The Distribution Checklist You Need Before You Ever Hit Record

Here’s a horror story too many indie filmmakers have lived through:

You’ve wrapped your shoot. You’ve locked the edit. You’re celebrating your final color pass. Then you get the distribution offer.

And with it?

A deliverables checklist that makes your stomach drop.

• The frame rate is wrong.
• You didn’t record split-track audio.
• Your music cue sheets are incomplete.
• You never got signed location releases for two key scenes.
• And, worst of all, you didn’t shoot a clean version without on-screen graphics or titles.

Suddenly, your finished film… isn’t finished enough. And fixing it? Expensive. Time-consuming. Sometimes even impossible.

This isn’t a post problem. It’s a pre-production problem. Because the truth is, if you don’t plan for deliverables before you shoot, you’re gambling your film’s future on luck.

What Are Deliverables, and Why Should You Care Before You Shoot?

Deliverables are the files, formats, paperwork, and proof that distributors, platforms, and broadcasters require before they’ll release your film to the world.

These aren’t optional. They’re deal-breakers.

They include:

• High-resolution ProRes or uncompressed masters
• Frame rates matching global standards (typically 23.976, 25, or 29.97)
• Split-track audio (dialogue, music, effects on separate channels)
• M&E (music and effects) tracks for international dubbing
• Title-free versions for localization
• Subtitles and closed captions
• QC reports
• Cue sheets
• Chain of title
• Talent and crew releases
• Location releases
• E&O insurance

The list can be long. And if you’re not ready for it? It becomes a wall between you and release.

The Cost of Getting It Wrong

Here’s what happens when you realize too late that your deliverables aren’t up to spec:

• You pay again to remaster your film to the correct format.
• You lose a distribution deal because your audio doesn’t pass QC.
• You can’t sell to international markets because you don’t have M&E tracks.
• You get sued because your chain of title is incomplete or unclear.
• You waste time and money chasing releases, contracts, and paperwork months after production wrapped.

All because no one thought to ask, “What will our distributor need later?” while you were still building your shot list.

Why You Need a Deliverables Checklist Before You Roll Camera

You don’t need to wait until you land a distributor to know what deliverables matter. You can (and should) decide on a distribution path early (AVOD, SVOD, broadcast, theatrical, international) and use that to build your deliverables checklist in pre-production.

When you start with your end goals in mind, you can:

• Shoot in the right frame rate and resolution
• Record proper audio for every intended format
• Collect every necessary release and clearance during production
• Budget for insurance and QC
• Plan post workflows that won’t break your timeline (or your brain)

It doesn’t take much. It just takes intentionality.

What to Include on Your Pre-Shoot Deliverables Checklist

Here’s a foundational list you can customize depending on your project’s goals:

Technical Requirements:

• 4K or 2K ProRes 422 HQ (or better) master
• Correct frame rate (typically 23.976 for global compatibility)
• Flat (title-free) version of the film
• 5.1 and stereo audio exports
• Split-track audio: dialogue on channels 1–2, music on 3–4, effects on 5–6
• Separate M&E tracks for foreign dubbing

Paperwork and Legal:

• Signed actor and crew release forms
• Location agreements
• Chain of title documentation
• Music cue sheets (with proof of license or original composition)
• Copyright registration
• Certificate of insurance (including E&O if aiming for TV or SVOD)

Accessibility and International:

• Subtitles and closed captions (SRT, VTT, or other platform-required formats)
• Foreign-language subtitle files or budget to create them
• Title-free version for subtitling or dubbing overlays

Marketing Assets:

• 3–5 key stills (minimum 300dpi)
• Vertical and horizontal poster art
• Clean trailer (no profanity, if TV is a goal)
• 15s, 30s, and 60s promo cuts

Garvescope Helps You Build This the Right Way

At Garvescope, we help filmmakers not only reach distribution, but be ready for it. We’ve seen too many amazing films stall out because no one planned for what platforms actually require.

That’s why we’re building tools that support you from the first frame to the final delivery. So when the deal lands, your film is already compliant, pitchable, and polished.

When you’re ready to submit your film to streamers, sponsors, or AVOD platforms, your deliverables shouldn’t be a liability. They should be your edge.

Your Film Doesn’t End at Picture Lock

If you’re about to shoot, here’s the rule: shoot for the finish line, not just the finish.

Get your deliverables checklist in place before the first call sheet goes out. Don’t wait to Google what “split track” means after your mix is done. Don’t scramble to find a location release a year after you shot that scene in someone’s backyard.

Shoot with your release in mind. And if you don’t know what your release path is yet? Build for flexibility. Better to be overprepared than unreleasable.

Your film deserves to be seen.
Make sure it’s also ready to be sold.