A complete TV commercial delivery package always includes a mezzanine master, a broadcast master with slate and metadata, all required cutdowns, caption and subtitle files, and a README, and locking these into the statement of work before production starts is the single move that prevents costly change orders later. Check that specs match AICP file requirements and ATSC loudness targets before you sign.
TL;DR:
- Deliverables should be specified and locked in the statement of work before production starts to prevent costly change orders later.
- The full package includes a mezzanine master, broadcast master, caption and subtitle files, audio stems, stills, and graphics, with raw files usually retained by the production company.
- Technical specs must be clearly detailed in the SOW, including preferred codecs, color levels, timecode, loudness printouts, and caption formats to ensure broadcaster compatibility.
- Deliverable versions—such as aspect ratios and cut lengths—must be planned early, with locked counts prior to editing, to stay within schedule and avoid scope creep.
- Proper file naming, organized packaging, and thorough documentation with QC reports, caption maps, and clear contact info are essential for smooth handoff and downstream use.
Table of Contents
- What deliverables should a production actually hand over?
- What technical specs belong in the SOW?
- How many versions and lengths do you actually need?
- When are deliverables locked in, and how do changes get priced?
- How should files be labeled and packaged for handoff?
- What rights and paperwork need to close out at delivery?
- What we lock into every SOW before production starts
- Why locking deliverables early protects the whole production
- MINIM as the production partner that keeps deliverables clean
- Sources
- FAQ
What deliverables should a production actually hand over?
A commercial delivery package is not one file, it is a set of assets built for different jobs: broadcast ingest, streaming, editorial revisions, and social cutdowns. Knowing what belongs in each category keeps a bid accurate and a delivery usable on the first pass.
The mezzanine master is the high-quality intermediate file used for all downstream conversions. It is not broadcast-ready on its own, but every other version gets built from it. The broadcast master is the finished, network-ready file with slate, bars, and metadata attached, formatted to the exact spec a station or trafficking system requires. Working files sit between the two: unfinished renders, review cuts, and client approval versions that rarely leave the edit suite.
Standard cutdowns follow the media plan, not the creative. A :30 spot typically ships alongside :15 and sometimes :06 versions, each re-cut rather than simply trimmed, since dialogue and music need their own resolution at shorter lengths.
Beyond the video files, a full package usually includes:
- Music and dialogue stems: separated audio tracks (music, dialogue, effects) delivered as OMF or AAF for mix revisions.
- Stills and keyframes: high-resolution frame grabs pulled for print, social, or press use.
- Logo and graphics packages: end-tag assets and lower-third graphics as layered files.
- Caption and subtitle files: sidecar files matched to each video version, not just the master.
Raw camera files, full project files, and 3D scene assets are usually not part of a standard delivery. Production companies typically retain those unless the contract specifically buys them out, and pricing that buyout separately avoids a dispute after the fact.
What technical specs belong in the SOW?
Technical specifications are where agencies lose the most time after delivery, because a spec that reads fine in a bid document can still fail broadcaster ingest. Writing the numbers into the SOW, not just the file format names, is what actually prevents rejection.
For mezzanine files, request Apple ProRes 422 HQ or ProRes 4444, or DNxHR when the post house works in an Avid pipeline. These codecs preserve enough quality for color and audio work downstream without the file sizes of raw camera formats. The AICP file deliverable specifications list these as the preferred mezzanine codecs for North American delivery.
Broadcast masters follow a fixed layout: a 5-second slate carrying the Ad-ID, title, and running time, followed by 2 seconds of black, then the spot itself. Timecode should start clean and match what is listed on the delivery manifest, since a mismatch is one of the more common reasons a file bounces back from a traffic department.
Color and levels need a QC pass before anything ships: legal broadcast levels, a note on any LUT applied in the grade, and confirmation that nothing clips outside the safe range. A few checkpoints are worth building into every pre-flight:
- Legal levels check: confirm luma and chroma stay within broadcast-safe range.
- Slate accuracy: Ad-ID, title, and duration match the traffic instructions exactly.
- Timecode start: matches the manifest and starts on a clean frame.
- Caption sync: caption timing matches final picture lock, not an earlier cut.
