Story elements are the items on a timeline. Times in these tables are the rational values described under Document and versions. Adjustments and filters inside these elements are on their own page.
Common attributes
Anchorable objects
| Attribute | Meaning |
|---|---|
lane | Relative to the parent: 0 (default) inside it, above 0 anchored above it, below 0 anchored below it. |
offset | Location in the parent timeline. Default 0s. |
All story elements
These add to the two above.
| Attribute | Use | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
name | optional | Name. |
start | optional | Start of the local timeline used to schedule contained and anchored items. Default 0s. |
duration | required (optional on asset-clip) | Length. |
enabled | default 1 | 0 or 1. |
Media
Used by sequence and multicam.
| Attribute | Use | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
format | required | IDREF of a format. |
duration | optional | Length. |
tcStart | optional | Timecode origin of the media. |
tcFormat | optional | DF (drop frame) or NDF (non-drop frame). |
sequence
Content: optional note, a spine, optional
metadata. It has the media attributes and these.
| Attribute | Values |
|---|---|
audioLayout | mono, stereo, surround |
audioRate | 32k, 44.1k, 48k, 88.2k, 96k, 176.4k, 192k |
renderFormat | Text. |
keywords | Text. |
spine
Elements in time order. Only one is active at a time, except where a transition
overlaps two. Content: clip items and transition elements, in any order.
Attributes: lane, offset, name, and
format (an IDREF, default the parent’s).
The clip items are audio, video, clip,
title, mc-clip, ref-clip, sync-clip,
asset-clip, audition, gap, and from version 1.11
live-drawing.
The anchor items, which can attach to a clip, are the same list without
gap, with caption and spine added.
multicam and mc-angle
multicam holds the angles of a multicam clip. Content: any number of
mc-angle, then optional metadata. It has the media attributes
and renderFormat.
mc-angle holds one angle, a series of clip items and transitions in time
order. Attributes: name and required angleID.
Clip elements
Each element in this table has the common attributes, and the attributes in its row.
They share one rule: audioStart and audioDuration define J and
L cuts (split edits) on composite audio and video clips.
| Element | What it is | Extra attributes |
|---|---|---|
clip | A container for other story elements, with one primary item and any number of anchored items. | format, audioStart, audioDuration, tcStart, tcFormat, modDate. |
asset-clip | A clip that refers to an asset. All its components are included. | ref (required; asset ID), srcEnable (all, audio or video; default all), audioStart, audioDuration, format, tcStart, tcFormat, modDate, audioRole, videoRole (default video). |
ref-clip | A clip that refers to other story elements instead of containing them. | ref (required; media ID), srcEnable, audioStart, audioDuration, useAudioSubroles (default 0), modDate. |
sync-clip | A container of synchronised story elements. | format, audioStart, audioDuration, tcStart, tcFormat, modDate. |
mc-clip | An edited range of a multicam media. | ref (required; media ID), srcEnable, audioStart, audioDuration, modDate. |
audio | A range of audio in a source asset. | ref (required; asset or effect ID), srcID, role, srcCh, outCh. |
video | A range of video in a source asset. | ref (required; asset or effect ID), srcID, role (default video). |
title | Text elements that customise an effect. | ref (required; effect ID of a Motion template), role. |
caption | Text that customises a referenced caption. | role. |
live-drawing | Version 1.11 and later. | role (default video), dataLocator (location of PKDrawing data), animationType. |
srcID names a source or track in the asset if not 1. srcCh
lists source audio channels, comma separated and counted from 1. outCh lists
output channels, from L, R, C, LFE,
Ls, Rs and X.
Content models
Each element contains, in this order, the following; a question mark means optional and a star means any number.
| Element | Content |
|---|---|
clip | note?, timing params, intrinsic params, (spine, clip items or caption)*, markers*, audio-channel-source*, video filters*, filter-audio*, metadata? |
asset-clip | note?, timing params, intrinsic params, anchor items*, markers*, audio-channel-source*, video filters*, filter-audio*, metadata? |
ref-clip | note?, timing params, intrinsic params, anchor items*, markers*, audio-role-source*, video filters*, filter-audio*, metadata? |
sync-clip | note?, timing params, intrinsic params, (spine, clip items or caption)*, markers*, sync-source*, video filters*, filter-audio*, metadata? |
mc-clip | note?, timing params, audio intrinsic params, mc-source*, anchor items*, markers*, filter-audio*, metadata? |
audio | note?, timing params, adjust-volume?, anchor items*, markers*, filter-audio* |
video | param*, note?, timing params, video intrinsic params, anchor items*, markers*, video filters*, reserved? |
title | param*, text*, text-style-def*, note?, video intrinsic params, anchor items*, markers*, video filters*, metadata? |
caption | text*, text-style-def*, note? |
Source settings
| Element | Meaning | Attributes |
|---|---|---|
mc-source | Settings and filters for one multicam angle. | angleID (required), srcEnable (all, audio, video or none). |
sync-source | The audio components used for a source of a synchronised clip. | sourceID (required): storyline or connected. |
audio-channel-source | Playback settings for one channel-based audio component. | srcCh (required), outCh, role, start, duration, enabled (default 1), active (default 1). |
audio-role-source | Playback settings for one role-based audio component. | role (required), start, duration, enabled, active. |
The two audio source elements both hold audio enhancements, audio intrinsic params,
filter-audio* and mute*.
Gaps, transitions and auditions
| Element | Meaning | Attributes | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
gap | A placeholder with no media. Cannot be anchored. | name, offset, start, duration (required), enabled. | note?, anchor items*, markers*, metadata? |
transition | An effect overlapping two adjacent elements. A 2-second transition overlaps the last 2 seconds of the previous element and the first 2 of the next. | name, offset, duration (required). | filter-video?, filter-audio?, markers*, metadata?, reserved? |
audition | One active story element, followed by alternatives. | lane, offset, modDate. | One or more of audio, video, title, ref-clip, asset-clip, clip, sync-clip, and from 1.11 live-drawing. |
Text
text
Mixed content: text and text-style elements.
| Attribute | Values | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
display-style | pop-on, paint-on, roll-up | CEA-608 caption block. |
roll-up-height | text | CEA-608, with roll-up. |
position | x y | CEA-608 caption block. |
placement | left, right, top, bottom | ITT caption block. |
alignment | left, center, right | CEA-608 caption block. |
text-style-def and text-style
text-style-def holds one text-style, with a required
id and optional name. text-style has mixed
content of text and param elements, and these optional attributes:
ref (IDREF), font, fontSize,
fontFace, fontColor, backgroundColor (captions),
bold and italic (0 or 1),
strokeColor, strokeWidth, baseline,
shadowColor, shadowOffset, shadowBlurRadius,
kerning, alignment (left, center,
right or justified), lineSpacing,
tabStops, baselineOffset and underline
(0 or 1; captions).
The note element holds plain text.