Creator release guide · September 14, 2026
AI Film Submission Checklist
A finished film is only half of a professional submission. This guide turns the master, metadata, credits, AI disclosure, permissions, artwork, and official viewing source into one package an editor can verify and a creator can reuse.
What the package does
Make the film easy to verify without giving up control.
A release package is the organized record that travels with a finished film. It tells an editor what the work is, who made it, how AI materially contributed, where the official release lives, and which uses the submitter is authorized to approve.
It is not a rights transfer, a promise of publication, or proof that every underlying right is cleared. Its value comes from accuracy: each statement should match the film, credits, official source, and records you retain.
Build the package once, then adapt it for discovery platforms, press, festivals, distributors, licensees, and collaborators. Change only the recipient-specific instructions; keep the core facts consistent.
Working checklist
0 of 30 ready
Check each item as you assemble the package. Progress stays only in this page session and is not submitted or stored.
30 items still to review.
Six-part release package
What to prepare—and what each part proves.
Viewing master
Final picture and sound; exact runtime; captions or subtitles; content guidance when relevant
Do not email a large file without being asked. Lead with a tested official link or secure screener.
Film one-sheet
Title, creator, contact, release date, runtime, genre, language, country, logline and synopsis
Use factual, consistent wording. Match the title and credits shown in the film.
Credits and AI-use record
Human roles, collaborators, studios, tool names and the specific production role of each tool
Separate what was generated from what was assisted, edited, performed or authored by people.
Rights record
Authority, collaborator approvals, music and sound, likeness and voice, source assets and relevant tool terms
Keep underlying evidence organized. A summary is not a substitute for the actual releases or licenses.
Viewing permissions
Public or private review, embed choice, official-source status, passwords, embargoes and availability windows
Embedding, public listing and commercial distribution are different permissions; state each separately.
Artwork and discovery assets
Authorized poster or thumbnail, preferred credit line, short description and official creator links
Do not submit images, logos, laurels or claims you are not authorized to use.
The film one-sheet
One source of truth for every listing.
Put these fields in a simple document before you open any submission form. Reusing the same checked facts prevents title, runtime, credit, and release-date conflicts across platforms.
FILM TITLE
Preferred capitalization:
Creator / team:
Primary contact and role:
Official release or screener URL:
Release date / year:
Exact runtime:
Primary genre:
Language / country:
One-sentence logline:
Short factual synopsis:
Human credits:
AI tools and specific uses:
Preferred AI disclosure:
Poster / thumbnail source:
Public listing permission:
Official-player embed permission:
Embargo / access notes:
Production transparency
Describe the role, not just the tool.
“Made with AI.”
This does not tell an editor or viewer whether AI affected the script, images, motion, voices, music, cleanup, captions, or only a minor production task.
Map tools to decisions.
Identify material roles: story development, reference design, image generation, video generation, synthetic voice, music, restoration, editing assistance, or other work. Name the people who directed, selected, performed, edited, mixed, and approved the result.
Generated versus assisted.
Use “AI-generated” when generative systems materially created film content, and “AI-assisted” when AI supported a production whose core captured or authored material came through another process. Explain hybrid work rather than forcing it into one label.
A tool list is production context, not an authorship conclusion. Keep the human credits and the AI-use statement beside each other. See Cinema Marketplace’s AI disclosure for the directory’s terminology.
Retain the evidence
Summarize rights in the submission. Keep proof in the production archive.
Organize records by contributor or asset: agreement, permitted use, territories or platforms when relevant, duration, credit, payment, restrictions, and contact. The exact evidence will differ by production and jurisdiction.
- People: collaborator agreements, performer releases, voice and likeness permissions, and approved credits.
- Sound: composition, recording, library, commissioned-music, synthetic-voice, and sound-effect permissions.
- Visual sources: footage, artwork, photographs, fonts, logos, datasets or references whose use requires documentation.
- Tools and services: the terms and plan that applied when material was created and the intended release use.
- Authority: the record showing why the person submitting can represent the film, studio, rights holder, or distributor.
This checklist is an organizational guide, not legal advice. When ownership, consent, licensed material, exclusivity, or commercial rights are uncertain, get qualified advice before representing the film as cleared.
Final quality control
Run the package like a stranger will receive it.
Test access
Open the viewing link in a private or signed-out browser. Confirm the password, region, captions, audio, age gate, and embed settings behave as described.
Reconcile facts
Compare the one-sheet with the film credits, video title, official description, artwork, and runtime. Resolve conflicting spellings or dates before sending.
Separate permissions
State whether the work is for private review, public profile, official-player embedding, or future commercial discussion. One approval does not automatically include the others.
Send one package
Use a clear subject, one reliable contact, one official viewing source, and links to supporting records. Avoid sending several contradictory versions.
Ready for Cinema Marketplace?
The guided submission form converts these facts and choices into a review-ready email. You can inspect it before sending, and the page does not upload or store your answers.
After submission
Keep the package current.
Save the sent version with a date. If the master, credits, official source, availability, permissions, or public release status changes, update the package instead of editing one isolated field from memory.
Already have a Cinema Marketplace listing? Use the creator-profile claim and correction flow for sourced updates, changed embed preferences, merges, corrections, or removal requests. A verified editorial contact is separate from film ownership and paid distribution.
Release-package questions
Common decisions before you send.
Should I send the full master file with an initial submission?
Usually, no. Begin with a reliable official watch link or secure screener. Keep the clean master and supporting files ready in case an editor, festival, distributor, or licensee requests them through a verified channel.
Can I submit an unlisted or password-protected screener?
Yes. State that the link is for private editorial review, provide access instructions, and specify whether anything may be published before release.
Do I need to send my prompts?
Not for a standard Cinema Marketplace submission. Describe which tools affected writing, imagery, video, voice, music, sound, editing, or other material parts of the film. Retain prompts, generation records, invoices, and project files privately when they support your production history.
How should I list several AI tools?
Organize them by production role rather than presenting a brand list. For example: concept development, reference images, generated video, voice, cleanup, music, captions, and editing. Distinguish generated material from assistance.
What if a permission is still pending?
Mark it as pending and do not represent the package as cleared. Delay public listing or embedding when the unresolved permission affects that use.
Does a release package transfer my rights?
No. Sending information for editorial review does not itself transfer ownership or grant paid distribution rights. Any rental, purchase, or licensing arrangement requires separate verification and an agreement.