GLOSSARY
Glossary
Terms used in performance design heritage, from artistic practice and stagecraft to documentation, preservation and rights. Brief definitions help artists, technicians, researchers and institutions work with a shared vocabulary.
THE DISCIPLINE, HERITAGE & TRANSMISSION
Performance design heritage
The documentation and care of the designed elements of live and spatial work — costume, light, sound, space and video — together with the technical systems that realise and run them. It brings together drawings, models, show data, recordings and production knowledge so the work can be studied, understood and presented again.
Performance design
The design disciplines that shape a performance’s spatial and sensory environment — costume, light, sound, space and video — taken together, with no single discipline leading. The term is used internationally for these disciplines as a field, for example by OISTAT and the Prague Quadrennial; some traditions use scenography in a similarly broad sense. OISTAT
Documentation lifecycle
The stages through which documentation is planned, created, revised, shared and preserved. It begins with decisions made during the creative process and continues through production, handover and the ongoing care of the record.
Documentation, preservation and safeguarding
Documentation creates a record of a work and its making. Preservation cares for that record so it remains usable. Safeguarding supports the continuation and transmission of a living practice, involving the people and communities who sustain it. UNESCO framework
Intangible cultural heritage
Living practices, expressions, knowledge and skills that communities recognise as part of their heritage and pass on through continued practice. UNESCO includes the performing arts among its domains, with communities central to their safeguarding. UNESCO definition
Performing arts heritage
The practices, knowledge, works and materials that communities value and pass on through the performing arts. This includes living skills and traditions, alongside the objects and records that support their study and transmission. UNESCO
Transmission
The passing on of knowledge, skills and ways of working through teaching, rehearsal, observation and participation. Documentation supports this process by giving people material to consult alongside what they learn from others.
Tacit knowledge
Practical knowledge that people use without necessarily being able to explain it fully. A technician’s sense of timing or a performer’s adjustment to a partner may be learned through experience, observation and shared practice.
Oral history interview
A recorded conversation that documents someone’s experiences and recollections. It can preserve accounts of artistic decisions, working relationships and events that left little written evidence, while retaining the speaker’s individual perspective.
Movement notation
A system of written symbols for recording bodily positions, movements, timing and spatial relationships. Systems such as Labanotation and Benesh Movement Notation allow choreography to be studied, taught and reconstructed from a score. Dance Notation Bureau
Repertoire
The body of works associated with an artist, company or ensemble. Studying a repertoire allows people to trace recurring ideas, examine particular techniques and understand how an artistic practice develops over time.
Revival and restaging
A revival brings an existing work or production back into performance. Restaging prepares it for a particular cast, venue or context, drawing on documentation and knowledge held by earlier participants.
Reconstruction
Rebuilding a work from surviving evidence, such as recordings, drawings, notation and testimony. Where the record is incomplete, reconstruction involves interpretation; its documentation should distinguish what is supported by evidence from what has been newly decided.
Re-enactment
A performance that revisits an earlier event, action or artwork through enactment. It may reproduce documented details or reinterpret them to examine their meaning in the present.
Living archive
An archive that continues to develop through an active practice. New productions, contributions and interpretations add to its contents, while existing records remain available for use, discussion and further description.
Legibility
How easily material can be read and understood. In documentation, this includes descriptive labels, explained conventions and enough context for someone unfamiliar with the production to interpret it.
PRODUCTION & STAGECRAFT
Mise en scène
The arrangement of performers, space, scenery, light, sound, costume and action through which a work is staged. It describes how these elements come together to shape what an audience experiences.
Dramaturgy
The work of examining and developing a performance’s structure, relationships and meaning. It considers how text, movement, sound, images and context contribute to the work, whether or not it follows a narrative.
Site-specific work
A work created in response to a particular location, whose physical, social or historical characteristics form part of its meaning. Documentation records that relationship alongside the performance or installation itself.
Co-production
A production supported or developed by two or more partners who contribute funding, facilities, people or other resources. Their agreement establishes responsibilities, credits, rights and arrangements for documentation; ownership depends on those terms.
Blocking
The planned positions and movements of performers within a scene or sequence. Blocking notes record entrances, exits, routes and relationships to other performers or scenic elements, helping a team rehearse and restage the action.
Technical rehearsal
A rehearsal focused on integrating lighting, sound, video, scenery and other technical elements with the performance. It establishes and tests cues, transitions and operating procedures, with changes recorded as the production takes shape.
