Sealing the Deal: How to Prepare Your Content for Distribution Platforms

In today’s fast-evolving entertainment landscape, filmmakers, production houses, and content distribution companies are constantly on the hunt for distribution deals and monetization opportunities. However, the process has become more challenging, as traditional channels like TV and media companies have been joined—and often outpaced—by tech-driven platforms.

We call this new era "Creatology"—a seamless blend of creativity and technology. While it opens exciting opportunities, it also brings complexities for filmmakers. Deals are no longer based solely on storytelling, festival awards, or star-studded casts. Instead, they now hinge on data and technology readiness. From detailed metadata and accurate subtitling to dubbing and content alignment with platform requirements, creators must be prepared to meet the demands of the digital age.

The key question is: Is your content truly ready for distribution ? Let’s explore the essential steps to ensure it is:

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1. Film Synopsis

A well-written synopsis is crucial. It serves as the first impression of your story and can make or break a deal. Focus on these two scenarios:

• Non-English Content for English Platforms: Ensure expert English writers articulate your story clearly and compellingly.
• English Content for Non-English Platforms: Collaborate with skilled local language writers to ensure cultural and linguistic accuracy.

At Media Shippers, we offer expert writing services to craft high-quality synopses tailored for your target market.

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2. Rich Metadata

Deals increasingly depend on advanced metadata that goes beyond the basics. Your metadata should include:

• Technical Metadata: File types, codecs, resolutions (e.g., 4K HDR).
• Descriptive Metadata: Titles, genres, tags, cast, and crew details.
• Temporal Metadata: Chapter markers, captions, and timelines.
• Platform-Specific Metadata Alignment: Tailor metadata to meet the unique ingestion requirements of streaming platforms.

Our AI-driven metadata solutions ensure your content is packaged and ready in multiple formats for seamless distribution.

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3. Film Formats

Your content must be encoded in the video and audio codecs most frequently used by streaming platforms. Being proactive about format readiness accelerates deal closures.

At Media Shippers, we’ve adopted MovieLabs Vision 2030 workflows to deliver automated, flexible transcoding solutions.

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4. Quality Check (QC) Certification

Content failing a QC check can delay or derail your deal. Major platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and Universal Pictures enforce stringent QC standards. A proactive QC certification ensures:

• Identification and correction of errors upfront.
• A faster path to monetization once your content clears QC.

Our shared services QC certification is budget-friendly, allowing multiple checks without breaking the bank.

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5. Compliance with Local Censorship Rules

Delays or deal losses can stem from non-compliance with regional censorship regulations. Understanding cultural nuances and local rules is key.

At Media Shippers, we guide you through compliance, ensuring your content meets local standards.

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6. Artwork: Thumbnails and Screen Captures

Streaming platforms demand high-quality artwork in multiple formats (landscape, portrait, square) to accommodate varied devices. Artwork must also align with the platform’s brand guidelines and be localized for the audience.

Our "Human-in-the-Loop" AI models generate localized artwork seamlessly, ensuring top-tier quality.

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7. Secure Screeners

In a global marketplace, secure screeners are essential for showcasing your work at festivals or to prospects. Protect your content from hacking, theft, or piracy.

With Media Shippers, you can share branded, password-protected screeners securely.

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8. Localization

Streaming platforms prefer separate files for subtitles, captions, and dubs rather than embedding them into the master file. Descriptive video (narration for visually impaired audiences) is also becoming a requirement.

Our Human-in-the-Loop AI workflows ensure your localization files (subs, dubs, and descriptive video) are contextually accurate, culturally appropriate, and of premium quality.

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9. Marketing Materials

Trailers are no longer enough. Short-form content, such as reels and social media shorts, are now essential for engaging audiences.

Our content engines can generate reels and shorts, highlighting key themes and moods from your content, optimized for social media campaigns.

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10. Secured and Always-Ready Storage

Storing content on hard drives, laptops, or post-house servers leaves it vulnerable to theft, loss, or damage. Cloud storage offers advanced security, scalability, and accessibility.

At Media Shippers, the patented Xinsere platform employs double encryption and blockchain technology to ensure your content is always secure and traceable.

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11. Marketplace and Syndication Support

Your content should live on a marketplace where experts actively seek licensing opportunities for you.

Media Shippers provides a dedicated marketplace and syndication specialists to maximize your content’s visibility and monetization potential.

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12. Rights Management and Licensing Clarity

• Ensure all rights and licenses for your content are well-documented and clarified, including: Territory rights (where the content can be distributed). Platform rights (linear TV, OTT, VOD, etc.). Duration of rights (specific licensing windows). Versioning rights (edited versions for different regions).
• Having a clean, rights-cleared catalog can accelerate deal-making and avoid potential legal issues.

Media Shippers offers rights documentation services or a dashboard for tracking distribution rights.

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13. Analytics and Performance Metrics

• Buyers often ask for performance metrics from previous platforms or markets to assess the content’s potential.
• Provide audience engagement data, viewership numbers, or social media traction (if applicable).

Media Shippers assists in creating an analytics report or package for prospective buyers.

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14. Platform Compatibility Testing

• Beyond QC checks, ensure your content files are tested across various streaming platforms to confirm compatibility. This reduces potential rejections or delays during the ingestion process.
• Platforms like Netflix and Amazon have their unique specifications for audio loudness, frame rates, and delivery formats.

Media Shippers offers automated platform testing as part of the delivery process.

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15. Delivery Timelines and Workflow Management

• Streaming platforms often have strict deadlines for content delivery. Missing a deadline can impact release schedules or promotional campaigns.
• Adopt workflows that enable faster turnarounds while maintaining quality, especially for last-minute deals.

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16. Multi-Region and Multi-Language Accessibility

• Consider incorporating multi-region content delivery workflows for simultaneous launches in multiple territories.
• Address compliance not just for censorship but for cultural localization to enhance content relatability for diverse audiences.

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17. Content Security During Licensing Discussions

• Protect content during negotiations with secure watermarked previews and time-limited access.

Media Shippers adopts DRM solutions for protecting content throughout the sales and distribution process.

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18. Partner Collaboration Tools

• Facilitate collaboration between content creators, distributors, and platforms through shared tools like asset management dashboards, progress tracking, and live updates on deal stages.

Media Shippers is a collaboration platform that centralizes content readiness and distribution workflows.

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19. Accessibility Standards

• Streaming platforms are increasingly prioritizing accessibility, including features like: Audio descriptions for the visually impaired. Sign language interpretation for certain content. Compliance with regional accessibility laws (e.g., ADA in the US).

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20. Promotional Partnerships

• Highlight the importance of aligning with promotional partners for marketing support. Streaming platforms often seek pre-packaged marketing campaigns to drive early viewership.
• Example: Exclusive clips for influencers or custom promos for different regions.

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Ready for Prime Time?

Getting your content ready for distribution is no small feat, but with the right tools and partners, it’s entirely achievable. Whether it’s metadata, localization, quality checks, or marketing materials, Media Shippers has the expertise and technology to ensure your content is ready for distribution platforms.

Register with Media Shippers today and let us take your content to every screen, everywhere!

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Author: Uday Ghare

CEO and Co-Founder

Media Shippers - www.mediashippers.com

(An Entertainment Technologists Development Corp Platform)