How to work through it

01

Inventory the source before editing

Create one row per incoming clip with a stable filename, source location, generation date, operator, intended shot, duration, dimensions, frame rate, audio presence, and rights note. Capture the actual media properties with an inspector rather than copying an unverified caption. Keep the original asset immutable and place working copies under version control appropriate to the production. If a clip arrived through a third-party tool, record that transfer without presenting it as an official partnership. This inventory lets an editor reject ambiguous media before it contaminates the timeline and gives the final approver a traceable starting point.

02

Conform and inspect the timeline

Set the timeline from the delivery brief, then place a short test sequence before assembling the full edit. Check scaling mode, crop, cadence, mixed frame-rate behavior, color transforms, captions, and audio synchronization. Mark every shot that needs reframing or replacement; do not silently stretch a source to make a 1080p sequence appear complete. Review transitions at normal speed and frame by frame where motion artifacts could be hidden. Save the conform decision in the project notes so another editor can distinguish a creative choice from a technical workaround.

03

Export, screen, and sign off

Name the export from the approved version, not from a vague “final” label. Record container, codec, raster, frame rate, bitrate strategy, audio layout, caption treatment, and export timestamp. Screen the actual file from beginning to end on the intended delivery path, then spot-check it with a second player or probe. Compare duration and key frames against the timeline, verify that no placeholders remain, and log the approver plus disposition. Current UI labels and available presets must be checked in the editor itself; this guide does not promise that any particular preset or direct transfer exists.