Get-in and get-out
The periods in which a production is brought into a venue, installed and prepared, then dismantled, packed and removed. Their schedules coordinate people, equipment, transport and access to the building.
Strike
Removing scenery, props or equipment from the performance space. The term often refers to dismantling a production after its final performance, as part of the get-out.
Venue adaptation
Changes made to accommodate a work in a different space or technical setting. Documentation records what changed, why it changed and how the new arrangement relates to the production’s artistic and operational requirements.
Stage management
The coordination of people, information, rehearsals and performance procedures throughout a production. Stage management maintains working records, communicates changes and helps performers and technical teams carry out the agreed sequence of the show.
Prompt book
The principal working document used to coordinate a production in performance. Usually built around a script or score, it brings together cues, blocking, timings and other instructions needed to follow and call the show.
Calling the show
Giving the agreed instructions that trigger technical and backstage actions during a performance. The person calling follows the script, score or action, timing cues to speech, music, movement and other events.
Running order
A document listing the sequence of acts, scenes, pieces or activities in a performance or event. It may include durations, intervals, participants and transitions, providing a shared reference for everyone involved.
Cue
A signal or programmed instruction that starts a specific action during a performance. It might initiate a lighting change, sound, projection, movement or scenic transition.
Cue sequence and trigger
A cue sequence sets out the order and timing of actions during a performance. A trigger is the event that starts a cue, such as a spoken line, movement, timecode position or operator command.
Preset, reset and changeover
A preset establishes the required arrangement before a performance or scene. A reset returns elements to a specified starting condition. A changeover moves the space and equipment from one scene, act or production to another.
Operating procedure
Step-by-step instructions for carrying out a task or running a system. It identifies the starting conditions, actions, checks and responsibilities needed for another operator to follow the process.
Show report
A record of what happened during a particular performance, including timings, deviations, technical issues and follow-up actions. It helps the team address problems and track changes across a run or tour.
LIGHTING
Lighting design
The artistic organisation of light within a work, including its intensity, colour, direction, movement and timing. Documentation captures both the resulting lighting states and the plot, focus, fixtures and cue data used to produce them.
Lighting state
The configuration of light in a space at a particular moment, including its intensity, colour, direction and distribution. A lighting state describes the resulting composition as well as the settings used to produce it.
Lighting plot
A technical drawing showing where lighting fixtures are positioned and how they are identified. It usually records fixture types, orientation, control information and accessories, supported by schedules and notes where further detail is needed.
Focus notes
Instructions describing where a light is aimed and how its beam is shaped. They may include the area covered, edge quality, shutter positions and reference photographs, helping another team reproduce the intended focus.
Fixture profile
A data definition that tells lighting software how to control a particular fixture in a particular operating mode. It maps functions such as intensity, colour and movement to the appropriate control channels and values.
Colour filter
A material placed in a light beam to change its colour or spectral content. Often called a gel, it is usually identified by a manufacturer’s name and code, which provide a more precise reference than a colour description alone.
Colour temperature
A description of the warm or cool appearance of white light, expressed in kelvin (K). Lower values generally appear warmer and more amber; higher values appear cooler and more blue.
Gobo
A patterned insert placed inside a suitable lighting fixture to project an image, texture or shape. Recording its design, manufacturer, size and orientation helps preserve the appearance of the resulting light.
Dimming curve
The relationship between a control level and a light’s output. Different curves change how brightness responds as a level rises or falls, affecting the appearance of fades and the behaviour of different fixtures. ETC
DMX
A standard digital protocol used to send control values to lighting equipment and other entertainment devices. A DMX universe carries up to 512 channels, which fixtures interpret according to their addresses and operating modes. ETC
Followspot
A spotlight operated to follow a performer or other moving subject. Its contribution depends on the operator’s timing, movement and adjustments to beam size, colour and intensity, making operating notes an important part of the lighting record.
SOUND & SHOW CONTROL
Sound design
The artistic organisation of sound within a work, including music, voices, recorded material, effects and spatial relationships. Documentation captures both what is heard and the technical arrangement used to produce it.
Microphone plot
A plan showing microphone types, positions and assignments. It identifies which voices, instruments or areas each microphone captures and connects that information to channel lists and the sound system.
Console show file
A saved configuration for a digital mixing console, containing settings such as routing, processing and scene memories. Reproducing the setup depends on compatible software and any external equipment or files used by the original system.
Playback system
The hardware and software used to play recorded sound or video during a performance. It manages media, outputs and cues, including starts, stops, fades and transitions.
