Delivery Readiness Retainer
Stop scrambling at delivery. We track your legal and technical readiness from pre-production forward - so when the distributor's delivery schedule arrives, your film is ready to submit, not ready to start.
The Problem This Solves
Most producers don't think about delivery until the distributor sends the delivery schedule. By then, it's a crisis. The chain of title has gaps nobody tracked. The music licenses only cover streaming, not theatrical. The SAG-AFTRA final cast list was never filed. The E&O application needs a script clearance report that was never ordered. And your delivery deadline is 8 weeks away.
These aren't unusual situations. They're the norm on independent features. The legal paperwork required for delivery touches every phase of production - but most of it isn't tracked until the very end, when it's expensive and slow to fix.
The Cost of Being Unprepared
A missing chain of title assignment can take 4-6 weeks to resolve if the signer has moved on. An E&O application rejected for incomplete clearance documentation can delay your policy by months. A music license that doesn't cover all territories can hold up international sales. Every gap discovered at delivery is a gap that costs more to fix than it would have cost to track.
How the Retainer Works
We embed into your production's workflow as an ongoing delivery readiness advisor. Not legal counsel - operational coordination. We track the documentation and decisions that affect delivery so that nothing falls through the cracks between production and submission.
- Onboarding assessment: We review your current state - what contracts exist, what's been signed, what's missing. We build a delivery readiness inventory against standard distributor requirements, IFTA standards, and any known buyer specifications.
- Ongoing tracking: Monthly or bi-monthly check-ins during pre-production and production. We flag gaps as they emerge - a missing work-for-hire agreement, a composer deal that doesn't cover all rights, a quitclaim that needs to be executed before a key crew member wraps. Issues are caught when they're easy to fix.
- Pre-delivery preparation: As your film approaches post-production, we escalate to active preparation - E&O application coordination, music cue sheet compilation, credit statement assembly, guild documentation assembly. When the delivery schedule arrives, the binder is substantially built.
- Delivery execution: The retainer converts to a full delivery engagement. Because we've been tracking the project, there's no ramp-up period - we already know the state of your paper, where the gaps are, and what the distributor will need.
What We Track
Legal Readiness
- Chain of title status - option agreements, assignments, quitclaims, certificates of authorship tracked from acquisition
- Cast and crew agreement inventory - work-for-hire, deal memos, appearance releases, name and likeness approvals
- Music rights tracking - sync licenses, master use licenses, composer agreements, public domain documentation
- Clearance status - script clearance, title report, product and logo clearances, clip and stock footage licenses
- Guild documentation readiness - SAG-AFTRA signatory status, DGA and WGA obligations, credit backup
- E&O preparation timeline - identifying what underwriters will need before the application is filed
- Copyright registration planning - screenplay and completed film registration coordination
Technical & Operational Readiness
- Deliverable format planning - confirming IMF, DCP, ProRes, HDR specifications match your distribution deal
- Post-production delivery path - ensuring your mastering facility can produce what the distributor requires
- Metadata preparation - EIDR registration, synopsis, cast/crew data, key art requirements
- Textless and M&E requirements - flagging international versioning needs early so they're built into the post schedule
- QC compliance pre-check - confirming your workflow will produce masters that pass distributor QC
- Delivery schedule analysis - when distributor specs arrive, immediate gap analysis against your tracked inventory
Who This Is For
Single-Film Retainer
For independent producers in pre-production or production who want delivery tracked from the start. Convert to full delivery engagement when the distributor's schedule arrives.
- Onboarding delivery readiness assessment
- Monthly check-in and gap identification
- Running delivery inventory document
- E&O timeline and clearance planning
- Chain of title tracking from acquisition
- Music and clip license monitoring
- Seamless conversion to full delivery engagement
Slate Retainer
For small distributors and sales agents managing multiple acquisitions per year. Ongoing delivery coordination across your entire slate, not film by film.
- Dedicated delivery coordinator for your slate
- Delivery readiness assessment per acquisition
- Producer-facing delivery requirements communication
- Multi-territory versioning coordination
- IFTA-standard documentation tracking
- Delivery schedule management across titles
- Priority turnaround on active deliveries
Retainer vs. Project-Based Delivery
| Without Retainer | With Retainer | |
|---|---|---|
| When delivery tracking starts | When distributor sends delivery schedule | Pre-production or production start |
| Chain of title gaps | Discovered at delivery - expensive to fix | Flagged during production - fixed while signers are available |
| E&O application timeline | Scramble to assemble documentation in weeks | Application-ready documentation built over months |
| Music clearance status | License gaps found during cue sheet compilation | License coverage verified as each deal closes |
| Ramp-up at delivery | New team learning your project from scratch | We already know your paper - delivery starts immediately |
| Risk of delivery rejection | Gaps discovered at submission - delays payment | Gaps eliminated before submission - clean acceptance |
Attorney Review When You Need It
The retainer covers operational coordination and delivery tracking - not legal advice. When your project requires attorney review of chain of title opinions, E&O legal letters, distribution agreements, or any matter requiring legal counsel, our partnership with Kordestani Legal Partners provides access to entertainment legal counsel on a per-project basis. The retainer ensures the right questions reach counsel at the right time - not in a last-minute panic before delivery deadline.
Start Tracking Your Delivery Readiness
Tell us about your project and where you are in the production timeline. We'll assess your current delivery readiness and outline what the retainer looks like for your specific situation.