SMPTE ST 2067
{{Short description|Standards document describing audio/visual master elements}}
SMPTE ST 2067{{Cite web |last=SMPTE |title=SMPTE ST 2067 - Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers |url=https://www.smpte.org/standards/st2067 |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=www.smpte.org |language=en}} is a suite of standards published by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) that defines the digital delivery and storage of professional audio/visual master elements, known as Interoperable Master Format ("IMF").{{Cite journal |date=August 2021 |title=OV 2067-0-2021 - SMPTE Overview Document - Interoperable Master Format |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9521128 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825221901/https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9521128/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 25, 2021 |journal=Ov 2067-0-2021 |pages=1–4 |doi=10.5594/SMPTE.OV2067-0-2021|isbn=978-1-68303-248-9 |doi-access=free }} Applications within the IMF framework provide standardized interchange and archival for versioned and localized media at a large scale.
The 2067 suite was originally published in 2013, including SMPTE ST 2067-2 (Core Constraints){{Cite journal |date=May 2020 |title=ST 2067-2:2020 - SMPTE Standard - Interoperable Master Format — Core Constraints |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9097478 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025194936/https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9097478 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 25, 2020 |journal=St 2067-2:2020 |pages=1–43 |doi=10.5594/SMPTE.ST2067-2.2020|isbn=978-1-68303-211-3 |doi-access=free }} and SMPTE ST 2067-20 (Application #2, now deprecated for Application #2E).{{Cite journal |date=May 2020 |title=ST 2067-21:2020 - SMPTE Standard - Interoperable Master Format — Application #2E |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9097487 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929152305/https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9097487 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 29, 2020 |journal=St 2067-21:2020 |pages=1–34 |doi=10.5594/SMPTE.ST2067-21.2020|isbn=978-1-68303-212-0 |doi-access=free }} Additional standards describe key components such as the playback methodology through Composition Playlist{{Cite journal |date=May 2020 |title=ST 2067-3:2020 - SMPTE Standard - Interoperable Master Format — Composition Playlist |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9097510 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025204418/https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9097510 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 25, 2020 |journal=St 2067-3:2020 |pages=1–35 |doi=10.5594/SMPTE.ST2067-3.2020|isbn=978-1-68303-214-4 |doi-access=free }} and carriage of media essence in OP1a compliant MXF.{{Cite journal |date=May 2020 |title=ST 2067-5:2020 - SMPTE Standard - Interoperable Master Format — Essence Component |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9099734 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021025124/https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9099734 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 21, 2020 |journal=St 2067-5:2020 |pages=1–15 |doi=10.5594/SMPTE.ST2067-5.2020|isbn=978-1-68303-213-7 |doi-access=free }}
New capabilities and constraints are added through supplemental standards documents under the ST 2067 standard, such as the plug-in for Immersive Audio Bitstream.{{Cite book |date=January 2021 |title=ST 2067-201:2021 - SMPTE Standard - Immersive Audio Bitstream Level 0 Plug-in |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9343937 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203090109/https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9343937/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 3, 2021 |journal=St 2067-201:2021 |pages=1–14 |doi=10.5594/SMPTE.ST2067-201.2021|isbn=978-1-68303-238-0 }}
ST 2067 has a document series roadmap for expansion of the standard. It is organized by "parts," of which not all designators are in active use at this time.
| class="wikitable"
|+ !ST 2067 Part !Description |
| 2067-0
|Overview and roadmap |
| 2067-1 through -19
|Core specifications |
| 2067-20 through -29
|Application 2 (Studio Profile, JPEG 2000) |
| 2067-30 through -39
|Application 3 (Studio Profile, MPEG-4) |
| 2067-40 through -49
|Application 4 (Cinema Mezzanine) |
| 2067-50 through -59
|Application 5 (ACES) |
| 2067-100 through -119
|Output Profile |
| 2067-200 through -219
|IMF Plugins |
ST 2067 / IMF shares a common framework with Digital Cinema Package, applying specific limitations upon many of the same standards. Variations on codecs (most notably JPEG 2000 and PCM), specified in the various Applications, are designed to handle specific use cases, with Application 2E currently the most common.