Show control
The coordination of technical systems through control signals, triggers or shared timing. It allows actions in lighting, sound, video and other equipment to follow an agreed sequence or respond to events during a performance.
Timecode
A numerical reference identifying positions in a recording or sequence, commonly expressed as hours, minutes, seconds and frames. It helps align recordings and coordinate timed events between systems. SMPTE
Sampling rate and bit depth
Sampling rate is the number of measurements taken each second when sound is digitised. Bit depth describes the numerical precision of those measurements. Together, they influence the audio information a recording can represent and the amount of data it contains.
Loudness and dynamic range
Loudness describes how strong a sound is perceived to be. In a recording or performance, dynamic range describes the span between quieter and louder levels, helping convey the intended contrast and impact of the sound.
VIDEO & IMAGING
Video design
The artistic use of moving images, live camera feeds or generated visuals within a performance. It includes decisions about content, timing, placement and the relationship between images, performers and the surrounding space.
Projection mapping
Aligning and shaping projected images to fit particular surfaces or objects. It uses the geometry of the receiving surface to position visual content, making the projector arrangement and mapping settings part of the technical record.
Media server
A computer and software system that stores, processes and sends visual content to projectors or screens. It can manage playback, layering, mapping and cues across several outputs.
Multi-camera coverage
Recording the same performance from several viewpoints. The combination can capture overall composition and specific details, while synchronised source recordings allow those perspectives to be compared or assembled into an edit.
Image fidelity
How faithfully an image represents the visual characteristics of its subject, including colour, contrast, detail and spatial relationships. In performance documentation, this includes preserving the appearance of the lighting and scenography.
Resolution and aspect ratio
Resolution describes an image’s pixel dimensions, such as 1920 × 1080. Aspect ratio describes the proportions of the displayed frame, such as 16:9. Both affect how an image fits a screen, projection surface or publication.
Frame rate
The number of individual images recorded or displayed each second, expressed as frames per second (fps). It affects how movement is represented and how footage can be played back or combined with other recordings. Sony explanation
Exposure
The amount of light captured by a camera during an image or frame. Exposure choices affect brightness and the detail retained in highlights and shadows, shaping how stage lighting appears in the recording. Sony explanation
White balance
A camera or processing setting that establishes which light is treated as neutral. It influences the colour of the whole image, so changing white balance can alter the recorded appearance of a lighting design.
RAW capture
Recording image data from a camera sensor with limited processing, retaining substantial flexibility for later interpretation. Settings such as white balance and colour rendering can be adjusted during processing, while the source data remains available. ARRI
Log encoding
A way of encoding image tones to retain a wide range of captured brightness within a video signal or file. Log footage usually looks flat until an appropriate viewing transformation or colour grade is applied. ARRI
Colour space and gamut
A colour space defines how numerical values represent colours. Its gamut describes the range of colours it can represent; displays and printers also have their own gamuts. Identifying these helps avoid unintended changes when images move between systems.
Colour management
The coordinated use of colour information, device settings and conversions to maintain the intended appearance of images across capture, editing, display and print. It accounts for the different ways cameras, screens and printers reproduce colour. International Color Consortium guidance
LUT
A lookup table that maps input colour values to output values. It may prepare footage for a display, convert between colour spaces or apply a particular look. Its intended input and output determine how it should be used. ARRI
Chroma subsampling
A way of reducing video data by storing colour information at a lower spatial resolution than brightness information. Formats such as 4:2:2 and 4:2:0 retain different amounts of colour detail, affecting fine coloured edges and later image processing.
Codec and container
A codec encodes and decodes audio or video data. A container holds those streams together with information such as subtitles and metadata. Knowing a file’s container, such as MOV or MP4, does not fully describe how its contents are encoded. Library of Congress example
Lossless and lossy compression
Lossless compression reduces file size while allowing the encoded data to be restored exactly. Lossy compression permanently removes some information to make files smaller, even when the difference is difficult to see or hear. IASA guidance
SCENOGRAPHY, MACHINERY & CONSTRUCTION
Scenography
The shaping of a performance’s spatial and sensory environment. It considers how elements such as scenery, light, costume, sound and objects work together, and how performers and audiences inhabit the space.
Costume design
The design of what performers wear, including garments, accessories, materials, colour and the way costumes move with the body. Documentation captures both the finished costumes and the drawings, patterns, fittings and alterations needed to remake or adapt them.
