PLEASE NOTE

Due to the vast amount of shows our team is managing, please be sure to put the title of your show in the Subject Line when emailing.

Thank you so much!!!!!

REMINDERS PRIOR TO DELIVERY

OUR TOOLS WORK BEST WITH THE LATEST ASPERA CONNECT & GOOGLE CHROME BROWSER

• Google Chrome Browser Update link

• Please ensure your Aspera client is up to date and that only one version is installed on any workstation at a time.

  • • Find the most recent is available at this link

    • Aspera IP & Port Ranges Link

• I can set you up with E-Learning Modules available for Content Hub, IMF and Backlot. Ask me, Onboarding here.

• Be sure to test your login into the Netflix's key tools? Please do it with sufficient time before first delivery to avoid asset delays. Access? ⬇️

TROUBLESHOOTING

UPLOAD & DOWNLOAD ISSUES

Aspera Appears to Not Be Working

Understanding at Home Internet Connectivity

Please click the links below to login into your tools sooner than later (Content Hub,  Asset QC Tool,  Prodicle, & Backlot).  It is best practice to not wait until right before uploading in case our team needs to trouble shoot any possible login issues so deliveries can happen without delay.

Please click the link to Subscribe to Content Hub notifications.

Thank you!

Dolby Vision 4.0

We now support Dolby Vision 4.0 deliveries

Note that while Dolby Vision v4.0 is recommended, v2.9 can be used in lieu of v4.0.

• Dolby Vision Mastering

• Dolby Vision Meta Data Specs

• Dolby Vision Documents & Videos 

• HDR Primer Video Presentation

  • This video presentation, produced by the Creative Technologies team at Netflix, provides a concise overview of HDR technology, including historical context and clear demonstrations of the capabilities of the format. PLEASE NOTE: This title is best viewed on Dolby Vision or HDR10 capable devices.

What Software Supports Dolby Vision v4.0 

Color Grading

• Blackmagic Resolve Studio (16.2.4 and up)

• Filmlight Baselight (5.2.13191 and up)

• Digital Vision Nucoda is not certified yet, update expected in the next few weeks 

Packaging

• Colorfront Transkoder 2019/2020

• Rohde & Schwarz Clipster 6.7/6.8 (iCMU only available in 6.8)

• Blackmagic Resolve Studio 16.2.4

• MTI Film Cortex Enterprise Edition 5.3

• Fraunhofer easyDCP Creator+ 3.7/3.8

Dolby Vision Metadata Aspect Ratio Settings Canvas and Image Aspect Ratio Settings

ISSUE:​ If either or both of these values are set incorrectly, content mapping will not be applied to the image correctly. If positive lift values are also utilized in the trim pass, this can manifest as shifting / elevated black levels in the mattes for letterboxed content, visible in the SDR output derived from the Dolby Vision metadata. If the active image area is larger than what is represented in the metadata, it will be visible as “translucent” bars in the image where the content mapping is not being applied in the SDR output. 

BEST PRACTICE:​ During the Dolby Vision analysis to generate the metadata, ensure that your <CanvasAspectRatio> is set to the full resolution of the frame (represented as a non-negative, decimal number). 

• ●  For full 4K deliveries (4096x2160) - this should always be ​1.89630 

• ●  For UHD (3840x2160) or HD (1920x1080) deliveries - this should always be 1.77778 

• Ensure that your <ImageAspectRatio> is set to the A/R of the active image within the frame, minus any mattes (represented as a non-negative, decimal number). If the aspect ratio is a continuous decimal number, a maximum of 5 decimal places of precision is required to account for one-line discrepancies. If the aspect ratio is a whole number integer or a finite decimal number, it can be represented with the amount of decimal places to match its value from a single decimal place ​up to​ 5 decimal places of precision. 

• ●  For a show delivering 2:1 - this can be represented as 2.0 ​or​ 2.00 ​or​ 2.00000 

• ●  For a show delivering full frame - this should match the Canvas Aspect Ratio 

• If either or both of these settings do not match the video track as delivered, it will ​always​ require a fix. 

• Additional notes:​ If there are multiple creatively intended active image aspect ratios, <ImageAspectRatio> should be set to the largest active image aspect ratio that is utilized. Then, include L5 dynamic aspect ratio metadata values for the shots that deviate from this global Image Aspect Ratio. 

● Filmlight Baselight currently does not support the addition of L5 dynamic aspect ratio metadata. For titles finishing in Baselight, the workaround is to set the global <ImageAspectRatio> to the largest active image aspect ratio that is utilized. Then, avoid any positive lift values in the trim pass to ensure shifting/ elevated black levels do not occur in the mattes in the SDR output during those shots that deviate from the global A/R. 

