Metadata is data about data.  In the field of digital cinema, it includes all data in related computer files other than that directly encoding the video and audio signals.  Some metadata is essential for playback (e.g., X & Y resolution, bits per sample, sampling rate, and coding method) while other metadata has other uses (e.g. title and copyright information).

Metadata employed in the postproduction processes is made available downstream, during pre-processing or at runtime, to optimize the audio-visual experience. This document covers modelling of the playout characteristics of audiovisual equipment at distribution end-points, so content metadata from postproduction can be used to optimize playout.

Traditional metadata describes technical features of the video and audio and covers the viewing environment, platform and content characterization, and consumer requirements.