Conditional processing in DITA XML plays a pivotal role in tailoring pre-production documentation to different film genres and budgets. It allows filmmakers to create versatile documents that can be customized based on specific criteria, ensuring that the documentation remains adaptable to varying project requirements.

Genre-Specific Documentation

For different film genres, such as action, drama, or sci-fi, conditional processing enables the inclusion or exclusion of genre-specific content within a single document. Filmmakers can define conditions that determine which sections of the documentation are relevant to a particular genre. This approach streamlines the creation of genre-specific materials while maintaining a unified document structure.

Budget-Adjusted Content

Conditional processing also aids in tailoring documentation to different budget constraints. Filmmakers can create content variations for high-budget and low-budget scenarios within the same document. By applying conditions, they can easily switch between detailed, resource-intensive descriptions for high-budget projects and more cost-effective alternatives for low-budget productions.

Example:

Here’s an example of how conditional processing can be used to tailor documentation for different film genres:

<film-documentation>
  <title>Film Production Guide</title>
  <chapter>
    <title>Action Genre</title>
    <description>This chapter contains information specific to action films.</description>
    <condition type="genre" value="action"/>
    <content>...
  </chapter>
  <chapter>
    <title>Drama Genre</title>
    <description>This chapter contains information specific to drama films.</description>
    <condition type="genre" value="drama"/>
    <content>...
  </chapter>
  <chapter>
    <title>Low Budget</title>
    <description>This chapter provides low-budget production tips.</description>
    <condition type="budget" value="low"/>
    <content>...
  </chapter>
  <chapter>
    <title>High Budget</title>
    <description>This chapter includes high-budget production recommendations.</description>
    <condition type="budget" value="high"/>
    <content>...
  </chapter>

In this example, conditional processing is used to differentiate content for action and drama genres, as well as low and high budget scenarios within the same film production guide, ensuring that the document remains adaptable to various film projects.