Audio is the other half of the technical checklist, and it is the one most often skipped until a broadcaster kicks the file back. The recommended target for program loudness is a level considered standard for digital television, with true-peak held below a safe threshold, following the measurement approach described in ATSC's guidance on establishing and maintaining audio loudness, which is based on the ITU BS.1770 measurement family.
A loudness printout run against the ATSC A/85 practice, included in the delivery manifest, is what stops an automated broadcaster ingest system from rejecting a file outright. Producers who skip this step are the ones most likely to get a bounce-back the day before air.
Closed captions and subtitles need their own delivery line. Broadcast typically expects CEA-708 or CEA-608 embedded caption data, while digital and OTT platforms want sidecar SRT or VTT files matched to each video version, since a caption file built for the :30 will not sync correctly against the :15.
How many versions and lengths do you actually need?
Version planning affects editorial time, VFX budget, and the schedule more than almost any other line item in a bid, and it is the one most often underestimated because it looks like a small ask on paper.
- Lock standard lengths early. Linear TV runs on fixed durations, :30 and :15 most commonly, and a broadcaster will reject a spot that runs a few frames long or short rather than round it for you.
- Plan aspect ratios by destination. A 16:9 master covers broadcast and most OTT placements, but social and vertical placements need a genuine 9:16 reframe, not a cropped afterthought, with safe-title and safe-action areas respected in both versions.
- Separate localization from cutdowns. Dubbed audio tracks, subtitle files, and burned-in captions are each their own deliverable line, and mixing them into the base cutdown count under-scopes the post schedule.
- Price each version distinctly. A reframe, a dub, and a cutdown each carry their own editorial and QC time, so a bid that lists "3 versions" without specifying which kind invites disagreement later.
Locking version counts before production starts, not during the edit, is what keeps the post schedule from stretching without a matching change order.
When are deliverables locked in, and how do changes get priced?
Deliverables get decided at the bid and SOW stage, not during the edit. The AICP National Guidelines for live action production recommend that the bid proposal itself function as the project's operating roadmap, listing final deliverables, payment milestones, and acceptance criteria before a single frame is shot.
A deliverables schedule, often attached as an addendum to the bid, should spell out every version, format, and due date. Vague deliverables lists are the leading cause of budget overages in commercial production, according to Wrapbook's reporting on client expectations, which points to unclear scope rather than creative disagreement as the usual source of disputes.
Payment typically follows a milestone pattern with a larger initial payment and a smaller final balance tied to delivery and acceptance, a structure the AICP guidelines codify as standard practice. Title to the finished work generally transfers on final payment, which is why an incomplete or non-conforming delivery can stall both the check and the rights.
- Write the deliverables addendum into the bid, not as a follow-up email after award.
- Define what triggers a change order: added versions, new aspect ratios, or spec changes after lock all count.
- Confirm trafficking lead times early: network insertion typically needs more advance notice than OTT or streaming ad pods, which can accept files closer to air.
Pro Tip: Ask your post house for their standard change-order rate card before production starts, so a mid-project spec change has a pre-agreed price instead of a negotiation under deadline pressure.
How should files be labeled and packaged for handoff?
A delivery that arrives without a clear naming convention or manifest creates work for everyone downstream, no matter how good the files are. A consistent structure, organized by platform and use-case rather than by raw file type, is what an agency delivery checklist recommends, and it holds up across most production workflows.
A workable naming pattern looks like this: platform_version_codec_resolution_language_date, applied consistently across every file in the package. A folder organized by use-case, broadcast master, OTT master, social cutdowns, rather than by codec or resolution, is easier for a trafficking team to navigate without opening every file to check what it is.
- README or manifest file: maps every file to its intended platform, version, and use-case in plain language.
- QC reports included: loudness printouts, visual QC notes, and timecode confirmation attached, not sent separately.
- Caption maps: a note on which caption file syncs to which video version.
- Contact and delivery method: who to reach with questions and how the files were sent (Aspera, Signiant, cloud link, or FTP).
- Checksum verification: a hash value included so the receiving team can confirm nothing corrupted in transit.
