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4.1 Attributes of a Manifestation

4.1.1 Manifestation Type

As mentioned at Boundaries between Manifestations, a Manifestation is defined on the basis of two criteria: changes in the publication context and changes in format. The element Manifestation Type describes the specific type of change.

The Manifestation Type is expressed by a phrase denoting the relationship between the Manifestation and the associated Work/Variant, for example, “pre-release,” “theatrical distribution,” “not for release,” “original,” etc.

Record the Manifestation Type by taking the most suitable term from a controlled list.

The Manifestation types below can be used with Manifestations associated with either Works or Variants.

EN 15907 does not specify any Manifestation types other than Unknown. The Manifestation types listed below are based on existing types widely used by various archives and used with Manifestations associated with either Works or Variants. They are not the only possible types that can be used - this is not a definitive list of types. Institutions should use the types and terminologies best suited for their requirements and collections.

4.1.1.1 Pre-Release (or Production)

A moving image Manifestation type that may be used to represent any embodiments of a moving image Work that exist before the finalisation or release of the moving image Work. Also use for partially realised projects, i.e. productions that started filming but then project ceased before completion, for which footage exists and may have been acquired by an institution.

A Pre-Release Manifestation is effectively a Production Manifestation for which acquired Items created or used in the production of a film can be linked. Technically, a Pre-Release Manifestation does not refer to any release at all, but rather to embodiments of the creative process that goes into the creation or construction of the Work itself, i.e. raw or semi-edited footage that has been shot in the making of a moving image, whether it has been used in the ultimate finished Work or not. Effectively, it is a convenient device in order to maintain the EN 15907 structure when cataloguing production materials and not to confuse Items that constitute these with Items that are simply copies of the completed, released film.

It applies to production material in general, including: original shooting elements (i.e. original camera negative, working print, original video, editing file) and/or the first recording/mixing of the sound (separate original soundtracks – dialogues, sound, music, – or the first mixed soundtrack).

It may also include, censorship submission prints, working assembly prints, rushes, costume tests, lighting tests, make-up tests, etc. where an institution may need or prefer to group together all production material, i.e. an institution may usually create rushes and tests as separate individual associated records but, where these are acquired as part of a large collection of production material for one particular moving image it prefers, for practical reasons, to keep records together for ease of access or for restoration work purposes.

An institution may create Works in their own right for different in-production filmed aspects, e.g. Screen Tests, Rushes, etc. which are then related to the main, final moving image Work in an associative relationship. Each of these Works would then have their own linked Pre-Release Manifestation. Decisions on this may depend on the quantity and/or nature of materials acquired and an institution's preference. For further details about possibilities and options in structuring and cataloguing production materials and using Pre-release Manifestations see Titles and structuring for production materials.

Pre-Release Manifestation can also be used with moving images which started production but were never finished and for which footage exists and may have been acquired by an institution.

Depending on the quantity and nature of materials, an institution may create Works in their own right for different in-production filmed aspects, e.g. Screen Tests, Rushes, etc. which are then related to the main, final moving image Work in an associative relationship. Each of these Works would then have their own linked Pre-Release Manifestation.

Equally, an institution may choose to link all acquired production Items (whether analogue or digital) to a single Pre-Release Manifestation linked to the main complete Work, or possibly to several different Pre-Release Manifestations such as one for Screen Tests, one for Rushes, one for general production material, etc.

It may also be used for initial record creation purposes prior to material being viewed and catalogued, which may then subsequently result in further Pre-Release Manifestations and/or Works/Variants

Example

Something’s got to give (Rushes)

Example

Beauty jungle: Artist Test – Shirley Ann Field

Depending on the quantity and nature of materials, an institution may create Works in their own right for different in-production filmed aspects, e.g. Screen Tests, Rushes, etc. which are then related to the main, final moving image Work in an associative relationship. Each of these Works would then have their own linked Pre-Release Manifestation.

Equally, an institution may choose to link all acquired production Items (whether analogue or digital) to a single Pre-Release Manifestation linked to the main complete Work, or possibly to several different Pre-Release Manifestations such as one for Screen Tests, one for Rushes, one for general production material, etc.

For examples of these see [ADD INTERNAL LINK TO APPENDIX 1 SECTION ON TITLES AND STRUCTURES FOR PRODUCTION MATERIAL]

It may also be used for initial record creation purposes prior to material being viewed and catalogued, which may then subsequently result in further Pre-Release Manifestations and/or Works/Variants

In addition, it may be applied to moving image Manifestations assembled for submission to censorship/ratings bodies, or moving image Manifestations with cuts resulting from those censorship activities.

