Article Updated: January 26, 2026
INTRODUCTION
This document outlines the technical requirements and workflow dependencies for using Netflix Media Production Suite (MPS) tools to process image and sound material. It provides a roadmap of the actions required to trigger automated behaviors and explains the "default" results if these actions are not taken.
Also included are important specifics of the tool behavior around each area (e.g., color, framing, metadata).
Share this guide with the teams responsible for each aspect of the workflow (DIT, On-set Sound, Post Team) to ensure production intent is preserved.
Netflix is available to assist in navigating production-specific workflow decisions in collaboration with key production stakeholders. Please reach out to your Netflix contacts with any questions or concerns specific to your production.
QUICK START: THE RULE OF DEFAULTS
If specific inputs are not provided, the MPS tools will apply the following default behaviors:
| Category | Input | Default (If not provided) |
| Color | Provide AMF for custom looks | Default ACES 709 Look/Output |
| Framing | Provide ASC-FDL for custom extractions | Full Source Dimensions (Scaled to delivery container) |
| Sound Sync | Deliver 48kHz 24-bit Poly BWAVs with camera rolls and matching timecode between Sound and Image records. | No Auto-Sync to camera rolls |
| Shot Naming and Selects | Consistent iXML Metadata embedded in the BWAVs | Shots delivered with original file name and without ‘selects/circle takes’ marked |
| Color Intent Validation | Provide Reference Stills (1 per clip) as JPEG or TIFF | No Validation of color intent |
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
OPTIONAL DEPENDENCIES (WORKFLOW-DRIVEN):
METADATA - SHOT NAMING AND SELECTS MARKING
REQUIREMENTS
TECHNICAL OPERATIONS:
CONTENT HUB PROJECT LEVEL SETUP:
The production must ensure the Content Hub Project Settings for the title are accurate and complete. These settings, including Project Frame Rate, Color Science, and required Deliverables, form the foundation of the technical pipeline and must be finalized before processing begins.
CAMERA FORMATS SETUP:
The responsibility for setting up Camera Formats within the MPS tools should be clearly assigned to a specific Production member or supporting Vendor (e.g. Post Supervisor, Picture Finishing Vendor). Whenever a new Camera Format is introduced, its color pipeline and framing need to be configured so that the tool understands how to meet your deliverables.
A new Camera Format is created for every unique combination of the following:
- Camera Letter
- Source Camera (Camera Model)
- Video Codec
- Resolution
- Lens Squeeze Ratio
COLOR MANAGEMENT
All rendered media from MPS tools utilize an ACES pipeline; therefore, your workflow must be compatible with this standard.
- Netflix Dailies require an ACES pipeline *
- VFX Pulls delivers ACES 2065-1 (AP0) 16-bit float EXRs, so your workflow needs to accommodate this delivery.**
Every Camera Format must have an ACES Input Device Transform (IDT) defined in order to render deliverables. In many cases, the tool will automatically select the correct transform. A selection of common IDTs is provided, and users can also upload custom IDTs.
* See Appendix
** VFX Pull EXR’s follow the SMPTE ST 2065-4 standard
OPTIONAL DEPENDENCIES (WORKFLOW-DRIVEN):
COLOR
SIMPLE EXPLANATION:
If you want custom look/color decisions, then use AMF. If no AMF is used, then the tool will render your images using the Default ACES 709 look/output.
AMF (ACES METADATA FILE)
AMF is the only way for us to attach per-shot color decisions in our database. We store the connections between CLFs (LUTs) and each shot CDL in our database exclusively through AMF; your workflow must take this into account.
AMF color metadata can be applied at the following levels:
- Shot level (delivered with shots via the Footage Ingest tool)
- Coming Soon: Camera Formats level (defined in Project Settings > Camera Formats)
- Coming Soon: Project level (defined in Project Settings > General)
Only AMF-supported color operations are permitted; no temporal or spatial transforms are allowed (e.g., no texture, grain, halation, blur, sharpen, plug ins, or windows). If no custom color decisions are defined at any of these levels, then the tool will render your images using the Default ACES 709 look/output where applicable.
FRAMING
SIMPLE EXPLANATION:
If you want custom framing, then use ASC FDL. If no FDL is used, then the tool will assume that the source resolution and aspect ratio is your framing intent.
FDL (FRAMING DECISION LIST)
FDL is the only way for us to attach framing decisions in our database. We store framing decisions in our database only through FDL values, so your workflow needs to take that into account.
FDL values can be applied at:
- The Camera Formats level (defined in Project Settings > Camera Formats)
- Coming Soon: The Per-Shot level (individual FDLs per shot can be uploaded alongside camera files).
If you expect custom extraction and scaling, you will need to use FDL.
If no custom framing decisions are defined at any of these levels, the tool will render full source dimensions scaled into the deliverable container.
