A method and system for processing media content in Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Network Based Media Processing (NBMP) includes receiving, from an NBMP source, a first message including a workflow descriptor document corresponding to a workflow for processing the media content; obtaining, based on the workflow, a task having a task template; obtaining, based on the task, a function having a function template; and managing the processing of the media content by transmitting, to a media processing entity, a second message instructing the media processing entity to perform the function based on the task. The first message, the workflow descriptor document, the task template, the function template, and/or the second message may be used to signal a scheme for processing the media content.