International Standard Audiovisual Number
Encyclopedia
International Standard Audiovisual Number (ISAN) is a unique identifier
for audiovisual works and related versions, similar to ISBN for books. It was developed within an ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) TC46/SC9 working group. ISAN is managed and run by ISAN-IA.
The ISAN standard (ISO standard 15706:2002 & ISO 15706-2
) is recommended or required as the audiovisual identifier of choice for producers, studios, broadcasters, Internet media providers and video games publishers who need to encode, track, and distribute video in a variety of formats. It provides a unique, internationally recognized and permanent reference number for each audiovisual work and related versions registered in the ISAN system.
ISAN identifies works throughout their entire life cycle from conception, to production, to distribution and consumption. Its core strength lies in its universal benefits and long-term stability.
ISANs can be incorporated in both digital and physical media, such as theatrical release prints, DVDs, publications, advertising, marketing materials and packaging, as well as licensing contracts to uniquely identify works.
The ISAN identifier is incorporated in many draft and final standards such as AACS
, DCI, MPEG, DVB, and ATSC.
A root is assigned to a core work. Subsequent film parts or television episodes that relate to the root work can have the same root, but a different 'episode or part' component (if a core work does not have associated parts or episodes, then the episode segment is filled with zeros). Works (and their episodes or parts) that have been modified in some way — for example, dubbing, and subtitling the work into other languages — can have different versions. When the 96-bit ISAN is represented in hexadecimal
form it has 24 digits, for example: 000000018947000000000000.
However, a printed ISAN designed for human reading always begins with the ISAN label, appears with hyphens to separate the number into more manageable groups of digits, and adds two check characters (alphanumeric) to help identify transcription errors. The resulting number appears as: ISAN 0000-0001-8947-0000-8-0000-0000-D
ISAN-IA has also developed a recommended practice for encoding the ISAN in a two-dimensional barcode 96 pixel
s square.
An ISAN is a centrally registered and permanently assigned reference number. The work or content it references is identified by a metadata
set registered with ISAN-IA. Appointed Registration Agencies and ISAN-IA work together to prevent duplicate assignments of ISANs with the same metadata set. The ISAN metadata set includes the title (original and alternative), cast (director, actors, producer, screenwriter, etc...), type of works (movie, documentary, TV series or entertainment show, sport events, video games, etc...), duration, year of production and dozens of other fields related to the work. This metadata applies to all type of audiovisual works, including their related versions of trailers, excerpts, videos and broadcasts.
The Microsoft High Capacity Color Barcode
will be used too.
-based non-profit association, founded in 2003, by AGICOA, CISAC
, and FIAPF
to run the ISAN standard.
ISAN-IA is in charge of:
Registration Agencies:
Unique identifier
With reference to a given set of objects, a unique identifier is any identifier which is guaranteed to be unique among all identifiers used for those objects and for a specific purpose...
for audiovisual works and related versions, similar to ISBN for books. It was developed within an ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) TC46/SC9 working group. ISAN is managed and run by ISAN-IA.
The ISAN standard (ISO standard 15706:2002 & ISO 15706-2
ISO 15706-2
The ISO 15706-2 is the ISO standard, an extension to the existing 2002 published standard ISO 15706:2002. The ISO 15706-2 is the Information and documentation — International Standard Audiovisual Number — Part 2: Version identifier....
) is recommended or required as the audiovisual identifier of choice for producers, studios, broadcasters, Internet media providers and video games publishers who need to encode, track, and distribute video in a variety of formats. It provides a unique, internationally recognized and permanent reference number for each audiovisual work and related versions registered in the ISAN system.
ISAN identifies works throughout their entire life cycle from conception, to production, to distribution and consumption. Its core strength lies in its universal benefits and long-term stability.
ISANs can be incorporated in both digital and physical media, such as theatrical release prints, DVDs, publications, advertising, marketing materials and packaging, as well as licensing contracts to uniquely identify works.
The ISAN identifier is incorporated in many draft and final standards such as AACS
Advanced Access Content System
The Advanced Access Content System is a standard for content distribution and digital rights management, intended to restrict access to and copying of the "next generation" of optical discs and DVDs. The specification was publicly released in April 2005 and the standard has been adopted as the...