Support
ST 2067 is supported in numerous post-production software suites, such as DaVinci Resolve. Open source tools include Netflix's Photon for validation and an IMF demuxer for FFMPEG.
In May 2019, Amazon London hosted an "IMF Plugfest" where SMPTE and HPA IMF User Group participants performed interoperability testing at scale,{{Cite web |author1=Phil Kurz |date=2019-08-22 |title=IMF Plugfest Reveals Advancement in Interoperability |url=https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/imf-plugfest-reveals-advancement-in-interoperability |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=TVTechnology |language=en}} leading to the 2020 revision of several parts of the standard{{Cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Mark |date=2020-06-02 |title=SMPTE Releases Revisions to IMF Standards Documents |url=https://tvnewscheck.com/tech/article/smpte-releases-revisions-to-imf-standards-documents/ |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=TV News Check |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Bridge |first=The Broadcast |date=2020-06-08 |title=SMPTE Releases Revisions To IMF Standards Documents - The Broadcast Bridge - Connecting IT to Broadcast |url=https://www.thebroadcastbridge.com/content/entry/15299/smpte-releases-revisions-to-imf-standards-documents |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=www.thebroadcastbridge.com |language=en}}
For several years, the European Broadcasting Union had a dedicated working group for ST 2067 and IMF{{Cite web |date=2023-03-15 |title=Interoperable Master Format (IMF) |url=https://tech.ebu.ch/imf |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=tech.ebu.ch |language=en}} to educate members about the technology and methodology. The format is now included as part of their Video Systems groups.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-02 |title=Video |url=https://tech.ebu.ch/groups/video |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=tech.ebu.ch |language=en}}
Other industry groups such as the International Broadcasting Convention and the National Association of Broadcasters regularly post articles{{Cite web |last=Foster2018-04-12T21:37:00+01:00 |first=Alana |title=What are the business benefits of IMF? |url=https://www.ibc.org/trends/what-are-the-business-benefits-of-imf/2766.article |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=IBC |language=en}} and hold discussion panels{{Cite web |title=Industry Virtual Events |url=https://nabshowexpress.com/partners/upcoming-industry-virtual-events/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=NAB Show Express |language=en-US}} about the ST 2067 IMF standard.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Digital Preservation Forum notes IMF "has proved to be imperative in the exchange and processing of multiple content versions of finished works for a variety of global distribution channels..." in their synopsis of the format.{{Cite web |title=Interoperable Master Format (IMF) |url=https://academydigitalpreservationforum.org/interoperable-master-format-imf/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Academy Digital Preservation Forum |language=en-US}}
Specifications
Several large entertainment and media entities require variations of the IMF format in their mastering and archival file specifications. These specifications sometimes include constraints upon the larger ST 2067 standard to address unique use cases. Studios leveraging IMF include Netflix,{{Cite web |title=Post Production Branded Delivery Specifications |url=https://partnerhelp.netflixstudios.com/hc/en-us/articles/7262346654995-Post-Production-Branded-Delivery-Specifications |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Netflix {{!}} Partner Help Center |language=en-US}} Disney,{{Cite web |title=Disney Media Tech Specs |url=https://mediatechspecs.disney.com/#/mastering/video/imf-master-packages |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=mediatechspecs.disney.com}} Sony Pictures,{{Cite web |title=Mastering {{!}} Studio Operations |url=http://www.sonypictures.com/studios/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=www.sonypictures.com |language=en}} Warner Bros,{{Cite web |title=High Dynamic Range (HDR) |url=https://partnerhub.warnermediagroup.com/specifications-and-guides/originals/originals-hdr |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=partnerhub.warnermediagroup.com |language=en}} and the BBC,{{Cite web |title=Technical requirements |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/delivery/bbc.com/delivery/technical-requirements/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}} amongst others.
The United States Library of Congress lists IMF as its preferred file-based video archival format{{Cite web |title=Recommended Formats Statement – Moving Image Works {{!}} Resources (Preservation, Library of Congress) |url=https://www.loc.gov/preservation/resources/rfs/moving.html#file |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=www.loc.gov}} in its larger Recommended Formats Statement.{{Cite web |title=Recommended Formats Statement - Resources (Preservation, Library of Congress) |url=https://www.loc.gov/preservation/resources/rfs/index.html |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=www.loc.gov}}