Glossary of Terms

A color management framework developed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to maintain consistent color across various devices and workflows in filmmaking and television production.

A method to adjust image processing to account for the brightness or darkness of the viewing environment, ensuring visual consistency across different display conditions.

A perceptual phenomenon where the contrast of a display image appears higher when viewed in a brighter ambient surround.

A shift in perceived hue (color) as luminance levels change, particularly noticeable in monochromatic light.

The process by which the human visual system adjusts to the color of the ambient light source, affecting color perception of objects under different lighting conditions.

The range of colors that can be represented by a particular device or color space. Common color gamuts include Rec.709, P3, and Rec.2020.

The set of primary colors (usually red, green, and blue) used by a display device to create its full range of colors.

The intended look, mood, and feel that creators aim to convey in their images or films, which color processing seeks to preserve across formats and displays.

An image format or color space that is tied to the specific characteristics of a display, including brightness dynamic range and color gamut.

The range between the darkest and brightest parts of an image that a display or camera can capture or show, typically measured in ‘nits’ for displays.

A technology that allows displays and content to show a greater range of brightness levels and colors compared to Standard Dynamic Range (SDR).

A phenomenon where colors appear brighter as their saturation increases, affecting the perceived brightness of an image based on its colorfulness.

An HDR transfer function jointly developed by the BBC and NHK for high dynamic range (HDR) displays.

The aspect of color that differentiates colors like red, blue, or green.

A conversion process used to map camera input data into a standard color space for consistent processing, commonly used in ACES workflows.

A color look-up table is a mechanism used to transform a range of input colors into another range of output colors

A reference display used during post-production to define the hero creative intent.

A unit of measure for luminance, describing the brightness of displays. For example, standard broadcast SDR is typically 100 nits, while HDR can reach 1,000 nits or more.

A final conversion step used in color management to process images so that they appear correctly on a specific output device.

A color processing technique that aligns with human visual perception, adjusting colors and brightness to look natural and consistent across varying display types and environments.

An HDR transfer function that maps brightness levels in a way that closely matches human perception, commonly used in HDR10.

The “hero” image, typically created on a reference display, that represents the intended look of the content across all deliverables.

Image data that directly relates to the original scene’s photometric values before it has been altered for displaying.

A traditional display standard that has a limited range of brightness and color compared to HDR.

A process to simulate the appearance of a final image on different output devices without requiring physical displays for each.

A perceptual effect where the apparent contrast of an image increases with luminance, affecting how details are perceived at different brightness levels.

The relative brightness, contrast, and color levels between elements in an image, shaping its overall look and feel.

Color spaces used for encoding and transmitting video content, such as HLG or HDR10 for HDR content.