A Clear Video Handoff Starts With the Approved Export

A finished video still needs a clear next step. I want the person receiving it to know which version is approved, where it is meant to go and which file they should open. Our narrated handoff explainer begins with those practical details, then checks playback and the backup.

Watch the narrated handoff explainer on Facebook.

Name the version and destination

Give the export a name that identifies its version and intended destination. A file name should help the next person choose the right file without a separate guessing exercise. Keep the approved export easy to find, and keep that decision separate from the other working versions.

Check the file you are handing over

Before delivery, play the actual finished export. The important file is the one the recipient will receive. Open it and check that the picture and sound play as intended, rather than treating the end of a render as the whole handoff.

I would include that check in the delivery step even when the edit has already been reviewed. Review identifies the accepted version; playback checks the exported file being passed on. Both details belong with the handoff notes.

Preserve the originals and verify the backup

Keep the originals when preparing the finished delivery. The approved export and the source material have different jobs. A clearer delivery folder does not require deleting the material that made the edit possible.

Verify the backup before calling the handoff complete. Keep the final version and destination clear in the records so that a later request can be matched to the same file. For the next delivery, the short checklist is: identify the version, identify the destination, make the approved export easy to find, check playback, preserve the originals and verify the backup.

Optional resource from my filming kit

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Sony FX30 camera, body only

This is an optional camera resource; the handoff checklist applies to the finished files regardless of camera choice.

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