DCNC - Appendix #1 - Language Codes Introduction

Example:  EN-FR
(English Audio with French Subtitles)

The first language code (“EN” in our example) represents the audio language.  The second language code (FR) represents the subtitle language.

In the Composition Playlist

 

The audio language is listed at //Reel//MainSound[1]/Language:

<MainSound>

     …

     <Language>en</Language>

     …

 

</MainSound>

 

The primary subtitle language is listed at //Reel//MainSubtitle[1]/Language:

<MainSubtitle>

     …

     <Language>fr</Language>

     …

</MainSubtitle>

 

And, as the first element of //Reel[1]//CompositionMetadataAsset/MainSubtitleLanguageList:

<CompositionMetadataAsset xmlns=”http://www.smpte-ra.org/schemas/429-16/2014/CPL-Metadata”>

     …

     <MainSubtitleLanguageList>fr</MainSubtitleLanguageList>

     …

</CompositionMetadataAsset>

 

Additional Notes:

  1. In DCNC, language codes are (mostly) based on ISO 639, whereas Composition Playlists use IETF BCP 47.  Although in many cases the mapping is straightforward, BCP 47 allows for a wider range of possibilities (e.g. UN M.49 regions), some of which may be a better fit to the geographic region(s) where the content is to be distributed.
  2. By convention, ISO 639 language codes should appear in lower case (as opposed to country codes, which are capitalized). 

Note that the naming convention and CPL metadata use different sources for
country/region codes.

Specifically, the naming convention lists ad hoc codes in Appendix #1a.

CPL metadata uses the IANA language subtag registry http://www.iana.org/assignments/language-subtag-registry/language-subtag-registry.

In fact the ISDCF has a document dedicated to these differences http://isdcf.com/papers/ISDCF-Doc7-DigitalCinemaLanguageCodes.pdf.

Occasionally, Digital Cinema Packages will have two subtitle languages.

Example: GSW-FR-IT
(Swiss German audio with French and Italian subtitles.)

In the Composition Playlist

 

The audio language is listed at //Reel//MainSound[1]/Language:

<MainSound>

     …

     <Language>gsw</Language>

     …

</MainSound>

 

“it” and “fr” are listed in //Reel[1]//CompositionMetadataAsset/MainSubtitleLanguageList:

<CompositionMetadataAsset xmlns=”http://www.smpte-ra.org/schemas/429-16/2014/CPL-Metadata”>

     …

     <MainSubtitleLanguageList>fr it</MainSubtitleLanguageList>

     …

</CompositionMetadataAsset>

 

And, the first language is repeated at //Reel//MainSubtitle[1]/Language:

<MainSubtitle>

     …

     <Language>fr</Language>

     …

</MainSubtitle>

 

Subtitles are either generated in the theatre by the Digital Cinema projector, or are burned into the image by the studio.  If the Language Code is UPPER CASE, the sub-titles are generated in real time by the projection system.  If the Language Code is lower case, the subtitles are already “burned” into the image.

 (Most of the language codes used in the Naming Convention are taken from ISO 639-1, 639-2, and 639-3.  If you are looking for a language that is not on the list in the following pages, refer to the ISO website: www.iso.org.)

 Note:
For Open and Closed Captions, see Appendix #9.

Contact digitalcinemanaming@isdcf.com