Start with one shared brief
An approval process works best when reviewers are deciding against the same purpose. Before the first script, agree the primary audience, the action or understanding the film should support, the intended use and the boundaries of the content.
Then nominate one client coordinator to collect decisions. This role does not override HSE, engineering or legal authority. It ensures that the production team receives one coherent response and knows which specialist owns an unresolved point.
For a first project meeting, bring the brief, current source documents, the intended release date and a list of reviewers. A partially complete brief is workable when its open decisions are visible.
Give each reviewer a defined job
Invite comments from the people who can substantiate the content or approve its use. Ask them to review within their area of responsibility before the coordinator combines the response.
| Reviewer | What to check | Decision needed |
|---|---|---|
| HSE / technical authority | Instructions, terminology, visual accuracy, applicability of site information | Accept, correct or hold each technical point |
| Operations / site owner | Access, equipment state, filming windows, restricted areas and contributor availability | Confirm the proposed coverage is feasible within site controls |
| Corporate Communications / brand | Audience, tone, identity, naming and consistency of the narrative | Confirm the message is appropriate for its audience |
| Legal / IR / disclosure owner, where relevant | Permitted claims, confidentiality, attribution, release timing and rights | Identify wording or assets requiring clearance |
| Project sponsor / final approver | Whether the film meets the agreed purpose and authorised scope | Approve the defined milestone or return a consolidated decision |
One person may hold several roles. Name the responsibilities rather than adding unnecessary approval layers.
Make the script easy to verify
Number the scenes. Place narration, on-screen text and visual direction beside each other. For technical claims or instructions, add the source document and revision in the working script. This makes it possible to check whether the complete scene carries the intended meaning.
A wording correction can have consequences beyond voice-over. It may change a subtitle, a graphic label, the shot selection or the sequence. Record those linked changes together.
Keep internal source references in the working document. The audience needs a clear film, not a view of the production team’s tracking system.
Approve in stages, with a clear basis for each decision
| Stage | What is being approved | What it enables |
|---|---|---|
| Brief and message | Audience, purpose, scope and source basis | A useful script and storyboard |
| Script and storyboard | Facts, instructions, spoken wording, visual intent and provisional timing | Detailed production preparation |
| Production readiness | Access, people, approved coverage, dependencies and site coordination | A shoot or animation plan that can proceed |
| Picture and language review | Sequence, visual accuracy, graphics, translations and subtitles | Final refinement and recording as agreed |
| Release | The exact exported versions, playback checks, usage and approval record | Distribution of the authorised files |
The exact sequence depends on the assignment. For animation or footage-led work, some stages overlap. What matters is that the team knows what has been approved and what remains open. Approval of a storyboard does not grant site access or replace a permit.
Show the consequence of a late change before making it
When an approved element changes, describe what the request affects: script, recording, graphics, footage, languages, versions, delivery date or usage rights. Separate a correction within the agreed scope from an additional requirement.
For example, adding a location may require access coordination and another shoot. Changing approved narration after recording may require a talent booking and updates to every subtitle version. Explain the work and any cost or timing change before asking the client to authorise it.
A clear variation note protects the client’s control over the project. It should state the request, affected deliverables, proposed action, commercial consequence and the decision needed.
Close with an exact release list
Use a release register with the film title, audience, language, revision, filename, intended channel and named approval owner. Ask the approver to confirm the actual exported file, not just the script used to create it.
If a new master replaces an earlier version, identify which variants also need replacing. Keep the approved archive separate from the distribution folder. A file named “final” does not prove that it is the current authorised version.
Before you send the brief
- We have one agreed audience and purpose.
- The current source documents and their owners are identified.
- Technical, brand and release responsibilities are assigned.
- One person will consolidate comments.
- The team knows what each milestone approves.
- Languages, playback specifications and usage are part of the scope.
- Late changes will be assessed before additional work begins.
- The exact release files will receive a final check.
Discuss a project with several reviewers.
Share the material you have, the people who need to review it and your intended use date.
Discuss a project with several reviewers ↗
Resolve conflicting comments before sending the next instruction
Ask reviewers to identify the scene, the issue, the proposed correction and the reason. “Make it more exciting” is difficult to action. “Shorten the opening because the audience already knows the company; use the time to explain the new facility” gives the editor a decision to work with.
Classify comments as factual correction, required instruction, narrative preference, brand requirement or scope change. This helps the coordinator distinguish an essential correction from a creative preference.
If two authorised reviewers disagree about an instruction, record the conflict and return it to the responsible client authority. The production team should not choose a safety procedure or disclosure position to keep the edit moving.
Illustrative review log; these are not records from a named client project.