Updated: July 27, 2026
The point at which projects subtly start losing days.
Handover might sound like a routine administrative task at the end of a project. In reality, it often turns into a time-consuming process: footage that fails to transfer, incomplete files, clients unable to open the delivered content, and a week of back-and-forth discussions about which version is final.
None of this is difficult, and almost all of it can be avoided by agreeing on a few key points before the project begins. This guide covers moving large volumes of footage into an edit, working with proxies, what a delivery should actually contain, and the naming discipline that keeps a folder usable a year later.
Getting footage to the editor
Video files are large, so the method used must be capable of handling such volumes.
- Physical drive. For anything above a few hundred gigabytes, still the fastest and most reliable option. Hand delivery or courier, with the material copied rather than moved, so the original stays where it was.
- Managed transfer services. Built for large media files, with resume on interruption and verification. Worth it for remote collaboration and for repeat work.
- Cloud storage. Fine for moderate volumes and for review copies. Slow for full-resolution rushes, and upload speed is usually the constraint, not download.
- Consumer file-sending sites. Adequate for a single clip. Poor for a project, because of size limits and expiring links.
Regardless of the method used, three rules remain constant. First, never move the only copy. Second, always verify the transfer rather than assuming it has completed successfully. Lastly, never delete the source until the recipient confirms that they have everything and can open it.
The confirmation step
That last point deserves its own line because it is where footage is genuinely lost. A transfer that reports success is not the same as a recipient who has opened the files. Ask for explicit confirmation that the material is present, readable and complete before anything is cleared. The wider question of what to retain afterwards is covered in the article on archiving finished video projects.
Proxies: why the editor asks for them
Modern camera formats require significant processing power to play back. A proxy is a smaller, easier-to-decode version of each clip, matched frame for frame to the original. The editor uses proxies to cut the footage, and the software automatically swaps back to the full-resolution files for the final render.
What this buys:
- Smooth playback without the need for a high-specification workstation.
- Editing can be done on a laptop, enabling remote and traveling work.
- Much smaller transfers occur during collaboration, as proxies can be sent while the originals remain on the drive.
- Faster review cycles are possible because rough cuts render quickly.
Proxies can be generated by the camera during the shoot, which saves hours of work later on. Alternatively, proxies can be created at the beginning of the post-production process. If your camera supports this feature, it's advisable to turn it on.
What a proper delivery contains
Agree on this list before the project begins, rather than waiting until the end. A typical handover usually includes:
- Master file: high quality, minimally compressed, the version everything else derives from
- Delivery versions: compressed files sized for each destination, in each aspect ratio
- Clean versions: the edit without text or graphics, which makes future language versions and updates cheap
- Caption files and transcript
- Audio stems: dialogue, music and effects as separate tracks, so audio can be adjusted later without a remix
- Graphics as editable files, not just baked into the render
- Thumbnail stills pulled from the footage
- Music licence documentation for anything licensed
Clean versions and audio stems are the two most often omitted and most often needed later. Requesting them at delivery costs nothing. Recreating them in a year, when the project files may no longer open in current software, is expensive. Licensing records matter for the same reason, and that side is covered in the piece on choosing music and staying clear of licensing trouble.
Formats: Keep the master and the delivery separate.
A common mistake is treating a compressed upload file as the master. Every re-encode from a compressed file further degrades the quality, so a version made for one platform should never be the source for another. Keep one high-quality master and export each delivery from it.
Naming the folder in a way that will still make sense later.
Adopt a standard convention before the first export and apply it consistently to everything.
- Client or project, followed by a brief, descriptive name.
- Incremented version number, never reused
- Aspect ratio and duration for multiple versions that exist
- Language where applicable
- Date in a format that sorts correctly, with the year first.
It is clear what should be avoided: filenames containing "final", "final2", "FINAL_v3", "final real", and any spaces or special characters that could cause issues on some systems. Instead, use version numbers and let the highest number indicate the current version. If a file needs to be marked as approved, do so in a separate approvals note rather than in the filename.
Review and approval without the chaos
Reviews work best on a platform that allows comments to be attached to specific timecodes. This way, feedback is linked directly to the moment it refers to, rather than being described in an email. This method eliminates the ambiguity of phrases like "the bit near the beginning" and ensures that the entire discussion thread remains in one place.
Two key habits make the process work smoothly: first, consolidate all feedback from stakeholders into a single list before sending it out. Second, designate a single person to decide when conflicting comments arise.
Handover with us
We agreed upon the deliverable list and the naming convention at the start of the project. As a result, the final week involves an export process rather than a negotiation. Footage is received through whatever method is most suitable for the volume of data. We confirm in writing that all materials have been received and are functioning properly before anyone clears a card or a drive.
Every delivery includes the master, platform versions, clean versions without text, audio stems, caption files, transcript, and license documentation as standard. Review runs on a timecoded platform, and we request consolidated feedback from a single nominated approver.
Tell us where the video needs to run and who has to sign it off, and we will set the handover up accordingly. More on post-production in the editing blog, or get in touch through the contact page.
The short version
Match the transfer method to the volume, verify it, and never delete a source until the recipient confirms they can open everything. Use camera-generated proxies where possible to save a day of transcoding. Agree on the deliverable list upfront and include clean versions, audio stems, and license records. Keep one master and export deliveries from it rather than re-encoding compressed files. Use version numbers, never the word "final.
The two key elements to insist on are clean versions and audio stems. Acquiring these now is free, but obtaining them later can be expensive.