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Title Metadata Requirements

Watch this video for a quick walkthrough of the title metadata requirements at Prime Video. To learn more about the basics of Title Metadata, visit the guide below:

Title Metadata: Overview

Which metadata is required to publish your title on Prime Video

MEC XML Delivery Standards

Follow these rules for every MEC XML submission.

Your XML must be generated automatically. Manual XML creation will cause delivery errors.
MEC file submissions must follow Prime Video file-naming rules.
The XML schema definition (XSD) and documentation are in the sample file package.
ContentID and WorkType values are fixed with the first submission. Resubmitting with different values causes a delivery error.

ContentID Format

Your ContentID must follow this URN format in the @ContentID attribute. The unique_ID, or Content ID (SKU), is the AltID/ALID within the MovieLabs spec.
Format: md:cid:org:[partner_alias]:[unique_id]
Examples:

Movie: md:cid:org:wb:suicidesquadfeature
Series: md:cid:org:amzn_studios_example:HighCastleSeries
Season: md:cid:org:amzn_studios_example:HighCastle1
Episode: md:cid:org:amzn_studios_example:HighCastle1_1

The AltIdentifier/Identifier field uses only the ID string portion. For example, use HighCastle1_1, not the full URN.

Update and Partial Submission Rules

To update previously delivered metadata, use the exact same ContentID as the original.
Your most recent submission (by language-LOCALE and delivery timestamp) is your authoritative version.
Partial updates ARE supported for attributes within LocalizedInfo sections.
Partial updates are NOT supported for RatingSet and People. Always include all ratings and cast/crew.
If you deliver metadata for the same language-LOCALE twice, the latest file overwrites the previous one.

Television Content Structure

MEC XML has specific structural rules for TV content.

Each episode must be delivered in its own MEC XML file.
Multiple language variants for the same episode can be combined in a single MEC file.
Use the ParentContentID field to indicate which season an episode belongs to.
Prime Video prefers simultaneous delivery of series, season, and episode XMLs.
If simultaneous delivery is not possible, deliver sequentially: series first, then season, then episode.

Art Reference Requirements

All content types must include artwork references in the MEC file.

Artwork Type	@purpose Value	@resolution	File Name Pattern
Cover Art (4:3)	Cover Art	3840 x 2160	[title]-[locale]-4x3.jpg
Cover Art (16:9)	Cover Art	3840 x 2160	[title]-[locale]-16x9.jpg
Box Art (3:4)	Box Art	1920 x 2560	[title]-[locale]-3x4.jpg
Poster Art (2:3)	Poster Art	2000 x 3000	[title]-[locale]-2x3.jpg

Both @resolution and @purpose attributes are required on every ArtReference entry. All four artwork types appear in every content type template.

Important

The title on your artwork must exactly match the TitleDisplayUnlimited value in your metadata. Use the value for the locale specified in the LocalizedInfo field. Your metadata is the source of truth. For example, if your metadata says “Night” for es-ES, your artwork must also read “Night.” It must not use an alternative translation such as “Noche,” regardless of creative intent. Any mismatch will fail localization QA and be sent to corrections. To change the title on your artwork, first update the TitleDisplayUnlimited value in your metadata. Then resubmit the artwork to match.

Genre Format

Genres must use Amazon-specific genre ID codes in the @id attribute. Up to three genres are allowed per LocalizedInfo section. Two genres are displayed on the storefront; the third feeds discoverability algorithms.
Format: <md:Genre @id="[genre_code]">
Example genre codes:

av_genre_action
av_genre_drama
av_genre_science_fiction

The first genre entry must include the @source attribute pointing to the Amazon genre list.

Required Fields by Content Type

The following tables show field statuses for each content type based on MEC v2.6. Due to the number of content types, tables are grouped below.

Table Group A: Movie, Episode, and Season

Field	Description	Movie	Episode	Season
@ContentID	Unique metadata ID. Must follow MovieLabs best practices.	Required	Required	Required
LocalizedInfo	Block of localizable elements. At least one is required.	Required	Required	Required
@Language	Language code from Prime Video allowed list.	Required	Required	Required
TitleDisplayUnlimited	Display title. 250 characters max. Used by Amazon.	Required	Required	Required
TitleDisplay60	Short title. 60 characters max.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Required
ArtReference	Artwork files with resolution and purpose attributes.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced
Summary190	Short synopsis. 190 characters max.	Required	Required	Required
Summary400	Medium synopsis. 400 characters max.	Required	Required	Required
Summary4000	Extended synopsis. 4,000 characters max.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced
Genre	At least one Prime Video genre. Up to 3 per LocalizedInfo.	Required	Required	Required
ReleaseYear	Year of first release in any territory.	Required	Required	Required
ReleaseDate	Specific release date. Format: YYYY-MM-DD.	Required	Required	Enhanced
ReleaseHistory	Historical release data with territory and organization.	Enhanced	Discarded	Enhanced
WorkType	Content classification: movie, episode, season, etc.	Required	Required	Required
WorkTypeDetail	Additional classification. Used for ordering in Series.	Discarded	Discarded	Discarded
AltIdentifier (Namespace + Identifier)	External ID: EIDR, ISAN, IMDB, or ORG.	Required	Required	Required
RatingSet	Official content rating. Provide all available ratings.	Required	Required	Required
People	Named cast and crew entries.	Required	Required	Required
OriginalLanguage	Language of the original production.	Required	Discarded	Required
AssociatedOrg (@role=licensor)	Licensing organization with ID and role.	Required	Discarded	Required
SequenceInfo/Number	Episode or season number in the series.	Discarded	Required	Required
Parent/ParentContentID	Links episode to season or season to series.	Discarded	Required	Required
CompanyDisplayCredit	Studio or company name shown to customers. 250 chars max.	Required	Required	Required

