Media File Formats and Specifications

AVC-I codec

Form of H264 used for HD Broadcast (AS-11)

Aspect Ratio

The proportional relationship between the width and height of an image or screen, commonly expressed as 16:9.

Video Resolution

The number of pixels arranged by width and height on a screen or image, measuring the image's pixel count.

Digital Cameras

Cameras that capture and store photographs and videos in digital format, offering various features like frame size, compression levels, and chroma subsampling.

Arri Alexa

A renowned camera brand with a history dating back over 100 years, known for setting industry standards and widely used in modern filmmaking.

RED

A camera manufacturer that gained popularity in the 2000s, particularly known for its DSMC and DSMC2 systems used in commercial and indie filmmaking.

Panavision

A company specializing in creating anamorphic lenses and motion picture equipment, including cameras and lenses, with notable partnerships and camera models.

Common Codecs

Compression-decompression algorithms used to encode and decode audio and video data, with examples like MPEG2, AVC-Intra, and H.264.

Image Sequences

A series of images displayed in succession, with formats like EXR offering lossless high bit depth storage and dynamic range capabilities.

ProRes

An Apple codec, with ProRes 4444 XQ being the highest-quality version for 4:4:4:4 image sources, including alpha channels.

Apple ProRes 4444 XQ

Preserves dynamic ranges several times greater than Rec. 709 imagery

Apple ProRes 4444

High-quality codec for 4:4:4:4 image sources with alpha channels

Apple ProRes 422 HQ

Higher-data-rate version of Apple ProRes 422 for 4:2:2 image sources

Avid DNxHD

Avid's codec for organizing original source footage into a single format

Avid DNxHR

Handles frame sizes up to 8K, in contrast to DNxHD's HD limit

Avid DNxHR LB

Low Bandwidth (8-bit 4:2:2) Offline Quality variant of DNxHR

Avid DNxHR HQX

High Quality (12-bit 4:2:2) UHD/4K Broadcast-quality variant of DNxHR

MXF

Common wrapper format for media files

H265 (HEVC) codec

Used for UHD deliverables

JPEG2000 codec

Used for DCP & IMF (Interoperable Mastering Format)

AS-11

Delivery specification for material acquisition, post-production, and delivery

AS-11 QC checks

Quality control checks for AS-11 compliance including GOP structure, audio-video duration match, and more

dBFS

'Full Scale' audio signal level with 0 dBFS being the highest achievable

-10dBFS

Popular max sound level in digital audio WAV files

-24LKFS

Loudness level measurement accounting for human perception of sound