Starting from the Greenlight

• Tell me briefly about the creative that was just approved and why the team signed off on it
• How soon is your target launch or media buy window Options: Within 2 weeks, 2 to 4 weeks, 4 to 8 weeks, 8+ weeks
• Walk me through the last time you had a campaign greenlit on this kind of timeline, what went smoothly and what burned time
• Which deliverables must exist at launch no matter what Options: Hero 30s broadcast, Hero 15s, Multi-aspect social sizes, 10-20 social cutdowns, BTS package, Other
• Who on your side must sign off before we call production authorized and why their approval matters
• What single failure at this stage would make you pause production entirely Options: Missing the hard air date, Unapproved creative direction, Budget gap greater than 15%, Key stakeholder withdrawal, Other

Where the Tight Spots Live

• Which one production risk, if it happened on shoot day, would derail your launch Options: Location permit denial, Talent no-show, Severe weather, Critical equipment failure, Post delivery delay, Other
• How often has weather or permitting forced you to shift a shoot date in the last 24 months Options: Never, Once, 2-3 times, 4+ times
• When schedule slips have happened before, how many revision rounds did you still allow in post before the air date became impossible Options: Zero, One, Two, Three or more
• Describe a past shoot where coverage was insufficient for required cutdowns, what was missing and what did that cost the campaign
• Who on your team drives the tradeoff between creative coverage and budget, and how quickly do they make decisions
• If talent or a location became unavailable within 10 days of the shoot, which response would you prefer Options: Cancel and rebook, Reschedule within window, Reduce scope and proceed, Use stock or archive assets, Decide case by case

The Other Paths You're Considering

• What would have to be true about your current vendor or internal studio for you to keep them instead of bringing in an external production partner
• Which alternatives are you actively evaluating right now Options: Incumbent external production vendor, In-house brand studio, Freelance director plus assembled crew, Holding-company production house, Do-it-yourself with partners, Other
• Who internally is lobbying for an internal solution rather than hiring an outside partner Options: Director of Content, Head of Production, Marketing VP, Procurement, Other
• What specific evidence or recent result would keep you with the current approach instead of switching
• What single outcome from a competing option would cause you to award them the job immediately Options: Lower guaranteed cost, Faster turnaround to meet air date, Director with exact style match, Proven post capacity in-house, Other

How You Measure Success Before Cameras Roll

• If the project nails the brief but misses a key creative intent, would you still consider the campaign successful Options: Yes, if metrics meet targets, Partially, but with caveats, No, creative fidelity is essential, Unsure
• List the top three success signals that must be true for final delivery to be acceptable
• Which KPIs matter most for this campaign, pick all that apply Options: Viewability and completion, Brand lift, Social engagement, Direct response conversions, Retail attribution, Other
• Who has final creative signoff and what checkpoints must they approve before we lock picture
• Is there a hard deadline or blackout date that, if missed, cancels the campaign Options: Yes, fixed air date, Yes, narrow media window, No, dates are flexible by weeks, Unsure
• If you answered yes, what is the absolute last delivery date we must meet

Concrete Budget Boundaries and Tradeoffs

• Where in the budget are you least willing to tolerate surprises and why
• Which budget range are you targeting for production, excluding media buy Options: Under $50k, $50k to $150k, $150k to $350k, $350k to $750k, Over $750k
• How fixed is that envelope, could you reallocate contingency to cover an extra day of VFX or pick up additional coverage Options: Strictly fixed, Some flexibility with approval, Open to reasonable overruns, Unsure
• Who controls budget approval and what turnaround do they need for change requests
• If the line-item budget shows a shortfall greater than 10% for required coverage, what would you prefer we do Options: Proceed and cover overage, Pause to re-scope, Reduce deliverables to fit, Walk away, Decide after review

Who Needs to Be Ready and When

• Which single missing clearance, permit, or insurance certificate would stop the shoot from happening
• Do you already have confirmed locations, or do we need to scout and secure them Options: Locations secured with permits, Locations identified, permits pending, Need full scouting and permitting, Not decided
• Do you have pre-cleared talent available or must we manage casting and clearances Options: Talent pre-cleared and contracted, Talent identified, clearances needed, Full casting and clearance required, Unsure
• Which legal, procurement, or compliance approvals must be completed before contracts are signed Options: Brand legal approval, Procurement signoff, Regulatory review, Insurance certificate, Other
• Which delivery platforms impose technical specs we must meet, pick all that apply Options: Broadcast network specs, Paid social platforms, Streaming service requirements, Retail creative specs, In-house CMS or DAM
• If permits or talent clearances cannot be obtained within 10 days of the shoot, will you accept a local alternative, push the date, or cancel Options: Accept local alternative, Push date within window, Cancel and re-scope, Decide case by case

