Add metadata annotations in Compressor
You can embed metadata into files transcoded using the Apple Devices, Apple ProRes, MP3, MPEG-4, and QuickTime settings. Use metadata to annotate a media file with information that’s important for your workflow or for the person viewing your output file. You can add any of the annotation fields provided in Compressor, or import metadata that’s used in another media file (like a QuickTime movie).
Manually add annotations to a media file
In the Compressor batch area, select the job that contains the media file you want to annotate.
Tip: To select the job, rather than an output row under the job, click the source filename at the top of the job area.
In the Metadata area of the Job inspector, click the Add Job Annotation pop-up menu, choose an annotation type, enter text in the field that appears, then press Return (or click in another metadata text field).
Note: If you don’t press Return or click in another metadata text field, your text won’t be saved.
Repeat step 2 for each annotation type you want to add.
The annotations you added are shown in fields below the pop-up menu.
Import annotations from an external file
You can import metadata annotations into Compressor from an external QuickTime movie or from an XML dictionary property list, a text file used in macOS, iOS, and iPadOS programming frameworks to store metadata categories and values (keys and strings). For detailed information about XML property lists, see the Apple Developer document What Is a Property List?
In the Compressor batch area, select the job that contains the media file you want to annotate.
Tip: To select the job, rather than an output row under the job, click the source filename at the top of the job area.
In the Metadata area of the Job inspector, click the Add Job Annotation pop-up menu, choose Import, select a QuickTime movie or XML property list file that contains annotations, then click Open.
Metadata values in the QuickTime movie or XML file that correspond to the metadata categories in Compressor are added to the fields below the pop-up menu, overwriting any existing metadata values.
Compressor recognizes the following metadata categories in QuickTime movie files and XML property list files:
com.apple.quicktime.albumcom.apple.quicktime.artistcom.apple.quicktime.authorcom.apple.quicktime.commentcom.apple.quicktime.copyrightcom.apple.quicktime.creationdatecom.apple.quicktime.descriptioncom.apple.quicktime.directorcom.apple.quicktime.displaynamecom.apple.quicktime.genrecom.apple.quicktime.informationcom.apple.quicktime.keywordscom.apple.quicktime.location.ISO6709com.apple.quicktime.producercom.apple.quicktime.publishercom.apple.proapps.reelcom.apple.quicktime.softwarecom.apple.quicktime.titlecom.apple.quicktime.collection.usercom.apple.quicktime.rating.usercom.apple.quicktime.yearView annotations after transcoding
After Compressor transcodes a media file that has metadata, there are several ways to see the annotations:
In the Finder, select the transcoded media file, choose File > Get Info, then in the info window click the disclosure triangle next to More Info.
Open the media file in QuickTime Player, then choose Window > Show Movie Inspector.
QuickTime Player displays several (but not all) categories of Compressor metadata at the top of the inspector.
After importing the media file into Final Cut Pro, select the clip and open the Info inspector.
In third-party apps and utilities, see the product documentation for details about viewing metadata.