Ground plan and section
A ground plan shows the layout of a space from above. A section shows a vertical cut through it, revealing heights and relationships between levels. Together, they help explain the position and dimensions of scenic and technical elements.
Measured drawing
A drawing based on measurements of an existing object or space. It records geometry and dimensions so others can study its proportions, plan an installation or prepare further technical work.
Scale and dimensions
Scale expresses the relationship between a drawing’s size and the real object or space. Dimensions state the actual measurements, allowing users to interpret distances and sizes even when a drawing is resized.
Assembly details
Drawings and notes showing how components fit together. They describe connections, fixings, orientation and, where needed, the order of assembly, helping a team understand how an object or structure is put together.
As-built
Documentation showing what was actually constructed or installed, including changes made during production. An as-built record identifies the configuration at a particular venue and date, providing a reference for maintenance, adaptation or reconstruction.
Digital twin
A digital representation of a physical work, space or system. In Density Wave’s service, it is a measured 3D record of a work in its setting at a particular time, made from scans and photographs. It supports study and planning; other uses of the term include models updated by live data or used for simulation.
Point cloud
A collection of points positioned in three dimensions, produced by scanning or calculated from photographs. Together, the points describe recorded surfaces and may carry colour or other information. Point clouds provide a basis for measurements, drawings and 3D models; E57 is a documented format for exchanging this data. Library of Congress format description
Registration and control
Registration aligns separate scans in a shared coordinate system. Survey control provides measured reference points that locate and scale the record. Independent checks help assess its accuracy. The methods and results accompany the data so later users can judge whether it suits their intended use.
Scenic element
An individual component of a set, such as a platform, wall, staircase or suspended structure. Giving each element a consistent identifier allows drawings, construction details, materials and movement instructions to refer to the same object.
Materials and finishes schedule
A document identifying the materials and surface treatments used in a production. It connects individual elements to specifications such as timber type, fabric, paint colour, texture and protective coating.
Props inventory
An organised list of the objects used or handled within a production. Entries may record photographs, quantities, scene assignments, storage locations, ownership and handling requirements, helping teams locate, maintain and replace items.
Masking
Curtains, panels or other elements that conceal backstage areas, equipment and unwanted views from the audience. Their placement defines what can be seen from different seats and forms part of the staging.
Rigging
The equipment and methods used to support, suspend or move scenery, lighting and other loads. Its documentation identifies components, attachment points, configurations and the conditions under which the arrangement has been assessed.
Fly system
A stage system used to raise and lower suspended scenery, curtains, lighting or other equipment. It may use manual or powered mechanisms, with positions and movements coordinated as part of the production.
Counterweight system
A flying arrangement in which weights balance the load suspended from a bar or batten. In a manual system, an operator uses an operating rope to control its movement between positions.
Trim height
The specified height of a suspended bar, fixture or scenic element. A usable measurement identifies both the reference level, such as the stage floor, and the point on the suspended element being measured.
Stage automation
The powered control of scenic movement, such as lifts, revolves, tracks or flying elements. Its record includes movement positions, speeds, cue sequences and the system configuration needed to understand how the machinery was operated.
Load rating
The load a component or structure is rated to support under specified conditions. Those conditions may depend on configuration, load distribution and movement, so the rating needs to remain attached to the relevant technical information.
BIM
Building Information Modelling: a method of creating and managing structured information about a built environment. Digital models connect geometry with information about components, materials and specifications, allowing different contributors to work with related information. ISO reference
EXHIBITION & COLLECTION CARE
Exhibition documentation
A record of an exhibition’s contents, arrangement and conditions of display. Plans, photographs, installation details and curatorial information help others understand how the works were presented and related to one another.
Installation view
A photograph showing an artwork or exhibition as installed. It records placement, scale, neighbouring elements and the relationship with the space, providing evidence of how the work was presented.
Mounts
The supports, fittings, plinths, cases and other structures used to present a work. Their design affects its stability, appearance and care.
Condition report
A dated record of an object’s physical condition, usually supported by photographs. It identifies existing wear, damage or changes and provides a reference when the object is moved, installed, used or returned.
Facility report
A structured description of a venue’s building, security, environmental controls, staffing and handling arrangements. Lenders use it to assess whether the venue can meet the requirements for displaying and caring for a work.
Loan agreement
An agreement setting the terms under which a work is temporarily entrusted to another organisation. It covers responsibilities such as transport, insurance, care, display, permitted use and return.
