Review the actual files you plan to publish. Play each version from start to finish at a consistent listening level, check that speech stays clear and flag distracting jumps between dialogue, music and effects. If a destination supplies a loudness or peak requirement, ask the finishing team to measure the delivered file against that requirement.
Get the delivery requirements before approving the mix
List the destinations for the main film and each cut. Ask the publishing owner which destinations have written audio requirements and where the current instructions live. Save the relevant instructions with the delivery brief. Avoid carrying a number over from a different outlet without checking whether it applies.
A broadcast placement has its own delivery workflow. If the campaign includes that kind of placement, use Bolt’s broadcast commercial delivery checklist to organize a separate check against that outlet’s spec.
Listen to each export on its own
Have a reviewer listen to the files the publisher will receive. Use the same playback setup and volume to compare versions. Start with the first spoken phrase, then listen where music enters, where the speaker changes and where the end card begins. A short cut may start midway through a music cue that had a gradual entrance in the full film.
Replay a representative section on speakers similar to those used by your intended audience. A review on a phone can help flag hard-to-follow speech in a mobile placement. Use the playback check to locate problems and describe what you hear. If a requirement calls for a measurement, record that separately.
Give the editor a note they can act on
Record the filename, review time within the file, what listeners hear and which destination is affected. For a fictional product demo, a note might say that the music masks the product name just after the opening cut in the short export. That tells the editor where to listen and which version to correct. A request such as “make all of these louder” leaves the actual problem open to interpretation.
If the report shows a file outside a destination’s limits, keep the report and the relevant spec with the note. Ask the finishing team to check the revised export and confirm what changed. The video editing handoff checklist covers how to pass version and approval details between teams.
Check the final placement when possible
Once the publisher has the corrected file, check it in the intended player or preview. Listen through the same moments and verify which version was uploaded. Save the result against the filename so a later replacement does not inherit approval from the wrong export.
Do all versions need to sound identical?
Use the same standard for intelligibility and check each version in context. A short piece with a quick music entrance may need a different balance from a longer piece that gives dialogue more room. When a destination specifies a measurement, document that check for each file sent there.
If you are commissioning a set of web video versions, see Bolt’s video production services or email brian@boltworldwide.com with your formats, publishing destinations and any audio delivery instructions.