Table Group B: Series, Trailer, Bonus, and Collection

See Table Group A for field descriptions. The same field definitions apply here.

Field	Series	Trailer	Bonus	Collection
@ContentID	Required	Required	Required	Required
LocalizedInfo	Required	Required	Required	Required
@Language	Required	Required	Required	Required
TitleDisplayUnlimited	Required	Required	Required	Required
TitleDisplay60	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced	Required
ArtReference	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced
Summary190	Required	Required	Required	Required
Summary400	Discarded	Discarded	Required	Required
Summary4000	Enhanced	Discarded	Discarded	Enhanced
Genre	Required	Discarded	Discarded	Required
ReleaseYear	Required	Required	Required	Required
ReleaseDate	Enhanced	Discarded	Discarded	Enhanced
ReleaseHistory	Discarded	Discarded	Discarded	Discarded
WorkType	Required	Required	Required	Required
WorkTypeDetail	Enhanced	Discarded	Discarded	Required
AltIdentifier	Required	Required	Required	Required
RatingSet	Required	Required	Required	Required
People	Discarded	Discarded	Discarded	Discarded
OriginalLanguage	Discarded	Discarded	Discarded	Discarded
AssociatedOrg (@role=licensor)	Discarded	Discarded	Discarded	Discarded
SequenceInfo/Number	Discarded	Required	Required	Discarded
Parent/ParentContentID	Discarded	Discarded	Required	Discarded
CompanyDisplayCredit	Required	Required	Required	Required

Quick Tip

For detailed trailer and bonus delivery guidance, visit the Value-Added Material (VAM) Guide.

Enhanced Field Details

The tables below show sub-field details for Enhanced parent elements. Use these to provide richer metadata and improve discoverability.

People Sub-Fields

Sub-Field	Description	Movie	Episode	Season
Job	The job title of the person (for example, Actor, Director).	Required	Enhanced	Required
JobFunction	Functional role: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, or Creator.	Required	Enhanced	Required
BillingBlockOrder	Controls cast display order on the detail page.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced
Character	Character name played by the cast member.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced
Guest	Flags guest appearances for discoverability.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced
Name/DisplayName	Full display name of the person.	Required	Required	Required
Name/SortName	Sortable name for alphabetical ordering.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced
Gender	Gender of the person. Supports personalized recommendations.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced

RatingSet Sub-Fields

The RatingSet sub-fields below apply to all content types.

Sub-Field	Description	Movie	Episode	Season
Rating	The content rating block.	Required	Required	Required
Region	Geographic region where the rating applies.	Required	Required	Required
Country	ISO country code where the rating applies.	Required	Required	Required
System	Rating system used (for example, MPAA, BBFC).	Required	Required	Required
Value	The rating value (for example, PG-13, 12A).	Required	Required	Required
Reason	Rating description shown on the title detail page.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced
NotRated	Use when no official rating exists in any territory.	Required	Required	Required
IsAdult	Flags adult content for classification and filtering.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced

ReleaseHistory Sub-Fields (Movie and Season)

Sub-Field	Description	Movie	Season
DistrTerritory	Country code for the distribution territory.	Enhanced	Enhanced
ReleaseOrg	Organization involved with this release.	Enhanced	Enhanced
@organizationID	Unique ID of the releasing organization.	Enhanced	Enhanced
@idType	Type of organization ID used.	Enhanced	Enhanced
@role	Role of the organization in the release.	Enhanced	Enhanced
DisplayName	Display name of the releasing organization.	Enhanced	Enhanced
SortName	Sortable name of the releasing organization.	Enhanced	Enhanced

AssociatedOrg Sub-Fields (Movie and Season)

Sub-Field	Description	Movie	Season
@organizationID	Unique ID of the licensing organization.	Required	Required
@role	Must be “licensor.”	Required	Required
DisplayName	Display name of the licensor.	Enhanced	Enhanced
SortName	Sortable name for alphabetical ordering.	Enhanced	Enhanced
AlternateName	Alternate name for the licensor.	Enhanced	Enhanced