Execution Inputs that Matter

• Which single detail on a call sheet has caused the most confusion or delay on your projects
• Which items must appear in the deliverable matrix from this shoot Options: Hero 30s broadcast, Hero 15s, Square and vertical social assets, 10-20 social cutdowns, BTS video and stills, Raw footage, Audio stems
• What post timeline do you need for first cut, client feedback rounds, and final delivery Options: First cut within 1 week, First cut 1-2 weeks, First cut 2-4 weeks, Longer than 4 weeks
• Are there mandatory file formats or handoff owners we should align on now
• If the post schedule requires 48 hour turnaround on approvals to hit the air date, can your approvers meet that cadence Options: Yes, No, Some can, some cannot

Final Acceptance and Lessons

• If delivered assets miss a critical spec, which remedy would you find acceptable, revision, credit, or re-shoot Options: Revision rounds, Credit against invoice, Partial re-shoot, Full re-shoot, Other
• Who signs off on final delivery and what acceptance tests will they run
• How many revision rounds are included before additional fees apply Options: No rounds included, 1 round included, 2 rounds included, 3+ included with fees after
• How do you prefer to document defects and revision requests Options: Time-stamped edit notes, Annotated cut, In-person review session, Email thread, Project management tool
• If the first delivery does not pass acceptance, are you enabled to request immediate remediation and hold final payment Options: Yes, No, Depends on contract terms

Decision Timing and Next Steps

• What would make you sign a production agreement this week rather than waiting for another review cycle
• Who else must be involved in the final decision and what are their typical response times Options: Brand Legal, Procurement, Director of Content, VP Marketing, Finance
• What documentation do you require to move to SOW and payment milestones Options: Line-item budget, Detailed schedule, Insurance certificates, Signed SOW, Talent agreements
• If we submit a revised line-item budget tomorrow, how quickly could you review and respond Options: Within 24 hours, 48 to 72 hours, One week, Longer
• Is there a procurement or legal gating event that would prevent signing within two weeks, if yes describe it and the expected timeline Options: No gating events, Yes, internal procurement review, Yes, legal contract review, Yes, budget committee approval, Unsure

• Creative & Director Review Session

• Confirm the current state and its cost
• You confirm that at least one director treatment demonstrates the required visual style for both the hero and social cutdowns.
• Provide annotated treatment comparisons that map each director's reel and treatment to the storyboard beats and the deliverable matrix.
• You confirm that the proposed coverage plan fills required shot lists for all deliverables without unexpected budget overrun, or you accept the documented incremental cost.
• Review director treatments and reel references
• Deliver a coverage gap memo listing missing shots for each cutdown with estimated incremental cost and schedule impact.
• Confirm final decision on preferred director or shortlist within 3 business days.
• You accept the described execution approach and acknowledge the documented mitigations for the highest risks to schedule or budget.
• Map coverage to the deliverable matrix
• Share any additional reel references or non-negotiable creative must-haves within 48 hours.
• You commit to a decision cadence and timing for selecting the director or requesting final revisions.
• Assess execution approach and residual risks
• Validate fit out loud
• Confirm the budget envelope and any non-negotiable deliverables before the next session.
• Agree immediate decisions and timelines

• Creative & Director Review Session
• Creative & Director Review Deck
• Creative & Director Review Brief

• meeting
• slides
• document

• Deliver hero spot in multiple lengths
• Produce social cutdown assets (10–20)
• Execute live-action principal photography
• Cast on-screen talent and secure usage rights
• Design and construct production sets
• Provide camera, lighting and grip package with crew
• Capture behind-the-scenes footage and stills
• Deliver offline edit and picture-locked master
• Provide VFX compositing and shot finishing
• Color grade and deliver graded masters
• Complete sound design and final broadcast mix
• Package and deliver assets to broadcast, digital, and social specs
• Source and license music and sound effects
• Deliver talent releases and clearance documentation

Deliver hero spot in multiple lengths

• Which hero lengths do you need from this shoot (select primary lengths) Options: 60s, 30s, 15s, 6s
• How many distinct language or localization versions of the hero spot must be delivered Options: None, 1, 2, 3+
• Who in your team will give final sign-off on the picture-locked hero masters and what title should be listed on the sign-off form
• When must the final hero deliverables be approved to meet the booked media buy or launch date (date)
• Specify the mastering deliverable spec for the hero (example: 1920x1080 ProRes 422 HQ, 23.98fps, stereo/5.1)
• What acceptance criteria will confirm the hero spot is approved for air (e.g., signed delivery checklist, QC report, finalized closed captions)

Produce social cutdown assets (10–20)

