ISAN Registration best practice for scripts

Audiovisual works in projects for which the final descriptive metadata is not yet known, can obtain an in-development ISAN (or in-dev ISAN). By extension, script writing projects are considered as works in project and Scripts can obtain an in-development ISAN for fulfilling obligations to provide an ISAN to founding organisations. This article explains how to identify scripts with ISAN and what happens next with the in-dev ISAN through the script lifecycle. 

Refer to In-development ISAN management for more information on how to register in-development ISAN ISAN.

What metadata for Scripts?

ISAN metadata is optimised for audio-visual content identification, in the case of scripts, the following practice applies:

• Fill the maximum information even if not mandatory. This information is indicative and will be updated later when the work goes to production. It is important to provide all the information and keep it up-to-date for a proper identification of the script, later, by the production.
• Provide the metadata as you expect it to be once the work is produced, you will find guidelines below:  
  • General information
    • Type: projected work type (film, short, series, ...)
    • Kind: projected work kind (animated, live, mixed)
    • Year of reference: the year you expect the work to be produced
    • Duration: the projected length of the work
    • Color Kind:  Color or Black & White
    • Composite: No 
    • Silent: No (unless there is no dialogue)
    • Coproduction: No (unless your script is already accepted by producers)
  • Production Information

• • • Production companies: leave empty unless your script is already accepted by a production company
    • Production countries: in principle your home country and/or other countries if relevant
    • Original language: the language of the dialogues in the script.
  • Title(s)

• • • Original: Yes
    • Language: the language in which the title is written
    • Title: the title you give to the script (make sure you keep this information particularly well up to date).
  • Participants

• • • Categorie: Participant's role, at least one Author or Scriptwriter is required
    • Prénom: First name
    • Nom: Last name (required)
    • Add all authors / scriptwriters in this list, as well as other known participants such as producers (if you have already one), projected director and actors, etc... 

From the script to the production

The script goes to production

ISAN is the identifier of the completed audiovisual work, therefore, the in-dev ISAN must follow the script when the work goes to production.

Once your script is sold to a producer, the in-dev ISAN must be transferred to the producer who will update the descriptive information with production information and activate the ISAN when the work is completed.

Alternatively, the in-dev ISAN can stay as the the script identifier and remain indefinitely in in-dev status. In such case, a new in-dev ISAN linked to the script's ISAN will be delivered to the producer, and this ISAN will be the final ISAN of the work.

Always refer to your ISAN registration agency if you need more details or help to perform the right operation in the ISAN registry. 

The script is waiting for a producer

You shall never activate the in-dev ISAN for a script, even if the script is completed. Only ISAN that identify finalised audiovisual contents can be activated.  

-- this section applies to the new ISAN interface (Q4-2019) ----

Note: Up to the launch of the new ISAN registry interface (expected by the end of 2019), you can contact your ISAN registration agency to ask them to update your project on your behalf.

The "Project Type"  must be set to "Script Writing" and the "Project Status" to "Closed"

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The script goes for editions or re-writing

In principle, when the script obtains new founds for updates or rewriting, the same in-dev ISAN applies. However it might happen that the founding organisation asks for a distinct ISAN, if so, the new in-dev ISAN will be linked to the previous in-dev ISAN.

-- this section applies to the new ISAN interface (Q4-2019) ----

Note: Up to the launch of the new ISAN registry interface (expected by the end of 2019), you can contact your ISAN registration agency to ask them to update your project on your behalf.

The "Project Type"  must be updated to "Script ReWriting" and the "Project Status" to "Open"

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