Courier
A person appointed to oversee the care of a work during transport, handling or installation. Acting for the lender, a courier may check its condition, supervise unpacking and confirm that agreed arrangements are followed. UK Registrars Group
DATA & INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
Documentation plan
An agreement on what will be documented, why it is needed, who is responsible and when it will be produced. It also establishes the expected formats, level of detail and arrangements for delivery and preservation.
Information framework
The structure and shared rules used to organise a project’s information. It defines what is recorded, how items are named and connected, and how contributors create, update and retrieve material.
Production database
A structured collection of information about a production, such as people, equipment, scenes, cues and documents. It allows related information to be searched, updated and used across different stages of the work.
Identifiers
Distinct names or codes assigned to items so they can be referenced consistently. An identifier helps distinguish one person, object, file or production from another, even when their names are similar or change.
Relationships between records
Connections that explain how different items belong together. A drawing might link to the component it describes, the person who made it and the production version in which it was used.
Version history and traceability
Version history records successive changes to a document, model or dataset. Traceability connects those changes to their sources, dates and contributors, helping users understand how the material developed and which version applies.
ARCHIVAL SCIENCE & DIGITAL PRESERVATION
Metadata
Information that identifies and describes material, such as its title, creator, date, format and relationship to other records. Metadata helps people find a file, understand its contents and manage it over time. IASA guidance
Provenance and attribution
Provenance records where material came from and its history of creation, ownership or custody. Attribution identifies the people who contributed and the roles they played, keeping those contributions connected to the work.
Preservation master
The version of a recording or digital object retained as a reference for long-term preservation. It preserves the source’s significant information and is kept with documentation of its origin, technical characteristics and any processing. IASA guidance
Access copy and derivative
A derivative is a version created from an existing file for a particular purpose. An access copy is a derivative prepared for consultation or sharing, such as a smaller video for online viewing.
File integrity and checksums
File integrity concerns whether a file remains intact and unchanged. A checksum is a value calculated from its contents; comparing it with an earlier value helps detect changes or corruption during storage and transfer. Digital Preservation Coalition guidance
Open formats and interoperability
Open formats have publicly available specifications describing how their information is stored. Interoperability is the ability of different systems to exchange and use that information. Together, they can reduce dependence on a particular software provider. Digital Preservation Coalition guidance
Migration and format obsolescence
Format obsolescence occurs when the tools needed to read or use a file become unavailable or unsupported. Migration transfers information into another format or system, with checks and documentation to account for any changes. Digital Preservation Coalition glossary
Backup and archive
A backup provides copies that can restore files after loss or damage. An archive keeps selected material for continuing use, together with its context and ongoing care. Backups support an archive’s protection but do not provide its full preservation function.
Archival package
An organised set of files and accompanying information prepared for transfer, preservation or access. It brings the material together with descriptions, relationships, rights information and technical details needed to manage it. OAIS reference model
Archival ingest
The process of receiving material into an archive, checking it and preparing it for managed storage. This can include verifying files, reviewing metadata, recording restrictions and confirming that the archive’s requirements are met. OAIS reference model
OAIS
The Open Archival Information System reference model: an international framework for organising long-term digital preservation. It describes the responsibilities and functions needed to keep information understandable to its intended users. “Open” refers to the model’s development, rather than unrestricted access to an archive. ISO reference
RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITY
Rights documentation
A record of relevant rights holders, licences, permissions and conditions of use. It helps future users understand what they may do with the material and identifies restrictions or questions that remain unresolved.
Rights clearance
The process of checking which rights apply to an intended use and obtaining any necessary permissions. Recording, publishing, sharing and restaging can involve different permissions, each with its own conditions. WIPO guidance
PUBLISHING & PRACTICE
Technical rider
A document describing what a production requires from a host venue. It typically covers space, equipment, staffing, schedules and technical conditions, giving both teams a basis for planning and agreeing any adaptations.
Production dossier
An organised document bringing together the information needed to understand a production. Depending on its purpose, it may include artistic context, credits, images, technical requirements and an account of how the work was developed.
Institutional and funding dossier
A document prepared to present a project to an institution, partner or funder. It brings together the proposal, artistic context, team, schedule, budget and supporting material relevant to the decision being considered.
Editorial design
The organisation of text and images into a publication that readers can navigate and understand. It uses typography, layout, sequencing and visual hierarchy to support the content and its intended use.
Captions and annotations
Captions identify or explain an image, drawing or other item. Annotations add information to specific details, such as a measurement, action, source or revision, helping readers interpret what they are looking at.