[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding_tablet=”||10px||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” pac_dcm_carousel_specific_module_num=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text module_class=”bullet-list” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n
The MovieLabs Ontology for Media Creation (OMC) is a comprehensive model of the entities and relationships involved in the production of audiovisual content. It covers the entire lifecycle of a media asset, from its inception to its distribution, and during that journey we know that assets are rarely deleted. We work in a primarily non-destructive workflow as we tend to create a new version of a file which allows us to compare one version with another, rather than delete or overwrite files When there\u2019s potentially millions of files in any given production the proliferation of versions and respective version control can become a massive challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cVersion\u201d also means different things in different parts of the workflow and versions can be created for different reasons. For example, a version can be an intermediate revision of, say, a piece of concept art or a CG prop. It can also mean an asset that can be used in a particular context, for example a shiny new suitcase and the same suitcase but old and battered after a difficult journey. A medium-resolution proxy of an editorial sequence is also thought of as a version, which is confusing if \u201cversion\u201d is also used to refer to the sequence before and after an editorial change. Sometimes we also use versions as a useful way of categorizing and tracking assets.<\/p>\n
In this blog post, we will explain what we mean by \u201cversion\u201d in the OMC, and how versions can help to manage and track the evolution of media assets. OMC also assists by providing a common way to describe and annotate chains of versions. We will also provide an example of how to use OMC to describe the versions and provenance of media assets in a consistent and interoperable way.<\/p>\n
So, let\u2019s dig in with some definitions\u2026<\/p>\n
A version is a term that can mean a lot of different things in the context of media creation. It can refer to a change in something, like a CG model, a different form of something, like a proxy for a higher-resolution video, a modification to something that lets it be used in a different way, like a rusty car vs. a shiny car, or a choice among several things, like three different proposals for concept art.<\/p>\n
All the uses of \u201cversion\u201d we found can be grouped into five different kinds:<\/p>\n
Each of these kinds of versions has a different impact on the identity and meaning of the underlying asset. For example:<\/p>\n
Calling all these things a \u201cversion\u201d overloads the term and loses the subtle distinction in the relationships between them, and as the OMC is concerned with defining relationships, we all need to be more precise in what we mean by a version and which kind of version it is.<\/p>\n
There is one more complication with versions which we need to discuss; a version can often be associated with a \u2018state\u2019, as in the asset has been \u2018approved\u2019, \u2018rejected\u2019, \u2018in-review\u2019 etc. Sometimes people refer to the state when they say things like \u201cuse the approved assets\u201d when they really are referring to a specific version, in essence what they mean to say is \u201cuse version X.Y of the assets, which was the version approved by the director.\u201d State, how we define it and how we use that in the OMC, is a subject for an entirely different blog but suffice to say here that versions and state are often interrelated and sometimes confused but are distinct.<\/p>\n
Provenance is the information that describes the history and origin of an asset and its versions. It can include the events, agents, and sources that contributed to the creation, modification, or selection of the asset. Provenance can help understand the context, quality, and reliability of an asset, as well as to trace its evolution and dependencies.<\/p>\n
In OMC, a version is represented<\/strong> by two main elements:<\/p>\n Versions can contain other information, such as a version number, e.g., \u201c2.1\u201d or a UUID used for tracking the version in applications that don\u2019t use OMC. It can also provide a human-readable description of the version, e.g., \u201cmade the helmet less shiny.\u201d<\/p>\n In OMC, provenance is represented<\/strong> by a structure that is connected to a media asset and\/or its versions. The structure consists of three main elements:<\/p>\n Provenance can also contain information about when the item was created, who created it, and why it was created.<\/p>\n Taken together, versions and provenance give a picture of where assets come from and how and why they have changed over the course of the production. Versions and provenance can be combined by nesting and chaining to represent complex chains of derivations, dependencies, and sources. For example, you can describe a derivation of a variant of a revision of an asset, all with provenance, or indicate a choice of alternatives among several representations of an asset.<\/p>\n OMC versions can be applied to Assets and Asset Groups as well as other elements. This example shows version information about two pieces of concept art for a prop and the CG model based on the approved concept art.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/movielabs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Versions_in_the_ML_Ontology_MC_diagram_v1.png” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=”bullet-list” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n This example is extremely simplified. In a real implementation, some of the versions can relate to Asset Structural Characteristics rather than a complete Asset. Please contact info@movielabs.com if you\u2019d like more details about how that works or would like to see additional technical blogs on versions and versioning in OMC.<\/p>\n If you want to learn more about OMC, you can visit the MovieLabs Media Creation documentation site<\/strong> at https:\/\/mc.movielabs.com\/<\/a> where you can find the full specification, documentation, examples, and resources. You can also follow our GitHub repo<\/strong> at https:\/\/github.com\/MovieLabs\/OMC<\/a>.<\/p>\n Thank you for reading, and happy media creation!<\/p>\n PS. If you didn\u2019t like this version of the blog, just wait for the revision version.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”rgba(86,97,108,0.1)” divider_position=”center” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”80px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”30px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][1]<\/a> An Autodesk Open Source test project which we use for developing and testing concepts in the OMC, for more information see: Help | Hyperspace Madness Production | Autodesk<\/a>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Version Control for Assets in the OMC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":14129,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"aside","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" As part of the 2030 Vision, MovieLabs recognized the need for the systems within a workflow to be able to communicate to each other in a consistent manner. We highlighted the need for common vocabulary and definitions of relationships for use by human-to-human, human-to-machine and machine-to-machine communication. That need drove us to develop the Ontology for Media Creation (OMC) to provide consistent naming and definitions of terms, as well as ways to express how various concepts and components relate to one another in production workflows. We initially released version 1.0 of the OMC in the Autumn of 2021 and now it\u2019s time for a major expansion and update, so today we\u2019re pleased to announce Version 2.0 of the OMC.<\/p> We have made many revisions and additions based on feedback from several organizations that are implementing OMC in their products and services using a variety of database technologies as well as from our own implementations. As the OMC was always designed to be extensible, we\u2019ve also added new areas of coverage (including Versioning) and will continue to expand later this year and into 2024. The changes to some core terms also makes this a Version 2.0 release as parts of it are not completely compatible with previous versions. It is therefore a recommended upgrade for all OMC implementors<\/strong>. This version of OMC serves as the basis for future extensions, and some of the changes are to improve compatibility in future releases.<\/p> The major changes in this version are:<\/p>\n
\n
Using Versions in the OMC<\/h2>\n
\n
Next Steps<\/h2>\n
What\u2019s New<\/h2>