In Conversation: A Masterclass in Delivery

Delivery. For film and TV professionals, it’s more than just a handoff; it’s the culmination of countless hours of creative and logistical effort. Yet, for many, this final stage can feel daunting. How do you navigate the maze of technical specifications, legal paperwork, and last-minute surprises?

We recently had Stephen Johns, veteran Post Executive join us to share his knowledge and guidance on the critical process of delivering Film and TV projects to studios and distributors.  To demystify the delivery process, he offered practical advice and insights that can transform this milestone into the smooth and celebratory achievement that we all hope it can be.

What is Delivery?

At its core, delivery is the process of packaging your project’s assets—video, audio, documents, and more—for distribution. It’s the final handoff to studios, networks, or platforms, ensuring your work is ready for its intended audience.

While picture lock might feel like the end, delivery is an equally critical sprint in the production relay race. It’s about ensuring a seamless handoff to the next team. Whether it’s the studio’s accessibility, marketing, or theatrical departments, your counterparts rely on you to provide the assets they need. Regular communication ensures you understand their expectations and can deliver materials that meet their requirements.

Common Deliverables: The Building Blocks of Delivery

Here’s a snapshot of what might be on your deliverable list:

• Picture and Sound Masters: IMFs, QuickTimes, DCPs, printmasters, and stems.
• Projects, Assets and Technical Docs: Project Files, Graphic renders, workflow documentation, and change lists.
• Legal and Marketing Essentials: Appearance releases, archival and music agreements, fact-check logs, creative documentation, and photography stills.

Each item serves a specific purpose, from ensuring global distribution compatibility to meeting legal and marketing needs to long-term archival.

Key Players in Delivery

Delivery isn’t a one-person job. You’ll work with a network of stakeholders, including:

• Post-Production Reps: Your primary point of contact for mastering files.
• Technical Operations: Overseeing file integrity and QC.
• Accessibility & Versioning Teams: Handling subtitles, dubs, and audio descriptions.
• Legal Experts: Ensuring rights are clear and defensible.
• Marketing and PR: Leveraging your assets to create buzz.
• Awards Teams: Managing submissions and timelines.

The Power of Communication: Why Asking Questions is Crucial

If we could take away one main point from Stephen’s guidance, it would be that communication is key.  While the process may seem overwhelming, the simple act of asking questions can prevent small uncertainties from snowballing into major issues.
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Questions Provide Clarity

Every project comes with unique deliverables, workflows, and technical specifications. Even if you’ve delivered dozens of projects, the details can change depending on the studio, network, or platform. Don’t assume past experience is a perfect guide for current expectations. Asking questions—whether about file formats, timelines, or rights—ensures you’re working with the most accurate information.

Ongoing Dialogue Builds Trust

Studios, networks, and distributors are not adversaries; they’re collaborators who want your project to succeed. The post-production representatives at these organizations are there to help you navigate the process. They would much rather answer a question upfront than deal with avoidable delays or redeliveries.

Maintaining an open dialogue builds trust. When studio reps see that you’re proactive and transparent, they’re more likely to view you as a reliable partner. This can pay dividends when negotiating extensions, resolving unexpected challenges, or securing future opportunities.

Leaning on Studio Counterparts Saves Time

Studios often employ post-production specialists who understand the delivery process inside and out. These professionals are a treasure trove of knowledge and can offer insights that save time and resources. By involving them early and often, you avoid missteps and uncover potential efficiencies.

Remember: Asking for help is not a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of professionalism. Studio reps are there to help your team succeed. They’d much rather work collaboratively than troubleshoot preventable mistakes.

Addressing Issues Head-On

Problems can and will arise during delivery, from unexpected QC notes to rights conflicts. When you encounter a challenge, being upfront with the studio allows you to work together toward a solution. Transparency avoids the risk of scrambling for fixes in isolation, which can lead to misaligned priorities or missed deadlines.

Stephen’s Top Tips for a Smooth Delivery

1. Read Everything: Dive into the deliverables list and specifications early.
2. Confirm and Re-confirm the Deliverables List:  At various stages of the production life cycle, re-confirm that you are working with the latest deliverables list.
3. Stay Organized: Create checklists and timelines to track elements against your production workflow.
4. Be Proactive: Start gathering documents and assets well before picture lock.
5. Be Mindful of Music:  If you’re using temp music, make sure it's flagged before anyone falls in love with a track that you can’t afford.  All music should be cleared or clearable.
6. Pay attention to Archive:  Keep an active tally of all archival in the project as the cut progresses, flagging any important rights exceptions or licensing requirements as you go.
7. QC Early and Often: Review your materials thoroughly before submission.
8. Don’t Assume.  Ask Questions: Clarify requirements with studio reps to avoid costly mistakes.
9. Discuss Forced Narratives:  Streaming services leverage cutting-edge technology to make content accessible to audiences of all abilities and languages.  The use of burned-in subtitles may complicate that process and work against the goal of wider accessibility.
10. Know When to Ask for More Time or Money:  Understanding how production challenges impact the budget or timeline helps you identify the right moment to request additional time or funding.  By building trust with your studio partners through open and honest communication throughout the process, these conversations become much smoother and more manageable.

The Takeaway

Delivery is the final opportunity to represent the hard work of your team. Your finish is someone else’s start; by staying organized, asking questions, and managing expectations, you can turn this challenging phase into a moment of pride and accomplishment.  

About Stephen Johns

Stephen is a seasoned, innovative, and resourceful film and television executive, who has led the creation and delivery of globally recognized content, including three Academy Award winning films, plus numerous Emmy-, BAFTA-, and Peabody-winners, amongst others. In addition to his time on the studio side with Netflix where he oversaw 50+ concurrent projects at a time from production partners around the globe, and Viacom (Comedy Central, Paramount Network, and TV Land) before that, he has direct hands-on experience delivering to distributors such as Netflix, Amazon, Al Jazeera America, Discovery, and Scripps Networks.  With a primary focus on post-production (editorial, graphics, animation, visual effects, music, and more), he gets involved as early as project conception and budgeting, collaborating with distributed cross-functional teams, advocating for the needs of a project throughout its lifecycle, and ensures successful delivery and launch.

Stephen is currently working as an independent Post Supervisor on non-fiction film and television.

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