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# Structuring movie data and features

Build movies with compressed or reference data, and add features like effect descriptions and alternate subtitle tracks.

## Topics

### Movie data

[Compressed movie resources](/documentation/QuickTime-File-Format/Compressed_movie_resources)

Reduce file size and startup latency by compressing movie resources.

[Reference movies](/documentation/QuickTime-File-Format/Reference_movies)

A movie that contains references to alternate movies is called a reference movie.

[Authoring movies with external movie targets](/documentation/QuickTime-File-Format/Authoring_movies_with_external_movie_targets)

Specify elements of an external movie in your movie.

### Movie features

[Preparing sound and subtitle alternate groups for use with Apple devices](/documentation/QuickTime-File-Format/Preparing_sound_and_subtitle_alternate_groups_for_use_with_Apple_devices)

Create collections of tracks that all serve the same purpose, where any track in the group can be substituted for another in a movie.

[Creating an effect description](/documentation/QuickTime-File-Format/Creating_an_effect_description)

Tell QuickTime which effect to execute and control how the effect behaves at runtime with an effect description.


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