Detail on the specific nature of the Pre-Release Manifestation (e.g. censorship cuts, working assembly edit, etc.) can be added as a property of the Manifestation Type, from controlled vocabulary or free text, as preferred.

Manifestation Types can represent a unique instance (e.g. the original negative, the first recording/mixing of the sound, censorship cuts, the working assembly edit, etc.) or, more than one instance.

  • Censorship submission print
  • Censorship cuts
  • Make-up tests
  • Costume tests
  • Screen tests general
  • Camera negative
  • Assembly edit
  • Rushes/Dailies
  • Sound mixes

These describe the context, not the format. For example, a censorship print may exist as multiple Items (35mm print, ProRes, MP4)

As mentioned previously, some of these could also be achieved by creating separate Works, rather than capturing these as Manifestations of the film work.

Example

Il gattopardo (Luchino Visconti, 1963) Pre-release, original camera negative – 35mm – Technirama (horizontal frame 8 perf) – Anamorphic – aspect ratio 2,55:1 Work: Il gattopardo (Italy, 1963, Luchino Visconti) Variant “first cut”: 206’ – first projection – 1963/03/28 (date of first projection) – Rome, Italy Manifestation 1: Pre-release (original camera negative) – Film – 35mm – 2,55: 1 Anamorphic – Technirama (horizontal frame 8 perf) – Colour Technicolor

Example

La voce del silenzio (Georg Wilhelm Pabst, 1953) Pre-release, Censorship cuts – 35mm – sound positive – 1,37: 1 – black and white

Example

Work: La voce del silenzio (Italy, 1953, Georg Wilhelm Pabst) Manifestation1: Pre-release (censorship cuts) – Film – 35mm – sound positive – 1,37:1 – black and white

4.1.1.2 Theatrical distribution

A moving image Manifestation type representing Manifestations distributed and exhibited in cinema theatres. The classic examples are 35mm positive prints, or the DCP (Digital Cinema Package).

These Manifestation types can be more than one instance, created at the same time or in a different moment, from the same “reproduction” masters.

Example

L’aigle à deux têtes (France, 1948, Jean Cocteau)

Manifestation 1 : Theatrical distribution (France – 1948 – 22/09/1948 – first projection) – 35mm French – Les Films Ariane (producer, distributor) Manifestation 2 : Home Video Publication (France – 2010) – TF1 Vidéo (Boulogne-Billancourt) (publisher)

Dubbed Variant Manifestation 1: Theatrical distribution (Italy – 1949 – censorship visa) – 35mm – Italian (dubbed) – title “L’aquila a due teste” – Italfrancofilm (distributor) Manifestation 2: Home Video Publication (Italy – 2009 – 25/09/2009) - DVD – French and dubbed Italian (spoken languages), Italian subtitles – Gruppo Editoriale Minerva Raro Video (publisher) – DVD edition by Gabrielle Lucantonio.

If required there are also further sub-categories of Theatrical distribution which can be used.

4.1.1.3 Non-theatrical distribution

A moving image Manifestation screened or exhibited outside the public theatrical context. For example, industrial film, training film, medical film, where screening often takes place within a private institutional context; film club screenings; educational screenings.

Example

The Queen (United Kingdom, 2006, Stephen Frears) Variant: Censored for airplanes (UK and USA?) Manifestation: Non-theatrical distribution (USA – Delta Airlines).

Example

Che cos’è la geografia (Italy, 1953) (genre: Educational Film) Manifestation 1: Non-theatrical distribution – 16mm- silent with Italian intertitles –b/n – 20’

Example

United Nations peacekeeping: situation report, United States of America, 1978 (United Nations Film)(genre: Educational film) Manifestation 1: Non-theatrical distribution – 16mm- sound– colour

Example

Stevie Wonder salutes Nelson Mandela, United States of America, 1985 (United Nations Film) (genre: educational film) Manifestation 1: Non-theatrical distribution– 16mm- sound– color – 8’

4.1.1.4 Not for release

Any moving image Manifestation where the viewing activity was private, due to the nature of the work or the nature of the viewing. For example, amateur film / home movies, where screening usually takes place in a private familial context only; or an uncut manifestation of a feature film screened for crew only.

Example

Albert Einstein at country home, Caputh, near Berlin, May 1931. (genre: home movie) Manifestation 1: Not for release– film – 16mm

Example

Incontro con Paolo e Vittorio Taviani, Italy, 2004 (genre: event record) Manifestation 1 (Original): Not for release – MiniDV – 2004 – Italy –CSC-Cineteca Nazionale

Example

Viaggio in Congo (Italy, 1912, Guido Piacenza) shots not edited) Augmented / Preservation Variant – (ordering of the shots and addition of explaining intertitles based on the personal diary records of the director) (ordering and editing, including new explaining intertitles, based on personal diary records of the director) Manifestation 1: Not for release (archival access) – film 35mm – b/n – silent

4.1.1.5 Unreleased

Refers to Manifestations which do not represent a release/distribution event, but where the work was intended for release (therefore, distinct from “Not for release”, see above), e.g. the film was made, completed and intended for release, but was not then released due to censorship or political impediments, or other reason.

