Audio Description Scope of Work v1.1
- Source Materials Provided by Netflix
- Scope of Work for Audio Description Fulfillment Partners
- Summary of Lead Time Expectations
Source Materials Provided by Netflix
- Assigned with a delivery date via Source Management.
- Either a Dialogue List, As-Broadcast Script, or Pivot Language Script (for titles where the original language is not English)
- Including timecode and verbatim to accompanying locked cut or final proxy.
- Available for download via Source Management source requests.
- In the event no script is available, Netflix may commission your company to transcribe and create a Dialogue List (also commonly referred to as an As-Broadcast Script) from the locked cut video. This will be communicated via your Netflix dubbing contact prior to Source Management source request assignment. Details and requirements for this work are outlined in our Dialogue List Creation Scope of Work.
- The final, original language mix.
- Available for download via Source Management source requests.
- Final picture as displayed on the Netflix service. The final proxy is generated by Source Management and available for download via Source Management source requests after ingest of the final ProRes or IMF files from post-production.
- All audio description assets must be conformed to the final proxy prior to delivery.
Forced Narrative Subtitles (when available)
- Subtitling events with translation where an alternate language is spoken or visible on-screen, or transcription of inaudible dialogue meant to be understood by the audience.
- Created from the final proxy. Available upon request from your Netflix dubbing contact.
Scope of Work for Audio Description Fulfillment Partners
- Adhere to all Netflix Technical Specifications, Delivery Specifications, and Style-Guide Documentation, as found within Specifications & Guides.
- Audio description partners are required to utilize Netflix’s suite of tools and adhere to the requirements of those tools, including but not limited to the following:
- Source Management - The Netflix Partner Portal for managing Source Requests, facilitating delivery, downloading source materials, and quality control reporting.
- Content Hub - Netflix’s digital archive and production asset hub.
- KNP Tool - Key Names and Phrases tool -- Netflix’s interface and database for streamlining the process of creating and maintaining glossaries and consistency sheets.
- Starship - Netflix’s centralized platform for partner onboarding and tool access.
- Grand Bazaar - Netflix’s proprietary project bidding platform.
- All fulfillment partners subcontracting work to other companies must disclose all sub-assignees via the Source Management subcontracting feature.
- All recording studios must record their target language within territory. Any exceptions must be communicated to your Netflix representative prior to Source Management source request assignment.
- When subcontracting to another studio for a Netflix project, you must subcontract to a recording studio within the Netflix Post Partner Program (NP3) or otherwise approved by Netflix.
- Netflix requires all invoices to include the purchase order (PO) number in order to be paid. To receive a purchase order from Netflix for AD services, your company must submit an estimate to a bid request and be hired within Grand Bazaar. Your company will be unable to submit invoices until this procedure is performed, and the estimate is approved by your Netflix dubbing contact. More information on this process can be found in Localization Billing Instructions - Full-Length Content.
- Purchase orders are requested through Grand Bazaar in a 2-step process:
- The purchase order number is assigned at the start of work when the AD partner submits their HIRED bid (estimated cost).
- 10 calendar days before final asset delivery, the AD partner submits final costs with line item details within Grand Bazaar. The invoice with the purchase order number can only be sent to Netflix once the final costs are approved within Grand Bazaar.
- Within any initial bid estimate or final cost breakdown, all costs for star talent must be individually itemized (if they are paid beyond standard AD recording rates).
- Netflix understands that costs may change from the initial estimate throughout the AD process. The estimate must be updated as costs are accrued and submitted to Grand Bazaar and your Netflix dubbing contact for approval.
- Detailed breakdown of final, itemized costs must be provided to Grand Bazaar within 10 calendar days or earlier of final delivery, to include but not limited to the following: Talent fees (and social charges if applicable in your territory); translator fees (and social charges if applicable in your territory); writer fees (and social charges if applicable in your territory); artistic director fees (and social charges if applicable in your territory); buyouts; recording studio and engineer costs; editing costs; administration costs; mixing costs (if you are commissioned to create the language mix), pickup recording sessions, etc.