Backlot: Source delivery tool for IMFs

For tool-specific instructions on how to create Supplemental IMF Packages, please refer to the video tutorials on our Netflix Post Technology Alliance page.

PLEASE NOTE

When delivering IMF to backlot, be sure to have your Delivery Partner follow up to make sure the package was successfully delivered.  If the bucket is still open or there is an error code, chances are delivery was unsuccessful.  The error code shown in backlot should have a link on how to fix the package and redeliver.  

Thank you!

Content Hub is the digital archival platform for Netflix. 

Archival deliverables are collected in Content Hub, our cloud-based storage solution. All of the materials required to re-master your project are stored here including Picture and Sound Mastering files, Music, VFX, Editorial Elements, Graphics and more. Some of our downstream teams (like Marketing and Globalization) rely on some of these assets to launch your project across the world -- so a timely delivery is much appreciated!

Please Note:

Assets in Content Hub are NOT directly sourced to create final encoded streams for service, but may be used by downstream teams who are creating deliverables that will. 

Please review your delivery list for archiving which should have provided to you by your Netflix Post Manager.

Best Practice , when possible, please deliver archiving as episodes are approved so you are not bottled necked in the back end when wrapping out your project.

PICTURE ARCHIVAL ASSETS

Using Content Hub

Picture Archivals aka NAMs, Project Files, Framing Charts

Archive File Naming Tool

Picture Archival Assets: Folder Structure and File Naming Convention

Viewing Transforms & Color Projects

Zipless Delivery with Checksums

Preparing Servicing Turnovers (including textless)

NAMS - Non Graded Archival Masters (including textless)

Textless Elements & Assets (Creation and Delivery Guidelines)

Using Content Hub

• • Uploading Locked Cuts & Preparing Editorial Cut Turnovers as well as Burn-Ins & Watermark Protocol

    • If there are any changes to your Locked Cut, please update the Editorial Change List.

    • Pix File Format Commonalities 

  • Uploading to Request Buckets

  • Content Hub Workspaces Help Guide & Make Workspace Your Best Friend

    • • Always organize your workspace please at minimum by labeled folders with episode # and asset Name

BANDWIDTH NOTE

Good rule of thumb would be at minimum 50Mbps going up. Please note: If you have a '100Mbps' line, sometimes that could mean 100 download and not necessarily up.   Up is the important part for the media transfers to Content Hub.

SHIPPING PHYSICAL ASSETS

Physical Shipment Guidelines

Please Note that There are only 5 partners that are currently approved to upload OCF to Content Hub.

OCF API Integrated Partners:

• Fotokem: NextLab

  • • Keep me Posted

• LightIron (LA &NY): Outpost

• Sim Digital (LA & NY)

• Encore Vancouver: Only on a project by project basis. Colorfront EXD

  • • Please note that Sim Toronto and Sim Vancouver are NOT approved to deliver OCF yet at this point. 

Footage Backup - 

Upload and import camera and sound rolls into Content Hub

• Footage Backup User Guide - User Guide

  • Preparing The Folder Structure

  • Uploading Footage to Workspaces

  • Importing Footage

  • Downloading a Report

• Footage Backup Troubleshooting Guide

• Footage Backup - High-level explanation presentation

• Dailies Best Practices - PMO tools

Where to find dailies clips in Content Hub

LTO BACKUP of Original Camera Footage, Original Production Audio, Production & Dailies Assets

• Production Assets: Folder and File Naming

• Production Assets & Data Management - The redundancy of original camera files (OCF) and audio files throughout a production is crucial. Data loss can be a huge financial burden and creative loss. 

• OCF Asset Report Template

• Physical Shipment Guidelines

Link - Netflix Sound Mix Specs and Best Practices & Sound

Using Content Hub

VFX Reel

Important Links

Using Content Hub

VFX Import & DI Submission - User Guide 

You will need to download the Pegasus Desktop Client

VFX Suggested Naming Conventions

Netflix Studio Review - VFX Delivery Specs

Things you'll need to know for VFX Wrap

MUSIC CUE SHEETS

Cue Sheets will be tracked through Content Hub, but should be delivered via cue trak.

Contact Cuesheets@netflix.com for CueTrak information and connection. 

Please add the name of your series in the subject line.

Using Content Hub

For Owned Originals, Cue sheets should be created on our online tool as per our delivery requirements. 

Reach out to your Netflix Music Specialist for assistance.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE:

• When onboarded to Cuetrak you should have received an email from CuetrakAdmin with a link prompting you to create a unique user-name and password.  Please check your spam and make sure to add CuetrakAdmin to your favorites. This will ensure you don’t miss out on important information and/or updates.

