How are film-specific terminologies, slang, and industry jargon managed in DITA documentation?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Incorporating film-specific terminologies, slang, and industry jargon into DITA documentation is essential for accurately representing the film production process. Managing these specialized terms within DITA can be achieved through customization and controlled vocabularies. Here’s how it can be done:

Custom Elements and Attributes

DITA allows for the creation of custom elements and attributes to capture film-specific terminology. For example, you can define custom elements like <film-term> or <industry-jargon> to encapsulate specialized language. These elements can be associated with attributes that provide additional context or explanations. This approach ensures that the jargon is explicitly marked within the content, making it easy to identify and manage.

Controlled Vocabularies

Another effective method is to maintain controlled vocabularies or glossaries specifically tailored to film production terminology. These glossaries can be referenced within DITA content, providing definitions and explanations for industry-specific terms. DITA allows for the inclusion of external references, making it possible to link to glossary entries and ensure consistency in the use of terminology throughout the documentation.

Example:

Here’s an example of how DITA can incorporate film-specific terminology with custom elements and attributes:


<topic id="film_production_process" spec="filmproduction">
  <title>Film Production Process</title>
  <metadata>
    <genre>Drama</genre>
    <location>Outdoor</location>
    <last-reviewed>2023-11-20</last-reviewed>
  </metadata>
  <body>
    <film-term>Key Grip</film-term>
    <industry-jargon term="CGI">Computer-generated imagery</industry-jargon>
    <description>The <film-term>Key Grip</film-term> is responsible for rigging and adjusting the lighting equipment on set. <industry-jargon term="CGI">Computer-generated imagery</industry-jargon> is often used for special effects.</description>
  </body>

In this example, custom elements <film-term> and <industry-jargon> are used to incorporate film-specific terminology. The “spec” attribute indicates the use of a custom specialization profile named “filmproduction” tailored to the film industry’s needs.