Glossary

The practice of recording how live and spatial artworks are created, presented and operated. It brings together images, recordings, drawings and production knowledge so the work can be studied, understood and presented again.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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 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

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.

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.

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 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.