More technical detail on structuring a mezzanine-first handoff is covered in MINIM's broadcast delivery specs guide.
What rights and paperwork need to close out at delivery?
Delivery is a contractual moment, not just a technical one. What the advertiser actually acquires at final delivery depends on what the contract specifies, and that needs to be settled before the invoice, not after.
Talent releases, music licenses, and cue sheets (where music is involved) should all be finalized and handed over alongside the files, since a missing release can block usage even when the video itself is broadcast-ready. The AICP Post-Production Guidelines note that intermediate materials, project bins, edit timelines, 3D character assets, remain the production company's property unless the contract explicitly buys them out and prices that separately.
Final sign-off is what triggers both the remaining payment and the transfer of title, which is why acceptance criteria belong in writing rather than as an informal "looks good" over email. The most common trap is assuming raw files or created characters are included in a standard buyout when they were never priced that way.
What we lock into every SOW before production starts
Every production runs against a fixed deliverables checklist written into the SOW before a shoot date is set: mezzanine master, broadcast master with slate data, all cutdowns by exact length, caption files matched per version, and a README mapping every asset to its use. Pre-flight QC, loudness print, visual check, timecode confirmation, is assigned to a specific owner on the production side, not left as a shared responsibility that nobody actually completes.
That structure comes from running the same handoff repeatedly across agency partners with different trafficking systems and OTT platforms. The full production timeline this checklist sits inside is laid out in MINIM's commercial production process playbook.
Why locking deliverables early protects the whole production
A deliverables list is really an operating contract between the agency and the production team, and treating it that way early avoids the argument that happens when a client assumes a 9:16 cutdown was "obviously" included. The clearest version of this problem shows up when someone requests a new aspect ratio after picture lock, and the deliverables addendum is the document that settles whether that is a favor or a change order.
The fix is not more meetings, it is a specific list, priced and signed, before the camera rolls.
— Steven Reina
MINIM as the production partner that keeps deliverables clean
Agencies that need premium commercial execution without adding headcount get that from a partner who treats deliverables as part of the production, not an afterthought handled at the end. A production partner can integrate directly with agency creative teams and manage each project, including the full deliverables schedule, QC, and trafficking support, as a scoped part of the engagement rather than a scramble in the last week.
What that looks like in practice:
- Scoped deliverables from the start: masters, cutdowns, captions, and README built into the SOW before production begins.
- QC built into the schedule: loudness, visual, and timecode checks run before files ship, not after a rejection.
- Integration with your existing creative team: MINIM works inside your process rather than replacing it.
If your next campaign needs a production partner who treats the deliverables list as seriously as the creative, see the full range of services on MINIM's skills page and start scoping your next project.
Sources
- How to Navigate Client Expectations | Wrapbook
- High Definition File Deliverable Specifications (North America) — AICP
- ATSC: Techniques for establishing and maintaining audio loudness
FAQ
What are some examples of commercial deliverables?
Common examples include a mezzanine master, a broadcast master with slate and metadata, cutdowns at standard lengths, caption and subtitle files, music stems, and a README mapping each file to its use. Ancillary assets like stills and logo packages often round out the package.
How much of a 30-minute TV show is commercial time?
The exact commercial load varies by network and daypart and is not governed by a single published standard, so treat any specific figure with caution. Advertisers should confirm actual ad-pod length directly with the network or media buyer for the placement in question.
Can you give an example of a TV advertisement format?
A typical TV advertisement ships as a :30 broadcast master with a matching :15 cutdown, following the slate and black layout described in the AICP file specifications. Digital versions of the same spot usually add a 9:16 reframe and sidecar caption files for social and OTT placements.
How can I create my own TV commercial?
Start with a locked creative brief and a deliverables schedule that lists every version, length, and format before production begins, since this is what keeps the budget and timeline intact. For agencies that want end-to-end execution without building that infrastructure internally, a full-service partner like MINIM can manage the process from concept through final delivery.
When should deliverables be finalized in a production?
Deliverables should be locked at the bid or SOW stage, before shooting starts, following the practice the AICP National Guidelines recommend. Changes requested after that point typically trigger a change order rather than a free revision.