Example

Robinson Warszawksi (Poland, 1948, Jerzy Zarzycki) Film was never released. It ran into censorship problems for portraying the heroism of non-Communist underground movement that also fought against the Nazis. Film was re-edited with major plot changes and released as Miasto Nieujarzmione in 1950.

Example

Primavera (Italy, ca. 1920, Licurgo Tioli) (Italian silent film, which is not included in the censorship records and according to the sources, was never released/distributed, but it exists as a nitrate tinted 35mm print at the CSC-Cineteca Nazionale in Rome).

4.1.1.6 Home viewing publication

A published Manifestation for viewing in the home or similar small-scale private context, of any type of work. For example, a Blu-ray release of a feature film, for viewing in the home; or a DVD compilation release of a set of non-fiction film works.

Example

A day in the life. Four portraits of post-war Britain (UK, DVD/Blu-ray, 2010)

The most used formats are VHS, DVD, and Laserdisc, but this definition can also include 9.5mm Pathé Baby or 8mm packages in use from the 1950s-1980s (e.g.. the 1977 Star Wars home video in 8mm).

NOTE: When the production process involves changes related to the publication, marketing, etc. (e.g., a change in publisher, a repackaging, a new distributor and so on), the resulting product may be considered a new Manifestation as well (see Boundaries between Manifestations).

Example

Fellini Satyricon (Italy, 1969, Federico Fellini) Manifestation 1: Home Video Publication – VHS (Italy – 1987 – De Laurentiis/ Ricordi Video (publisher)

Example

The Queen (United Kingdom, 2006, Stephen Frears) Manifestation 1: Theatrical distribution (UK – 2006 – first projection) – 35mm – English Manifestation 2: TV Broadcast (UK 2007-09-02) Manifestation 3: Home video – DVD (UK distribution – 2007-03-12) Manifestation 4: Home video – DVD Blue Ray (USA – 2007-04-24)

4.1.1.7 Broadcast

A moving image Manifestation type for TV transmission. It encompasses professional video and digital formats, i.e. Digital Betacam, HDCam, etc.

Example

The Queen (United Kingdom, 2006, Stephen Frears) Manifestation 2: TV Broadcast (UK 2007-09-02)

Example

It happened one night (United States of America, 1934, Frank Capra) Manifestation 1: Theatrical distribution (United States of America, 1934): 35mm – black and white – 105 minutes – Columbia Pictures Corp. (producer, distributor) – Manifestation 2: Broadcast (broadcast on Turner Classic Movies – 2013-11-01, 08:00) black and white – mono – 105 minutes.

Example

Lazarus rising, (in the series Supernatural), Season 4 Episode 1 (United States of America, 2008, Kim Manners) Manifestation 1: TV Broadcast (USA 2008-09-18, 21:00-21:55, The CW) colour – stereo – 55 minutes (slot); 40 minutes (actual running time) Manifestation 2: TV Broadcast (UK, 2009-01-25, 21:00-22:00, ITV2) colour – stereo – 60 minutes (slot); 40 minutes (actual running time)

4.1.1.8 Internet

A moving image Manifestation distributed on the Internet (stream or download) for works of any type, those conceived as Internet works or those conceived in other type but subsequently distributed on the internet (for free or paid subscription).

Example

Amor pedestre (Italy, 1914, Marcel Fabre) Manifestation 1: Theatrical distribution – Italian intertitles – film – 35mm – silent – tinted – 1914 – Italy Manifestation 2: Internet – digital file – [201-?] – Cineteca Italiana (internet publisher)

Example

A film Johnnie (United States of America, 1914, George Nichols) Translated Variant: Danish intertitles -35mm silent – tinted – Denmark 191[?] -Title: Chaplin fridsstöraren Preservation Variant: (of Translated Variant) Manifestation 1: Internet – digital file – [201-?] – European Film Gateway (internet publisher) http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/it/node/33/detail/A+film+Johnnie/video:MTU4Yzg1OWUtZGJhZC00ZGUxLTg2MWYtZDEyM2Y0YTA3ODQ0X1VtVndiM05wZEc5eWVWTmxjblpwWTJWU1pYTnZkWEpqWlhNdlVtVndiM05wZEc5eWVWTmxjblpwWTJWU1pYTnZkWEpqWlZSNWNHVT06OmF2Q3JlYXRpb24uZGZpLmRrL0RGSV9hdkNyZWF0aW9uXzQwNjM0/paging:dmlkZW8tMS00LWltYWdlLTEtNC1zb3VuZC0xLTQtcGVyc29uLTEtNC10ZXh0LTEtNA== 13’)