LocalizedInfo Enhanced Sub-Fields

Sub-Field	Description	Movie	Episode	Season
Region	Geographic region for localized metadata.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced
Country	Country code for localized metadata.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced
OriginalTitle	Title in its original language. Improves search for international content.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced
PeopleLocal	Localized cast/crew names for local market search.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced

Additional Enhanced Fields

Field	Description	Movie	Episode	Season
CountryOfOrigin	Country where the title was produced.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced
PrimarySpokenLanguage	Main spoken language in the content.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced
VersionLanguage	Language version of this specific metadata entry.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced
RunLength	Runtime of the title. Displayed on the detail page.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Discarded
Location	Geographic location data for metadata accuracy.	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced

Parent Relationship Values

Content Type	@relationshipType	ParentContentID Points To
Episode	isepisodeof	Season ContentID
Season	isseasonof	Series ContentID
Trailer	ispromotionfor	Movie or Season ContentID
Bonus	issupplementalto	Movie or Season ContentID

Season and Episode Ordering

You can customize how seasons and episodes display to customers using WorkTypeDetail at the series level.

Value	Behavior	Best For
StartAtLatestSeasonFirstEpisode	Shows latest season first, starting at episode 1.	Anthology Series, News, Sports, Talk Shows, Game Shows
StartAtLatestSeasonLatestEpisode	Shows latest season and latest episode first.	News, Sports, Talk Shows where latest content is most relevant
Chronological	Standard chronological ordering.	Traditional series where watch order matters
(No value set)	Automatic ordering based on content type.	Default behavior

Set this value at the series-level MEC only. It applies to all seasons automatically.
This field applies to TV series only. Not applicable to movies or VAM.
You can update this value at any time. Changes take effect after the MEC is processed.
Reverse ordering is automatically applied to eligible content types (News, Sports, Talk Shows, Game Shows).

Multi-Language Support

The episode template in the Sample File Repository demonstrates how to deliver multiple languages in a single MEC file. Include a separate LocalizedInfo block for each language-LOCALE.

Example structure:

First LocalizedInfo block: @language="en-US” (with title, artwork, synopses, genres)
Second LocalizedInfo block: @language="es-419" (with localized title, artwork, synopses, genres)

Each LocalizedInfo block must contain its own TitleDisplayUnlimited, ArtReference entries, Summary190, Summary400, and Genre entries.

Discarded MEC XML Fields

The following fields are accepted by the MEC XSD but are not used by Prime Video. You may include them for XSD compliance, but they have no effect.

UpdateNum
LocalizedInfo @Default
TitleSort (empty tags are acceptable for XSD compliance)
Keyword
AlternateTitle
PictureColorType
PictureFormat
AspectRatio
DistributionNumber
HouseSequence
CountryRegion (in LocalizedInfo and RatingSet)

Special Character Encoding

Special characters in synopsis fields will cause publishing errors if not properly encoded. Use these XML entity references.

Symbol	Enter As
<	<
>	>
&	&
'	'
"	"

The pipe (|), period (.), hash (#), forward slash (/), and exclamation mark (!) can be used as-is without encoding.

Value-Added Material (VAM) Content in the MEC XML

Trailers and bonus materials are treated as distinct content entities. For detailed trailer and bonus delivery guidance, visit the Value-Added Material (VAM) Guide. Most standard MEC values apply. Key delivery points:

Use WorkType = “promotion” for trailers.
Use WorkType = “supplemental” for bonus content.
Parent relationship type must be “ispromotionfor” or “issupplementalto.”
SequenceInfo and Parent blocks are required.

Localization Requirements

Metadata can be delivered in multiple languages.
Each localized version must specify its language code.
Partial updates are supported for localized fields such as title name and synopsis.
Partial updates are NOT supported for ratings and cast/crew. Always include all available data.
Your most recent submission (by delivery timestamp) for a given language is your authoritative version.

Know Before You Go

Generate your MEC XML automatically. Manual creation causes errors.

Use the full URN format (md:cid:org:[partner_alias]:[id]) for @ContentID and ParentContentID.

Use only the ID string (not the URN) in the AltIdentifier/Identifier field.

Include all four ArtReference entries for every content type, unless you plan to include them in the MMC. The MMC is Amazon’s preferred delivery method for artwork.

Series-level MEC does not require People or ReleaseDate. Do not include them.

Season-level MEC does not require ReleaseDate or ReleaseHistory. Only ReleaseYear is needed.

Always include all ratings and cast/crew in every submission. No partial updates are supported for these.

Each episode needs its own MEC file. Do not combine episodes into one XML.

Encode special characters in synopsis fields to prevent publishing errors.

Set WorkTypeDetail at the series level only. It cascades to all seasons.