  • • • • • • • • The initial link you received will not work when you try to log in at a later time, so make sure to bookmark www.cuetrak.com on your browser.

• Instructional Videos and Written Guidelines Link to familiarize yourself with the system. Note: for optimal viewing results be sure to click on the gear icon and select 1080p when viewing the videos.

• Cuetrak is optimized for full-screen navigation in the latest version of the Chrome browser. Some shortcuts and screen navigation functionality will not work in other browsers.

MUSIC DELIVERABLES

We will need to assign a responsible party to Content Hub to deliver your Music Assets.  Please keep your projects organized in preparation to deliver assets for archive.  Thank you!

Preparing Music Assets

• Mix Master – A mono, stereo or multi-channel surround mix created during the mixing process containing all the final desired elements of the multitrack production. 

• Mix Version - Any mono, stereo or multi-channel surround mix created during the mixing process containing all of the elements of the master mix with any one of the mixes elements perspective changed.

• Mix Stem - Any mono, stereo or multi-channel surround version created during the mixing process that does NOT contain all of the elements of the Mix Master. Mix Stems contain all relevant audio, processing, volume, panning and effects associated with that Stemʼs featured elements relevant to the Mix Master.

NETFLIX FORCED NARRATIVES

A Forced Narrative (FN) subtitle is a text overlay that clarifies communications or alternate languages meant to be understood by the viewer.  Here's a great page to begin Understanding Forced Narrative Subtitles.

When uploading Locked Cuts that include FN to Content Hub, please make a copy and fill out this This Forced Narrative List. Then upload it into the "Forced Narrative Log" request.

TITLES & GRAPHICS REQUIREMENTS

Best Practices

THINGS NEEDED FOR PRODUCT CREATIVE / MARKETING:

• Key Art

• Title Treatments

• Character Poses

• Layered Episodic Stills

• Environmentals & Backgrounds

• Contextual Assets (Character Bios, Synopsis, Scripts, etc)

• Music Video (Songs)

• Trailer + AV Clip Promos

  • Confirmation that music used has been cleared for usage worldwide in perpetuity

Asset Delivery

You will need the Product Creative team to create an account for you on VanDAM and provide access to your show for asset delivery folders, which are further broken out into sub-folders for each specific deliverable. In order to login, please follow the instructions emailed to you via the VanDAM invite. Be sure to have the "Switch to Folder View" selected in VanDam if you cannot see the folder structure.

Re: VanDAM

In order to help facilitate the upload transfer and retain folder structure integrity, please ensure to have Aspera Connect installed and selected as your preferred transfer connect with VanDAM. Here is a helpful guide and Video Tutorial to help you prepare for the installation and upcoming transfers using Aspera and VanDAM.

Asset QC is the Netflix platform for post-delivery quality control.

Netflix's internally-managed Quality Control is executed within our Asset QC tool. Once your IMF gets accepted into Source Management, it's served out to QC operators across the world and notes are captured within the tool itself. When the report is ready, you'll be able to respond to each note with a simple dropdown. And if any fixes require an IMF Supplemental delivery to Source Management, the subsequent QC pass will focus only on the new material.

Main assets, which will receive QC upon delivery to Netflix include:

• Native IMF (Backlot delivery)

• 5.1 Music & Effects discrete .wav files (Content Hub Delivery)

• Dolby Atmos BWAV ADM (Backlot Delivery)

QC requests for these assets are automatically generated upon successful delivery to the specified platforms for each. Please be aware of this when planning your deliveries/ redeliveries, as QC requests will be generated and picked up by one of our approved NP3 partners almost immediately. 

*** It is recommended you send a confirmation both when you are planning to initiate a delivery of one of the above assets AND once the upload completes on your end. ***

TROUBLESHOOTING in QC

Branded Content QC Link

Master QC Articles & Resources

Photosensitive Epilepsy (PSE) Guideline Links

Photosensitive

A medical condition where flashing lights or quickly changing color patterns in video content can trigger various medical symptoms. Viewers under 19 are more susceptible, with the highest occurrence around age 12. 

Photosensitive Epilepsy (PSE) Test

For some viewers, photosensitivity can lead to epileptic seizures. The tests that are run to to determine whether content may cause seizures are commonly called PSE tests.1

Photosensitive Epilepsy Test Results Submission Instructions

Link to International Telecommunication Union - Guidance for the reduction of Photosensitive Epileptic Seizures caused by Television

What can I do if my content fails?

Photosensitivity Prevention Best Practice Guidelines - Production