, DCI, MPEG, DVB, and ATSC.
Number format
The ISAN is a 96-bit number comprising three segments: a root, an episode or part, and a version.A root is assigned to a core work. Subsequent film parts or television episodes that relate to the root work can have the same root, but a different 'episode or part' component (if a core work does not have associated parts or episodes, then the episode segment is filled with zeros). Works (and their episodes or parts) that have been modified in some way — for example, dubbing, and subtitling the work into other languages — can have different versions. When the 96-bit ISAN is represented in hexadecimal
Hexadecimal
In mathematics and computer science, hexadecimal is a positional numeral system with a radix, or base, of 16. It uses sixteen distinct symbols, most often the symbols 0–9 to represent values zero to nine, and A, B, C, D, E, F to represent values ten to fifteen...
form it has 24 digits, for example: 000000018947000000000000.
However, a printed ISAN designed for human reading always begins with the ISAN label, appears with hyphens to separate the number into more manageable groups of digits, and adds two check characters (alphanumeric) to help identify transcription errors. The resulting number appears as: ISAN 0000-0001-8947-0000-8-0000-0000-D
ISAN-IA has also developed a recommended practice for encoding the ISAN in a two-dimensional barcode 96 pixel
Pixel
In digital imaging, a pixel, or pel, is a single point in a raster image, or the smallest addressable screen element in a display device; it is the smallest unit of picture that can be represented or controlled....
s square.
An ISAN is a centrally registered and permanently assigned reference number. The work or content it references is identified by a metadata
Metadata
The term metadata is an ambiguous term which is used for two fundamentally different concepts . Although the expression "data about data" is often used, it does not apply to both in the same way. Structural metadata, the design and specification of data structures, cannot be about data, because at...
set registered with ISAN-IA. Appointed Registration Agencies and ISAN-IA work together to prevent duplicate assignments of ISANs with the same metadata set. The ISAN metadata set includes the title (original and alternative), cast (director, actors, producer, screenwriter, etc...), type of works (movie, documentary, TV series or entertainment show, sport events, video games, etc...), duration, year of production and dozens of other fields related to the work. This metadata applies to all type of audiovisual works, including their related versions of trailers, excerpts, videos and broadcasts.
The Microsoft High Capacity Color Barcode
High Capacity Color Barcode
High Capacity Color Barcode is the name coined by Microsoft for its technology of encoding data in a 2D "barcode" using clusters of colored triangles instead of the square pixels traditionally associated with 2D barcodes. Data density is increased by using a palette of 4 or 8 colors for the...
will be used too.
ISAN-IA
ISAN-IA (ISAN International Agency) is a GenevaGeneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
-based non-profit association, founded in 2003, by AGICOA, CISAC
Confédération Internationale des Sociétés d´Auteurs et Compositeurs
Confédération Internationale des Sociétés d´Auteurs et Compositeurs , founded in 1926, is a performance rights organisation, which coordinates the protection of its member creators' rights.As of June 2010, CISAC numbers 229 authors’ societies from 121 countries and indirectly represents more than...
, and FIAPF
FIAPF
The FIAPF based in Paris, created in 1933, is an organization composed with 31 member associations from 25 of the leading audiovisual production countries...
to run the ISAN standard.
ISAN-IA is in charge of:
- maintaining the ISAN central repository
- implementing, running and managing the ISAN system
- accrediting and appointing the ISAN registration agencies worldwide
- promoting with the help of the registration agencies, the ISAN standard to the audiovisual industry.
External links
Registration Agencies:
- AF ISAN, France
- ISAN Berne
- ARIBSAN, Spain
- ISAN Australasia
- Secure Path, Hollywood based registration agency
- ISAN Deutschland
- ISAN Poland
- ISAN UK
- ISAN Sverige
- ABRISAN, Brazil
- ISAN Canada
- ISAN Serbia
- ISAN Osterreich, Austria
- ARIBSAN Latin America, Uruguay
- Transitory Registration Agengy, for all other countries not yet covered by the previous Local Registration Agencies