Standard Dynamic Range (SDR)

Release: 2.0 | October 31, 2024

The purpose of this document is to facilitate and define Warner Bros. Discovery's requirements for the successful acquisition of Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) Original Programming content. This specification establishes the composition and technical requirements for all aspects of the delivery to which content providers must comply to complete the content acquisition process.

This specification is not intended to provide guidance on delivering High Dynamic Range, Stereoscopic 3D or multilanguage component content to Warner Bros. Discovery. For additional Contribution Specifications covering these deliveries, reach out to Warner Bros. Discovery Content Acquisitions.

Quality Requirements

It is Warner Bros. Discovery’s intent to acquire the highest quality masters that preserve the original artistic intent while providing a premium viewing experience to the consumer. To meet Warner Bros. Discovery's perceptual and measured quality standards content delivered must conform to the specifications outlined in this document. In preparing content for delivery and to preserve the highest quality it is strongly preferred that all unnecessary transformations or processing that results in the degradation to the master quality be avoided.

Please contact Warner Bros. Discovery Content Acquisitions if your highest quality digital master does not meet the quality standards defined in this specification.

Photosensitive Epilepsy Testing

Photosensitive Epilepsy (PSE) impacts a viewer population who may be prone to seizures caused by flashing images on a screen. Warner Bros. Discovery requires that all content follows the guidance for the reduction of photosensitive epilepsy as defined in ITU-R BT.1702-2. Warner Bros. Discovery strongly recommends that providers use a “Harding Flash & Pattern Analyzer” on all content prior to delivery to ensure it meets these recommendations. Content found to be outside these test parameters will be rejected and will require redelivery.

Expected Deliverables

A complete and valid delivery shall include:

1. Master Media File
2. Descriptive Metadata
3. Images / Artwork
4. Closed Captions/Subtitles
5. Descriptive Video/Audio Description (DVS) Audio Track
6. Full and Forced subtitles (as required by region)

Master Technical Specifications

1. Content must be delivered in the Native Frame Rate and Original Aspect Ratio.
2. The frame rate must be both continuous and constant throughout the duration of the program.
3. Ad break duration should be ~0.5 seconds but must not exceed 1 second from the end of fade-out to beginning of fade-in.
4. Metadata in the file header must accurately indicate:

• Scan Type
• Scan Order
• Display Aspect Ratio

Master File Format

Warner Bros. Discovery currently supports two options for content delivery: JPEG 2000 and ProRes 422 HQ.

Option 1: JPEG2000 MXF OP1a

JPEG 2000 Qualification

For providers wishing to deliver JPEG 2000 MXF OP1a masters, an on-boarding output qualification process is required before any content can be delivered. Please reach out to your Warner Bros. Discovery contact to initiate the qualification process.

Option 2: ProResHQ

Option 3: XAVC

Option 4: DNxHD - Can be delivered with an approved exception

Option 5: XDCAM - Can be delivered with an approved exception

Master Composition

All content must deliver free of any on-screen identifiers (such as overlay branding, burn-ins, crawls) and/or any advertising/promotional messaging (such as bumpers, links, end cards). In addition, Warner Bros. Discovery will not accept episodic content that includes any logos, bugs, bumpers or stings before or after the program.

Season and/or episode recaps should not be stitched to the beginning of content and must be provided as separate video deliverables to the HBO Max Marketing team.

All content must conform to the following composition:

If there are multiple textless segments, insert 5 seconds of black/silence in between each segment. If the content requires no textless segments, then the composition shall end after the Program. No additional black should be appended.