• How many social cutdowns do you require within the 10–20 range and please list preferred lengths (e.g., 30s, 15s, 6s, vertical 9:16) Options: 10–12, 13–15, 16–20, Specify exact
• Which aspect ratios must the cutdowns include for paid social (select all required) Options: 16:9 landscape, 1:1 square, 9:16 vertical, 4:5 vertical
• Who will own the creative direction for social edits versus the hero edit (e.g., agency social lead, brand content director, our edit lead)
• Are platform-specific deliverable presets required (for example: Instagram Stories 9:16, TikTok 9:16 under 60s, Facebook in-feed 1:1) Options: Yes, No
• Describe the expected treatment variations for social cutdowns (e.g., different music beds, alternate opens, distinct copy overlays)
• Do you require social-first frame grabs or animated thumbnails as part of the cutdown packaging Options: Yes, No

Execute live-action principal photography

• Which shoot days are confirmed and locked on the calendar for principal photography (dates)
• How many production days and how many unit-days (e.g., two-camera days, pickup day) should be budgeted for principal photography Options: 1-2 days, 3-4 days, 5+ days, Specify exact
• Who is the designated on-set production lead we should contact for decisions during principal photography (name and role)
• Where are the primary shooting locations and do any require special permits or restricted access (list locations and permit status)
• What is the contingency plan for weather-dependent exterior shoots (alternative dates, covered stages, VFX coverage)
• Are there any high-risk stunts, animals, water, or aerial elements that require additional safety or insurance endorsements Options: Yes, No

Cast on-screen talent and secure usage rights

• How many principal on-camera talent roles require casting and what are the role descriptions (e.g., lead male, supporting child, background actors)
• Which usage windows and territories must talent releases cover (examples: worldwide 3-year, worldwide perpetual, domestic only) Options: Domestic only, Regional, Worldwide 3-year, Worldwide perpetual, Specify
• Who is authorized to sign talent agreements on your side and do you require pre-approved contract language
• What clearance steps are required for any identifiable brand logos, props, or locations appearing with talent (clearance list or release templates)
• Do any roles require SAG-AFTRA or other union compliance and, if so, list required union provisions Options: Yes, No
• How will you validate talent delivery against usage terms (signed release, stamped contract, ID verification)

Design and construct production sets

• Which sets need full construction versus dressing an existing location (identify set names from storyboard or script pages)
• What physical deliverables must the set build include (example: built flats, practical fixtures, branded signage, furniture list)
• Who approves set design drawings and floor plans and by when must approvals be returned to avoid build delays
• Are any build materials or set elements required to meet fire or structural inspection standards and which certs are needed
• Specify the strike plan and whether strike day(s) are included in the production schedule and budget Options: Included, Not included, Require estimate
• Do you require photographic documentation of sets at completion for client records or approvals Options: Yes, No

Provide camera, lighting and grip package with crew

• Which camera package do you prefer for principal photography (examples: Alexa Mini LF, RED, Sony Venice) or indicate required sensor/format
• How many camera units, A/B camera configuration, and specialty rigs (gimbal, crane, aerial) must be budgeted Options: Single camera, Two cameras, Two + specialty rigs
• Which lighting setups are essential for the look (e.g., motivated practicals, large soft sources, HMI day exteriors) and any power logistics
• Who is the intended director of photography and do you require CV or reel confirmation prior to booking crew Options: Yes, need CV/reel, No, not required
• Are grip transport, trucking, and location power provisioning included in the scope or should they be itemized separately Options: Included, Itemize separately
• What on-set data management and ingest requirements do you have for camera originals (e.g., on-set DIT, ProRes proxy delivery, checksum standard)

Capture behind-the-scenes footage and stills

• How many BTS video minutes and how many high-resolution stills do you require per shoot day Options: Up to 5 minutes / 20 stills, 5–15 minutes / 20–50 stills, Specify exact
• Which rights do you need for BTS and stills (internal use only, paid media, social, PR) and what crediting is required Options: Internal use only, Social and PR, Paid media allowed, Specify
• Who will own and catalog BTS assets and what file delivery cadence do you expect (daily dailies, final pack after picture lock)
• Are any behind-the-scenes shoots subject to talent or location restrictions that affect BTS capture Options: Yes, No
• Describe any preferred BTS style references (example reel timecodes or photographer notes) that should guide capture
• Will you require rapid social-ready BTS clips during the shoot day for same-day posting Options: Yes, No

Deliver offline edit and picture-locked master

• How many editorial rounds are included before picture-lock (count the agency and brand review rounds) Options: 1 round, 2 rounds, 3 rounds, More than 3
• What turnaround time do you require for each edit round (example: 48 hours for first cut, 24 hours for subsequent revisions)
• Which file delivery format do you want for editorial review (proxy MP4, ProRes proxy, private review link with timecode) Options: MP4 proxy, ProRes proxy, Review platform link
• Who will provide the edit brief and annotated shot priority list (script pages, storyboard callouts, hero moments)
• What acceptance criteria will confirm picture-lock (for example: signed picture-lock form, freeze-frame approval, timecode-stamped change log)
• Do you require editorial handles for all cutdowns to be delivered with the picture-locked master Options: Yes, No