Example

Brennende Grenze (Germany, 1926-27, Erich Waschneck) Manifestation 1: Internet –digital file – [200-?] –Deutsches Filminstitut – DIF (internet publisher) http://www.filmportal.de/node/42289/video/1219949 – 2h 26’ 18’’

Example

Hollywood Stadium mystery (USA 1938, David Howard ) Manifestation 1: Theatrical distribution – English (spoken language) – film – 35mm b/n – 1938 -USA Manifestation 2: Internet – digital file – 619.3 MB – [200-?] – United States of America – archive.org (internet publisher)
Manifestation: Internet – digital file – 512Kb MPEG4 – [200-?] – United States of America – archive.org (internet publisher)

Example

Cat-Women of the Moon (United States of America, 1953, Arthur Hilton) Manifestation 1 : Theatrical distribution: English (spoken language) – film – 35mm – b/n – 1953 – USA Manifestation 2: Internet – English (spoken language) digital file – DivX – [200-?] – United States of America; – 442.1 MB Manifestation 3: Internet – English (spoken language) – digital file – 512Kb MPEG4 – [200-?] – United States of America; – 259.6 MB

Example

A Syrian love story (United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, 2015, Sean McAllister) Manifestation 1: Theatrical distribution: Arabic, English, French (spoken language); English subtitles – Digital – Digital Cinema Package (DCP) – colour – 2015-09-18 – United Kingdom Manifestation 2: Internet: Arabic, English, French (spoken language); English subtitles – digital file

4.1.1.9 Preservation

Refers to manifestations which represent the outcome(s) of an institution’s internal copying of moving image items held in their collection for preservation purposes. This often involves copying of the moving image onto a different format, e.g. digitised file(s), for preservation and/or access purposes.

[ADD LINK TO ILLUSTRATIVE DIAGRAM IN NEW APPENDIX WHEN ADDED]

4.1.1.10 Restoration

Refers to manifestations which represent the outcome(s) of restoration events/activities, usually involving selection and aggregation of materials from diverse source elements to replicate an ‘original’ or ‘ideal’ manifestation. Some institutions may use this to refer to restorations undertaken by the institution (not to be confused with the actual published Variant, resulting from reconstruction made by aggregating different sources, see Boundaries between Works and Variants.

If required there is the option of creating more than one Restoration Manifestation to group specific outcomes of the project, e.g. a Manifestation for a Demonstration Reel, Raw scans, final digital DCP and DCDM materials resulting from the restoration process, etc. particularly where there may be several Items, or copies, relating to these on different formats.

A very ambitious application might result in the following structure, where separate Manifestations are created for different stages of the restoration process with the key categories:

  1. Raw Scan: linked to its item source via a Preservation event (type: digitisation).
  2. DCDM (Digital Cinema Distribution Master) and DCP (Digital Cinema Package) under one Manifestation
  3. Blu-ray/DVD - ISO as Manifestations and burned physical discs as a items
  4. Viewing file for internet publication

Each of these Manifestations differs from the others in terms of its technical parameters (e.g., encoding, resolution, compression, file formats), which justifies the separation into different Manifestations.

Example

The great white silence (United Kingdom, Herbert Pointing, 1924) (DVD –Dual Format Edition – BFI) (2010 restoration)

Example

Metropolis (Germany, Fritz Lang, 1927) The Complete Metropolis – Blu Ray – (2010 restoration – Kino International, USA, 2010)

Example

Nosferatu. Eine Symphonie des Grauens (Germany, 1922, Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau) Blu-Ray of the Restoration Variant: 2005-2006 restoration – Murnau Stiftung/Transit Classics – Deluxe Edition – 2014 – EAN 888430505797

4.1.1.11 Unknown

Use only when there is insufficient contextual information to enable informed use of any specific Manifestation type from the list above. For example, to be used when undertaking data cleaning of obsolete legacy Manifestations, when no information is available and it is not practical to examine the primary source to establish context.

Statements made about Language, Format and/or Extent may have an added value of “original” to indicate characteristics of an “original Work,” where such a concept is required or desired.1 Associating the value of “original” with a particular Manifestation indicates it has privileged status in relation to other possible Manifestations.


  1. The indication of “original” values at the Manifestation level follows EN 15907 attributes of a Manifestation, pp. 10-11.