Codecs, containers & image formats · Working
Codec
ELI5
A method for encoding and decoding digital audio or video data.
Used in conversation
“The delivery specification asks for codec, so post needs to plan for it now.”
Pitch context
You may encounter “Codec” in editing, colour, post & delivery conversations or materials.
Why it matters: Explains how recorded material becomes a finished, approved and technically deliverable work.
Connected terms
- Media containerA codec encodes and decodes media; a container wraps encoded media and metadata into a file structure.
Sources & evidence · 4
Supporting source families. This entry is an editorial synthesis rather than a quotation from one canonical glossary.
- Blackmagic Design — DaVinci Resolve Reference ManualSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-14
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences / ACES — ACES Glossary and User GuidesSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-14
- Netflix — Partner Help Center Delivery SpecificationsSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-14
- European Broadcasting Union — EBU R 128 Loudness Normalisation and Permitted Maximum Level of Audio SignalsSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-14