SOUND SYNC
SIMPLE EXPLANATION:
If you want sound auto-synced to camera rolls, then deliver sound rolls as 48 KHz 24-bit Polyphonic BWAVs in the same Footage Ingest submission as the associated camera rolls. If this is not done, sound will not be synced to the camera rolls.
The sound files follow these specifications:
- BWAV (Broadcast Wave Format)
- Polyphonic
- 48.000 KHz
- 24-bit
SOUND SYNC LOGIC:
MPS Tools utilizes a tiered combination of technologies to synchronize video and audio assets. Below are a few key features the system utilizes, along with guidance on how to achieve optimal results:
-
Timecode: This is how the tool initially attempts to synchronize camera files to sound files.
- For MPS to automatically synchronize camera and sound files, both camera and audio recorders must be synchronized (“jammed”) to a consistent and shared timecode source.
- Inconsistent or missing timecode metadata may require further manual syncing in post-production.
-
Visible Slates: In addition to timecode, MPS can leverage visible slate “claps” to further automatically align picture and sound using the visible “frame of contact” (video source) and audio peak analysis (sound source).
- This feature further ensures correct synchronization, even in the event of timecode misalignment or “drift” between sources.
- A visible slate clap is required for this feature to work. Without this, only timecode will be utilized, and the tool will not verify that the timecode has drifted, nor will it automatically correct/slip the sound sync accordingly.
METADATA - SHOT NAMING AND SELECTS MARKING
SIMPLE EXPLANATION:
To ensure that Shots in the MPS Media Library (and deliverables) are named using Scene, Slate, and Take values, the associated iXML* metadata within the delivered Sound Roll BWAV files must both exist and use consistent naming patterns. Without this metadata, shots will preserve their original file name, and circle takes/selects will not be marked.
SHOT NAMING LOGIC:
Shot names are pulled from the Scene and Take field of BWAV iXML metadata.
If using only the Scene field of BWAV iXML metadata, please ensure consistency and an underscore (_) or hyphen (-) in between each field between scene and take. For example, if you need to add Slate & Scene numbers to the Scene field, maintain consistency in labeling and separate them.
Example: 25_01 (Scene_Slate).
If including additional characters like PU, RTK, etc, stay consistent for how and where these are noted. Also ensure there is an underscore (_) or hyphen (-) in between the regular value for the field and the added characters.
Example: 01-PU (Not: 01PU)
SELECTS / CIRCLE TAKE MARKING LOGIC:
MPS is capable of marking selects/circle takes in the media library and for compatible deliverables (e.g., ALE files with editorial media).
Methods for marking selects/circle takes:
- Selects / Circle Takes context can be taken from the “Circled” field in the iXML metadata within the delivered Sound Roll BWAV files.
- Coming Soon: Additional sources
*iXML metadata: https://www.gallery.co.uk/ixml/
METADATA - LENS METADATA
SIMPLE EXPLANATION:
Per-frame lens encoder metadata must be embedded in the source video file to be preserved in our database and passed along for VFX. Currently, there is no option to attach and synchronize external encoder metadata to Shot records in Content Hub MPS.
COLOR VALIDATION
SIMPLE EXPLANATION:
The Netflix Dailies tool can compare the color of rendered dailies to your color as applied on-set, if a reference still image is provided for each clip. If no still references are provided, then Content Hub MPS will not be able to validate that Dailies renders match the color intent as applied on-set.
REFERENCE STILL SPECIFICATION:
If still images in the format of JPEG, or TIFF are uploaded along with the original camera files and AMF’s, these stills can be used as extra validation that the applied look matches the still from set.
Requirements:
- Still image must have no burn-ins
- E.g., not a screenshot from a live feed with the GUI monitor data on screen
- All color transforms are baked in
- Framing:
- Fit All inside a 16x9 container (no cropping/scaling)
- The still should match the first frame of the OCF
- File formats supported: JPEG, TIFF
- Resolution: 1920x1080 or greater
- The stills should be named after the original camera filename, without any kind of padding.
- e.g.,: A001C001.jpg Not; A001C001.1001.jpg
APPENDIX:
ACES AND ACHIEVING YOUR LOOK
The Academy Color Encoding System (ACES) framework is a technical standard, not a look. The default "look", which, as with many other systems, is determined by the creative and technical decisions embedded in its rendering transform (the RRT, in ACES terms), may not suit every project. To achieve your desired look, you can use LMTs (Look Modification Transforms) to change the style/aesthetic creatively or even simulate other well-known Camera or Software color systems, with perceptual accuracy.
Netflix is available to assist in navigating production-specific workflow decisions in collaboration with key production stakeholders. Please reach out to your Netflix contacts with any questions or concerns specific to your production.
CHANGE LOG
2026-01-26
Initial publication of specifications.