadmap. The ask to the industry was captured in high-level specifications which defined the key features that the MovieLabs member studios wanted in the next generation of video formats. This served as the basis for new standards and individual studio requirements for the distribution and protection of HDR and UltraHD content. MovieLabs continues to work on best practices for these technologies to enable their successful deployment to the consumer.
Digital Extras—Cross-Platform Extras (CPE) & Interactivity
Our Cross-Platform Extras (CPE) specifications enable the standardized delivery of digital extras that enhance the user experience. We provide the Cross-Platform Extras Manifest (CPE-Manifest) specification as a means to communicate a user experience that includes main titles, bonus video, image galleries and other media. MovieLabs also provides best practices and tools for implementation of user experiences on devices and browsers, including Cross-Platform Extras HTML (CPE-HTML), which defines an API that supports HTML-based interactive user experience that can be executed across retailers.
Consumer Lockers
MovieLabs has been a longtime advocate of providing consumers with easier cross-platform access to content and has assisted studios with the development of the UltraViolet and Movies Anywhere platforms.
Data & Business Intelligence
MovieLabs delivers new data tools and research capabilities that help the industry build advanced data systems and engage consumers more effectively around the world.
Creative Works Ontology for film & television
To enable the development of more interoperable data systems and drive adoption of core data infrastructure, MovieLabs has published a Creative Works Ontology that provides a machine-to-machine framework for automating connections between the disparate data systems that populate the film and television world.
Talent ID
A standardized, non-confidential talent identifier would improve the creation and management of data on the key contributors to the creative assets of our industry. MovieLabs has published a white paper that discusses the need for such an identifier, lays out use cases, summarizes key requirements, and recommends a path to implementation.