ISAN creation: version of works, and versions of versions

This basic step by step guide outlines the ISAN applications process for versions of works (i.e. variants, manifestations, related contents, related items). It provides examples for the registration of a director’s cut variant, a Blu-ray manifestation, a VoD manifestation and a subtitled festival screening version.  

Versions of audiovisual works can only be registered if a valid ISAN has been previously allocated to the audiovisual work. ISAN applications for works (i.e. single, series, groups, episodes) or project ISAN are not covered by this document, for guidance on works registrations or on project ISAN, refer to the corresponding guide.

1       What ISAN record type applies to my version?

In the ISAN registry, versions are organized in 4 categories or record types: Variants, Manifestations, Related Contents, Related Items.

Each ISAN version record type has its own metadata schema. Therefore, before registering a new version, you need to select which record type to register with:

Variants are “cuts versions”, they identify changes in the edition of the work. Such changes can be:

• Creative cuts such as director’s cut, alternate ending, special editions, 2D/3D versions etc…
• Distribution edits such as localized versions, censored versions, home video/ broadcasting / airline… versions,
• Technical edits such as restored, remastered, B&W/colorized versions etc...

In principle Variants are versions of an audiovisual work (their parent), but a variant can also be a version of another variant

• example 1: the remastering of the original director’s cut version
• example 2: the censored version of the original broadcasting edit

 In the ISAN registry, such versions are defined as variant records.

 Manifestations are “media versions”, they identify the fixation of the content on a medium and/or identify changes in languages:

• Fixation on mediums such as distribution masters (e.g. IMF), Blu-ray discs, files, DCP etc…
• The addition or substitution of subtitles, dubbing, closed captions, alterations of the soundtrack, etc….

In principle, Manifestations are versions of a Variant (their parent).

Example: for a Blu-ray distributed in Asia, the parent is a variant that identifies the Asian localized home video edition of the work.

Exceptionally, a manifestation can directly be a version or a Work.

A manifestation can link other ISAN that identify content or items that are also fixed on the medium as for example trailers and bonus content (registered as Related Content versions) and/or subtitle files (registered as Related Item versions) or other variants.

In the ISAN registry, such versions are defined as manifestation records.

Related Content: these versions identify other content that is derived from or closely related to the audiovisual work and intended for mass distribution. Such related content can be:

• Promotional content such as trailers or a teaser.
• Supplemental content such as bonus, interviews, commented scenes, clips, …
• Related interactive content such as multimedia material, interactive web pages, games, etc…

In principle, Related Content are versions of an audiovisual work, but in some cases they can also be versions of a variant.

 In the ISAN registry, such versions are defined as related_content records.

 Related Items: ISO 15706-2 extends the ISAN version identification to items closely related to the audiovisual work and intended for mass distribution. Such related items can be:

• Audio resources related to the audiovisual content such as audio tracks or files (audio, sound, dubbing, subtitles, closed captions, etc…).
• A ring tone extracted from the audio track of an audiovisual work,
• A fingerprint of an extract or the full audiovisual work,
• A poster of the audiovisual work,
• A box set of films or television programs
• etc…

In principle, Related Items are versions of an audiovisual work, but in some cases they can also be versions of a variant.

In the ISAN registry, such versions are defined as related_item records.

2       Select the parent ISAN

A version has necessary a parent ISAN, this is the ISAN that identify the work (or version) for which a new version will be registered.

• In the case of a new variant registration (e.g. director’s cut, colorized version…), the parent ISAN is
  • a work (episode or single), e.g. the original work is the parent of the director’s cut version
  • or a variant (version of a version), g. the director’s cut is the parent of the censored version for distribution on a specific territory.
• In the case of a new manifestation registration (Blu-ray, VoD, DCP, language,…), the parent ISAN is a variant and exceptionally a work (linguistic versions), e.g. for a Blu-ray distributed in Asia, the parent is a variant that identifies the Asian localized home video edition of the work.
• In the case of a new related content registration (trailer, bonus, clips,…), the parent ISAN is a work (episode or single) or sometimes a variant (version of a version).
• In the case of a new related item registration (subtitles file,…), the parent ISAN is a work (episode or single) or a variant (version of a version).