Slate

First frame of video must begin with a visual slate. Slate shall contain:

Audio Technical Specifications

1. Each Soundfield group must be arranged into a single track. (e.g. 5.1 would be 1 track with 6 channels)
2. Stereo labels must match the method used to create the Soundfield: LR for stereo mix, LtRt for matrixed downmix.
3. All audio channels must be labeled in the file metadata, where appropriate for each file format.
4. All audio tracks must conform (be synchronous) with video and have the same duration.
5. Where both exist, a near field mix is preferred over a Theatrical mix.
6. Content with 5.1 surround must be provided with a separate, corresponding 2.0 track.
7. Warner Bros. Discovery will accept discrete mono essence tracks. However, single soundfield is strongly preferred.
8. In addition to Stereo, 5.1 surround, and Music & Effects deliveries for the Original Production Language, the following must also be delivered according to regional/contractual obligations (refer to the Audio Track Layout for more):

• Stereo for Additional Audio Language(s).
• 5.1 for Additional Audio Language(s).
• Music and Effects.

Audio loudness

Content must conform to either ITU-1770-3 (for US content deliveries) or EBU R 128-2020 (for content deliveries outside of the US).

For ITU-1770-3, target audio loudness must conform with:

• Target loudness for 2 Channel Program Audio (e.g. L,R) must be ∑ -24 LKFS +/- 2 dB
• Target loudness for 5.1 Channel Program Audio must be ∑ -24 LKFS +/- 2 dB (minus LFE)
• True Peak does not exceed -2 dBTP (dynamics processing should be applied as needed)

For EBU R 128-2020, target audio loudness must conform with:

• Program Loudness Level must be normalized to a Target Level of −23.0 LUFS ±1db.
• True Peak Level of a program must not exceed −1 dBTP.

Audio Track Layout

1. Track order below is preferred but not mandatory as it will vary depending on track availability. Please exclude track(s) if not available, do not fill with silent or duplicate tracks.
2. If the Original Production Language is not English, then an English dub track is required, where available (see Dubbing Credits/Cards for more).
3. The total channel count must not exceed 32.

Content Delivery Filename Convention

Guidelines

1. Filename must not include spaces or special characters, e.g. ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) ` ; < > ? , [ ] { } ’ ” |. With the exception of – (dash) and _ (underscore).
2. Underscores must be used to separate categories within filename.
3. All filenames must contain a file type extension and must be lowercase. Uppercase extension will result in an invalid content delivery.
4. Filename category should use CamelCase: multiple words joined together with the first letter of each word capitalized, e.g. Search Party -> SearchParty.

Syntax

ProgramTitle_EpNo_EditType_Language_MediaType_RevNo.ext

Example

Sopranos_201_Master_Eng_Video.mxf

Godfather_ Eng_Captions.xml

Content Delivery Method

There are two supported methods for content delivery:

1. User initiated upload via Warner Bros. Discovery secure delivery Portal.
2. High volume upload via Warner Bros. Discovery Automated Content Delivery (ACD).

All providers must be on-boarded to one of the supported delivery methods prior to delivering any content to Warner Bros. Discovery.

Supplemental Assets

Asset Imagery

Content artwork and imagery must be delivered for all content. For more information on the images required, see Image Specifications.

Title Metadata

Descriptive metadata must be provided prior to delivering of any content to Warner Bros. Discovery. For more information on the metadata required, see Descriptive Metadata Template.

Release History

v2.0 October 31, 2024

1. Added codecs DNxHD, XAVC, and XDCAM

v1.6 July 31, 2023

1. Replaced "LtRt" with "L,R" for an example in the audio loudness specs

v1.5 May 17, 2023

1. Broke "Color Primaries/Matrix" out into 3 different fields and added a note

v1.4 September 6, 2022

1. Changed "WarnerMedia" to "Warner Bros. Discovery"

v1.3 June 14, 2022

1. Removed Audio Technical Specification #7 - "Each soundfield group should be arranged into a single track.". This is already specified in Audio Technical Specification #1

v1.2 May 6, 2022

1. Updated WMContentAcquistions email address

v1.1 May 14, 2021

1. Moved the DVS section from the Component Audio page to the Audio Track Layout section
2. Added to Audio Track Layout (32 limit on channel count)
3. Added to Audio Technical Specifications