Volumetric Video: Preservation and Curation Challenges of an Emerging Medium

Volumetric video is an emerging media format that uses multiple cameras to record live-action subjects and produce three-dimensional, time-based digital media. The resulting digital objects encode visual and spatial information, colour, textures, and sound in a format that allows for users to view t...

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Main Authors: Zack Lischer-Katz, Bryan Carter, Rashida Braggs
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Edinburgh 2025-05-01
Series:International Journal of Digital Curation
Online Access:https://ijdc.net/index.php/ijdc/article/view/976
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author Zack Lischer-Katz
Bryan Carter
Rashida Braggs
author_facet Zack Lischer-Katz
Bryan Carter
Rashida Braggs
author_sort Zack Lischer-Katz
collection DOAJ
description Volumetric video is an emerging media format that uses multiple cameras to record live-action subjects and produce three-dimensional, time-based digital media. The resulting digital objects encode visual and spatial information, colour, textures, and sound in a format that allows for users to view the subject from any angle and use the assets in video games, virtual reality, augmented reality, or films. The technology has been pioneered by Hollywood production companies but is now being experimented with by digital humanities scholars. As it becomes more popular, information institutions, particularly academic libraries and others that support researchers, will likely need to support this new format throughout its lifecycle, which may draw on research data management, digital preservation, and repository services. This article introduces volumetric video capture, discusses some of its current applications outside of the commercial film industry, and outlines the curation and preservation challenges that this new media format presents. The paper compares two different production workflows that result in different output qualities: professional and prosumer studio-based workflows. The analysis explores the digital curation challenges that volumetric video raises within these workflows, with considerations for selection and appraisal criteria, file format sustainability, metadata requirements, legal/ethical considerations, and directions forward for future research in digital curation.
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spelling doaj-art-92312b23421d47e2befa62e92e3f21cd2025-08-20T03:11:29ZengUniversity of EdinburghInternational Journal of Digital Curation1746-82562025-05-0119110.2218/ijdc.v19i1.976Volumetric Video: Preservation and Curation Challenges of an Emerging MediumZack Lischer-Katz0Bryan Carter1Rashida Braggs2University of ArizonaUniversity of ArizonaWilliams CollegeVolumetric video is an emerging media format that uses multiple cameras to record live-action subjects and produce three-dimensional, time-based digital media. The resulting digital objects encode visual and spatial information, colour, textures, and sound in a format that allows for users to view the subject from any angle and use the assets in video games, virtual reality, augmented reality, or films. The technology has been pioneered by Hollywood production companies but is now being experimented with by digital humanities scholars. As it becomes more popular, information institutions, particularly academic libraries and others that support researchers, will likely need to support this new format throughout its lifecycle, which may draw on research data management, digital preservation, and repository services. This article introduces volumetric video capture, discusses some of its current applications outside of the commercial film industry, and outlines the curation and preservation challenges that this new media format presents. The paper compares two different production workflows that result in different output qualities: professional and prosumer studio-based workflows. The analysis explores the digital curation challenges that volumetric video raises within these workflows, with considerations for selection and appraisal criteria, file format sustainability, metadata requirements, legal/ethical considerations, and directions forward for future research in digital curation. https://ijdc.net/index.php/ijdc/article/view/976
spellingShingle Zack Lischer-Katz
Bryan Carter
Rashida Braggs
Volumetric Video: Preservation and Curation Challenges of an Emerging Medium
International Journal of Digital Curation
title Volumetric Video: Preservation and Curation Challenges of an Emerging Medium
title_full Volumetric Video: Preservation and Curation Challenges of an Emerging Medium
title_fullStr Volumetric Video: Preservation and Curation Challenges of an Emerging Medium
title_full_unstemmed Volumetric Video: Preservation and Curation Challenges of an Emerging Medium
title_short Volumetric Video: Preservation and Curation Challenges of an Emerging Medium
title_sort volumetric video preservation and curation challenges of an emerging medium
url https://ijdc.net/index.php/ijdc/article/view/976
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