To select the parent ISAN for the version, open the menu New ISAN and select Version

A short wizard helps to confirm the registration for:

1. a version of a work	2. the record type for the version to register

At this point, it is recommended to perform a preliminary search, to check whether the Version already exist, and if not, to select the parent ISAN work or version.

• You can perform a title search, eventually restricted to a record type and/or an ISAN
• or you can make a lookup on the parent ISAN and browse through all children versions attached to that ISAN

If the version could not be found in the ISAN registry, select the parent ISAN for which you register a version, and open the registration form from the menu Action.

You will need to select again the record type for your version in the Action menu. It will be a Variant in the below example

3       Fill the application form

To speed up the registration process, some data is inherited from the parent ISAN (e.g. title, duration, color kind); this information must be modified if incorrect. Other required data (specific to each record type) must be provided in as in the examples in §6, §7, and §8.

Fill in the information as defined in the ISAN registration best practices. For a proper identification of the work, provide as much information as available.

Click Finish to submit the form for your review before ISAN version (V-ISAN) allocation.

To submit the application form, click on Allocate ISAN

4       Obtain the ISAN version

Right after the application form is submitted, the Registration Timeline is displayed at the bottom of the Version form; click on Refresh and then on View more to display the ISAN allocated to the version.

5       Display the application form with allocated ISAN version

The example below is the Director’s cut variant of the feature film “Ocean’s Eleven”. This will be the parent version for all media fixations of the director’s cut version, e.g. Blu-ray, DVD, etc…

 

Alternatively, once the application form has been submitted, you can retrieve your ISAN version in the list My ISAN available from the menu New ISAN.

 

6       The Blu-ray disc version of “Ocean’s Eleven, director’s cut edition”

The Blu-ray media fixation of the director’s cut version is a manifestation record of the director’s cut variant record (the parent ISAN).

Start from the director’s cut variant display form registered in §5 and open the Action menu at the bottom of the form. In the Action menu, select New Manifestation Blu-ray.

 

This opens a manifestation template for a Blu-ray version registration, with some data inherited from the parent ISAN (title, duration) ; this information must be modified if incorrect.

Select Media Fixation in the Properties list.

 

Fill the distribution information of the Manifestation, i.e. the intention (“Home Video” for a Blu-ray) and the countries/regions of distribution (North America in the example below).

Fill other relevant information that applies to the Blu-ray version such as original and dubbed languages, subtitles, closed captions, etc… Update the Properties with the language information.

Once all information is provided, submit the data for review and registration. Refer to §4 and §5 above for details how to proceed.

 

7       The French dubbing VoD version of “Ocean’s Eleven, director’s cut edition”

The file encoding for VoD distribution of the director’s cut version is a manifestation record of the director’s cut variant record (the parent ISAN).

Start from the director’s cut variant display form registered in §5 and open the Action menu at the bottom of the form. In the Action menu, select New Manifestation Media.

 

This opens a manifestation registration form, with some data inherited from the parent ISAN (title, duration) ; this information must be modified if incorrect.

Select Media Fixation and Dubbing (French dubbing) in the Properties list and File as Media Kind.

Fill the Distribution Information,

• the Distribution Intention is VOD
• the Distribution Countries is France

Select French as the dubbing language.

Fill other relevant information that apply to the manifestation.

Once all information is provided, submit the data for review and registration. Refer to §4 and §5 above for details how to proceed.

 

8       The subtitled festival version of “Ocean’s Eleven”.

The subtitled festival version is fixed on a DCP (Digital Cinema Package), it is therefore a manifestation version with Media Fixation + Subtitles Properties.

Start from the display form of the work ISAN of the feature film and open the Action menu at the bottom of the form. In the Action menu, select New Manifestation Media.

 

This opens a manifestation registration form, with some data inherited from the parent ISAN (title, duration) ; this information must be modified if incorrect.

Select Media Fixation and Subtitle (English subtitles) in the Properties,

Select Delivery Package as Media Kind and DCP as Media Format.

 

Fill the Distribution Information,

• the Distribution Intention is Festival
• the Distribution Countries is Italy

 

Fill other relevant information that applies to the manifestation.

Once all information is provided, submit the data for review and registration. Refer to §4 and §5 above for details how to proceed.