Open Clip

Metadata Support

The version of the Open Clip specification has been updated to version 8. This version of the XML schema has been updated to allow studios to define metadata keys and values to be either added, ignored, or modified on a per-feed basis. The metadata attributes are provided from the referenced media files to avoid unnecessary duplication of data.

The <metadataEdits> section allows the following:

<edits>
- Modify the name of a metadata key.
- Modify the value of a metadata key.
- Discard a metadata key.
<additions>
- Add metadata keys.

All the types of values supported in the Open Clip format are supported in <edits> and <additions>.

For more information, see the following pages in the Open Clip Reference:

Examples

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<clip type="clip" version="8">
    <handler>
        <name>MIO Clip</name>
        <version>2</version>
        <options type="dict">
            <ScanPattern type="string"></ScanPattern>
        </options>
    </handler>
    <tracks>
        <track uid="t0">
            <trackType>video</trackType>
            <feeds currentVersion="B_0001C001_241127_4608x3164_EP18_VE_100P">
                <feed vuid="B_0001C001_241127_4608x3164_EP18_VE_100P" uid="t0B_0001C001_241127_4608x3164_EP18_VE_100P">
                    <storageFormat type="format">
                        <type>video</type>
                    </storageFormat>
                    <spans>
                        <span>
                            <path encoding="pattern">/mnt/SSD_STORAGE/2027/Metadata_Demo/DEMO_CONTENT/FORMATS/ARRI/OPEN_EXR/B_0001C001_241127_4608x3164_EP18_VE_100P.[000-451].exr</path>
                        </span>
                    </spans>
                    <metadataEdits type="metadataEdits">
                        <edits>
                            <edit key="acesImageContainerFlag" renamedKey="acesImageContainerFlag_RENAMED" type="int">9999</edit>
                            <edit key="cameraIdentifier" type="string">ARRI_ALEXA_35-SN_66402_edited Value</edit>
                            <edit key="cameraMake" discarded="1"/>
                        </edits>
                        <additions>
                            <add key="MyKey_String" type="string">MyValue</add>
                            <add key="MyKey_Int" type="int">987</add>
                            <add key="MyKey_Float" type="float">1234.56</add>
                        </additions>
                    </metadataEdits>
                </feed>
            </feeds>
        </track>
    </tracks>
    <versions currentVersion="B_0001C001_241127_4608x3164_EP18_VE_100P">
        <version uid="B_0001C001_241127_4608x3164_EP18_VE_100P">
            <name>B_0001C001_241127_4608x3164_EP18_VE_100P</name>
        </version>
    </versions>
</clip>

Adding Metadata Keys

When adding metadata tags in an Open Clip, this data takes precedence over the metadata of the media files. Therefore, it is not possible to edit metadata keys and values in the Metadata list inside the Pre-Processing menu. To reflect the read-only status of the Metadata list, Add is greyed out to prevent the addition of new metadata keys.

Editing Metadata Keys

If the Open Clip has been edited, entering the Pre-Processing menu updates the clip and the Metadata list. If the content has been cached, the cached media is regenerated when exiting the Pre-Processing menu. Any modification to the metadata needs to be done using a downstream Metadata node or Source Metadata Timeline FX. This does not apply to the Clip node in Batch since the node manages the metadata on top of the source clip.

Metadata is managed on a feed basis, which means that studios can define metadata for single-track, multiple-tracks, multi-channels, and multi-versions content.

Note: It is currently possible to edit read-only metadata keys in an Open Clip but these edits are replaced when exporting the content as OpenEXR.

Using Metadata in Open Clips

It is possible to update the <metadataEdits> section of Open Clips even after the Open Clips have been imported into the application. To update the imported content, one of the following options can be used:

Select Update Source in the Source Versions submenu of a clip or timeline segment's context menu.
Enter the Pre-Processing menu.

If the content has been imported with cache, updating the Open Clip triggers a re-caching when updating the source or when exiting the Pre-Processing menu.

Compatibility

Open Clips created in the 2027 version use version 8 of the format and are not compatible with previous versions of the application. Open Clips created with the Write File node and Media Export have been updated to version 8. Studios with automated Open Clips management should include the version tag in the Open Clip when using the <metadataEdits> section to avoid issues with previous versions of the application.