Agree the deliverables list before you edit
Most delivery disputes are scope disputes in disguise. If the brief said a video and the client expected a 16:9 master, three vertical cuts, captions in two languages and the project files, someone ends up working for free. Write the deliverables list into the quote and attach it again to the final handoff.
This is a planning checklist built from published licence terms and US Copyright Office guidance, not legal advice. Contract terms and local law decide who owns what; have a lawyer review any template you reuse.
| Deliverable | Typical format to agree | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Master | Highest-quality export at the project's resolution and frame rate | The file every other version is made from |
| Web or platform upload | MP4 at the platform's recommended settings | Smaller than the master; name it clearly |
| Social cuts | Agreed aspect ratios and lengths, for example 9:16 and 1:1 | List each one; they are separate edits |
| Captions | SRT or WebVTT, one file per language | Check the client's platform accepts the format |
| Thumbnails and stills | JPG or PNG at the platform's size | YouTube recommends 3840 x 2160 at 16:9 |
| Project archive | Project file plus all media, collected | Only if the contract includes it |
| Licence record | One document or spreadsheet | Every stock clip, track, font and AI asset |
Caption and thumbnail files that will actually upload
Deliver captions as separate files unless burned-in captions were agreed. YouTube accepts SubRip (.srt) and SubViewer (.sbv) as basic formats, which must be plain UTF-8, plus advanced formats such as WebVTT and TTML and broadcast formats such as SCC, which it names as its preferred file format. [3] Descript, for example, exports subtitles as SRT or VTT files and lets you set a maximum number of characters per line and lines per card. [4]
For YouTube thumbnails, the recommended size is 3840 by 2160 for videos and 2160 by 3840 for Shorts, in JPG or PNG, with a 50 MB cap on desktop uploads. [5] Deliver a layered source file as well if the client will make future thumbnails from your design and the contract covers it.
Name files so the client cannot pick the wrong one
Use one pattern for every file: client, project, deliverable, aspect ratio, version and date, for example acme_launch_master_16x9_v03_2026-10-30.mov. Never deliver a file named final; there is always a final2. Put the version number in the file name, not only the folder.
Include a short index file in the delivery folder that lists each file, its purpose, resolution, duration and checksum if you generate one. The index becomes the receipt both sides refer to if something is missing later.
- One naming pattern for every deliverable
- Version number and date in each file name
- Index file listing every delivered file and its purpose
- Superseded versions removed from the delivery folder
Licence records for stock, music and AI assets
Every third-party asset in the final cut needs a record: what it is, where it came from, the licence page, the account that downloaded it, and the date. Licence terms differ. Pexels footage is free, needs no attribution and may be edited, but may not be sold unaltered or redistributed on other stock platforms. [2] FlexClip's commercial use rules say free users may not use its stock or generated content commercially, subscribers may, and commercial rights for content made during an active subscription remain valid after it ends. [6]
That second point is why the record matters: whether an asset is cleared can depend on the account status on the day you used it. Note which account held the subscription, especially if you, not the client, held it. If a licence is tied to your account and cannot be transferred, tell the client in the handoff note.
| Field to record | Example |
|---|---|
| Asset and timecode | Aerial city clip, 00:42 to 00:48 |
| Source and ID | Stock library name and asset ID or URL |
| Licence page | URL of the licence terms you relied on |
| Licensee account | Your studio account or the client's |
| Plan status on download date | Free, paid subscriber or credit purchase |
| Download date | 2026-10-30 |
Ownership: work made for hire or assignment
In the US, a work is made for hire in two situations: when an employee creates it as part of regular duties, or when a work in one of nine categories is specially ordered or commissioned and the parties expressly agree in a written instrument signed by them that it is a work made for hire. A part of a motion picture or other audiovisual work is one of those categories. When a work is made for hire, the hiring party is the author and copyright owner. [1]
So a freelancer's edit does not become the client's property by default. Either the contract contains a signed work-made-for-hire clause that fits a listed category, or it transfers specific rights another way. Third-party assets are separate: you cannot hand over ownership of stock footage or music you only licensed.
Project archive and handoff note
Archive the project whether or not the client receives it. Collect the project file with every media file it references into one folder, relink to confirm nothing is offline, and keep two copies on different drives or a drive plus cloud storage. Agree in the contract how long you will keep the archive and what a later retrieval costs.
The handoff note closes the job: what was delivered, where the files are, which assets are licensed to whom, any usage limits, how long the download link stays live, and the date of delivery.
- Masters and all agreed cuts exported, watched end to end
- Caption files validated in the client's platform format
- Thumbnails exported at the agreed sizes
- Licence record complete for every third-party asset
- Project and media collected, relinked and backed up twice
- Ownership clause and any licence limits restated in the handoff note
- Download link expiry date stated
Questions before you decide
Does the client automatically own a video I edit for them?
Not under US copyright law by default. A commissioned audiovisual work is a work made for hire only if both parties sign a written agreement saying so; otherwise ownership must be transferred another way in the contract.
What caption format should I deliver to a client?
Ask which platform they publish on. For YouTube, SRT or SBV in plain UTF-8 are the formats it suggests for beginners, and it also accepts WebVTT, TTML and SCC.
Do I need to keep records of free stock footage?
Yes. Free licences still have rules: Pexels, for example, allows free use and editing without attribution but forbids selling unaltered copies or redistributing on other stock platforms. Record the licence page and download date.
Should I hand over the project files?
Only if the contract includes them. Either way, collect the project and all its media into one folder, relink to confirm nothing is missing, and keep two backups.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- U.S. Copyright Office: Circular 30, Works Made for Hire Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Pexels: License Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- YouTube Help: Supported subtitle and closed caption files Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Descript Help: Export subtitles Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- FlexClip Help: Commercial use regulations Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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