An AI film delivery checklist: picture, sound and backups

A finished export is not necessarily a finished delivery. The useful question is whether the correct version plays reliably, keeps the intended framing and contains the assets the recipient actually needs. This checklist separates a creative review from a file handover so a strong film is not undermined by a preventable delivery mistake.

This is a general workflow, not a universal export preset. A cinema screening, a social platform and a website can require different specifications. Confirm the destination requirements before choosing resolution, codec, frame rate or audio settings.

Review picture continuity

Watch the entire film without pausing. Mark moments where you become confused rather than interrupting every minor imperfection. Then inspect those points closely. Look for changing faces, wardrobe, product labels, hand anatomy, shadows and object positions.

Check scene transitions as well as individual frames. A character who exits to the right and unexpectedly appears moving left in the next shot may reverse the perceived direction of travel. Decide whether that reversal is intentional. A stable single clip can still create a continuity error in a sequence.

Preserve the intended frame

Confirm the display ratio against the approved composition. Do not stretch a landscape film to fill a portrait player. A container can use letterboxing to preserve the complete image; cropping should be an explicit editorial decision.

Review subtitles, titles, faces and product details on a small screen. A graphic placed safely within a desktop frame may be unreadable on a phone. If separate horizontal and vertical versions are required, review each as its own composition instead of assuming one automatic crop is sufficient.

Listen beyond the music

Check dialogue intelligibility, music transitions, ambience and effects at comfortable listening levels. Listen on headphones and speakers where available. A sound that is obvious in one environment may disappear in another.

Avoid selecting loudness targets by guesswork. Use the delivery platform’s current requirements or the client’s specification. Inspect meters for clipping, but also listen for distracting changes in tone and perceived level. A clean numerical reading does not guarantee a convincing sound edit.

Make the handover explicit

• Approved master: the agreed high-quality delivery file.
• Review copy: a smaller version for convenient playback, clearly labelled.
• Version note: filename, duration, ratio, resolution, frame rate and approval date.
• Rights record: sources and permissions for music, voice, images and third-party material.
• Change log: meaningful revisions since the previous client review.

Use filenames such as project_master_v03_approved.mp4 instead of multiple files named “final final.” Do not imply that an unreviewed version is approved. Keep approval evidence with the project record, not embedded into public portfolio metadata.

Verify the uploaded file

Play the file from its actual destination after upload. Test the beginning, a middle section and the ending, then seek to another point. Compare file size or a cryptographic checksum when the hosting service exposes one. A successful upload notification does not prove that the file is complete or streamable.

For website use, test the player on a phone and a desktop. Confirm that controls, captions where provided, fullscreen and aspect ratio behave as intended. Check the public URL in a signed-out context so access does not depend on the owner’s session.

Keep an independent backup

A link is not a backup. Record where the complete original is stored and verify that it can be downloaded. If you split an original into archive parts, retain restoration instructions and test the reconstructed file. Archive parts cannot be used as an ordinary video source.

Keep a separate playable web copy when the original is too large for practical streaming. Document the difference between the archive master and the web derivative so nobody mistakes a compressed preview for the source. Before deleting any earlier copy, verify both the backup and the live playback path. Use the short-film planning guide to establish these delivery decisions before production begins.