Are there standardized DITA specialization profiles for film and television production documentation?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

While there are no standardized DITA specialization profiles specifically tailored for film and television production documentation, DITA’s flexibility allows organizations in the industry to create their custom specializations to meet their unique needs. The film and television production domain encompasses a wide range of content types, including scripts, storyboards, shot lists, and production schedules, each with distinct requirements.

Custom Specializations

Production companies and teams working in film and television often create their own DITA specialization profiles to ensure their documentation adheres to industry-specific standards. These custom specializations define the structure, metadata, and constraints required for different types of production documents. For example, a scriptwriting team may create a DITA specialization for scripts, including elements for scenes, characters, and dialogue formatting, while a production scheduling team may develop a specialization for managing production timelines and resources.

Collaboration and Sharing

While there are no standardized profiles, the film and television industry benefits from the flexibility of DITA specialization by enabling collaboration between different departments or organizations. Teams can share their custom specializations or components, promoting consistency across projects. This collaborative approach ensures that industry-specific knowledge and best practices are incorporated into DITA-based documentation without the need for a single universal profile.

Example:

Here’s an example of a custom DITA specialization for film script elements:


<topic id="film_script" spec="filmproduction">
  <title>Film Script</title>
  <metadata>
    <genre>Action</genre>
    <location>Los Angeles</location>
    <release-date>2023-12-15</release-date>
  </metadata>
  <body>
    <scene>
      <location>INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY</location>
      <action>The cafe is bustling with customers sipping coffee and chatting.</action>
      <character>JANE</character>
      <dialogue>"Can I get a cappuccino, please?"</dialogue>
    </scene>
    <!-- More scene elements -->
  </body>

In this example, a DITA topic representing a film script is specialized for film production with custom metadata elements like genre and location. The spec attribute indicates the use of a custom specialization profile named “filmproduction,” tailored to the needs of the film industry.