Provide VFX compositing and shot finishing

• Which shots have VFX scope and please list by shot ID or slate number from the storyboard
• What VFX complexity level applies per shot (basic cleanup, set extension, CG integration, full digital replacement) Options: Cleanup/paint, Set extension, CG integration, Full replacement
• Who will supply final VFX plates and camera metadata (on-set DIT, camera logs, lens data)
• How many VFX review iterations are included per shot and what are the expected review turnaround times Options: 1-2 iterations, 3-4 iterations, Specify
• Describe any deliverable expectations for VFX (EXR deliverable stacks, stitched panoramas, LUTs applied)
• Are there any compositing standards or pipeline constraints we must follow (example: linear EXR, ACES color pipeline)

Color grade and deliver graded masters

• Which color grading system or look option do you want applied (examples: commercial TV look, filmic LUT, brand-specific grade reference)
• How many grade passes are included (primary grade, client revisions, deliverable trims) and what are expected turn times Options: 1 pass, 2 passes, 3+ passes
• What mastering colour space and deliverable files do you require for final masters (examples: Rec.709 16-bit ProRes, PQ HDR deliverable)
• Who will provide final grade references and legal-safe color or logo color targets if any
• Is a color check (scope/false color/ waveform) required on the picture-locked master before finish Options: Yes, No
• Will you require delivered LUTs or look files for future repurposes and which formats are acceptable Options: .cube, .3dl, Other

• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Payment Milestones & Schedule
• Certificate of Insurance
• Cancellation & Rescheduling Terms
• Confirmed Shoot Dates & Production Schedule
• Change Order Agreement
• Intellectual Property & Usage License

• Post-delivery Health Check
• First Measurement Review
• Acceptance Gate Review
• Lessons Learned and Ongoing Review

• Publish a short lessons-learned summary and distribute it to the production and agency teams for reference on future shoots.
• Record any conditional acceptance items with clear remediation steps and final resolution dates.
• Confirm the final delivery checklist and handoff steps for distribution once acceptance conditions are met.
• Prepare and circulate the acceptance record that lists pass/fail per asset and includes the named signatory or documented go/no-go.
• Deliver fixes for any conditionally accepted items by the agreed resolution dates and confirm re-validation.
• Publish the final delivery checklist and confirm file handoff procedures for distribution and archiving.
• Review aggregate post-delivery metrics
• Agree on 3 prioritized process improvements that will reduce average revision rounds and post-delivery defects for future projects.
• Confirm expected improvement targets for defect count per asset and budget variance to track at the next checkpoint.
• Assign follow-up tasks to update templates, checklists, and delivery validation rules.
• Update the production playbook and pre-shoot checklist to incorporate the agreed process improvements.
• Schedule a 60-day follow-up checkpoint to review progress against the improvement targets and remaining open items.
• Confirm delivered asset list against Production Scope
• All delivered files are verified against the Production Scope deliverable matrix and spec checklist.
• Show-stopping defects are recorded and a remediation timeline for each critical defect is agreed.
• A clear next-step plan for the first round of fixes and re-uploads is established.
• Publish a defect and missing-asset log with timestamps and file references for all items found during validation.
• Provide replacement files or fixes for critical defects within the agreed short-term remediation window.
• Update the shared delivery tracker to reflect verified assets and outstanding items.
• Present first-run metrics vs Production Scope targets
• Determine whether the deliverable acceptance rate and average revision rounds per asset are tracking toward the targets recorded in Production Scope.
• Identify the top three root causes for revisions and agree specific fixes to eliminate repeat defects.
• Set a remediation plan with concrete dates to ensure readiness for the Acceptance Gate meeting.
• Produce an itemized revision plan listing every outstanding request, expected fix, and completion date.
• Re-export and re-upload corrected assets that address high-priority defects before the Acceptance Gate date.
• Update the delivery schedule and budget tracker to reflect any approved variance and its root cause.
• Restate acceptance criteria from Production Scope
• Produce a documented acceptance decision for the delivered asset set, with signatory capture where required.
• File integrity and spec validation
• Present per-asset status and metric outcomes
• Review revision requests and root-cause analysis
• Conduct root-cause lessons learned
• Assess schedule and budget variance to date
• Triage critical defects and blockers
• Agree process and checklist updates
• Formal acceptance decision and signatory capture
• Define follow-up items and measurement plan
• Document remaining remediation items and closure timeline
• Agree remediation plan and timeline to Acceptance Gate
• Confirm revision window and immediate next steps