- The total cost amount of the invoice must equal the purchase order amount.
- Purchase orders are requested through Grand Bazaar in a 2-step process:
- The same AD writer should be utilized for all episodes across a season, and, unless otherwise impossible, all seasons of a show. If this cannot be achieved within the given project timeline, you must notify your Netflix dubbing contact.
- The same AD narrator should be utilized for all episodes across a season and, unless otherwise impossible, all seasons of a show. If this cannot be achieved within the given project timeline, you must notify your Netflix dubbing contact before recording.
- Netflix may require voice talent approvals either via library samples or live voice tests. Voice Test deliveries must follow Netflix Voice Testing Specifications. This requirement and procedure will be communicated via your Netflix dubbing contact prior to Source Management source request assignment. Netflix will provide feedback within ten business days from receipt of voice tests.
- More than one narrator might be necessary for subtitle heavy shows. Please notify your Netflix dubbing contact before proceeding.
- For selected titles, Netflix may request different narrators per episode.
- Netflix may require review of the AD script. This requirement and approval timeline will be communicated via your Netflix dubbing contact prior to Source Management source request assignment.
- Netflix may require postmix QC of your AD assets. Your Netflix dubbing contact will communicate this requirement at project assignment. For more context, please read the article Recent Updates to Dub Audio QC.
- Show Guide direction must be followed (if a Show Guide is available). If available, the Show Guide can be downloaded via the Source Management source requests. If no Show Guide is available, confirm with Netflix/Production Company for specific style and creative choices (e.g. foreign dialogue treatment).
- Please review source assets within 5 business days of receipt (plus one business day for each additional asset of the same type received at once) and confirm all source materials received are usable. Source Management must be updated with appropriate Materials Status and Service Type after review is complete. More details on this process are explained in the Partner Help Center.
- The Key Names & Phrases glossary (KNP) within Netflix KNP tool must be referenced during the AD writing process. Existing, locked KNP translations must be followed.
- Audio Description Fulfillment Partner Operation Within the KNP Tool:
- To the extent the audio description fulfillment partner is able to see personal data that is sourced from other fulfillment partners who are working on projects, the audio description fulfillment partner agrees only to use that personal data for the purposes related to the performance of the applicable Master Services Agreement related to communications and training.
- If a change is required to a locked term, please contact your Netflix dubbing contact and communicate the rationale for the change.
- Audio Description Fulfillment Partner Operation Within the KNP Tool:
- Any changes to the source materials must be updated in the AD audio. Any necessary pick-up recordings or conform work must be completed and delivered by the due date of the source request.
- Should changes to source materials happen after recording and require retakes, please notify your Netflix dubbing contact about accrued costs. See here for details.
- For features: Upon acceptance (see here for details) of final proxy and print master audio, AD writing, recording, mix and delivery to Source Management must be completed within 10 business days. For episodic batches of 135 minutes or less: upon acceptance of final proxy and print master audio, AD writing, recording, mix and delivery to Source Management must be completed within 12 business days.
- Talent availability issues or any other delays must be communicated to your Netflix dubbing contact.
- If the above timeline cannot be met for a specific project for any reason, you must notify your Netflix dubbing contact as soon as possible.
- Estimated Delivery Dates within Source Management must be accurately maintained throughout the lifecycle of the project, including assets marked for redelivery.
- All commissioned AD service assets must be delivered to Source Management and adhere to all Netflix Technical Specifications, Delivery Specifications, and Style-Guide Documentation, as found under Specifications & Guides.
- AD partner should expect retakes and pickup sessions to be necessary due to potential changes in source materials prior to delivery
- Quality Control notes will be provided 72 hours after delivery to Source Management.
- Feedback regarding QC notes should be provided to Netflix within 2 business days during arbitration.
- Source Management redelivery requests should be fulfilled no later than 10 working days from completion of arbitration.
- Estimated Delivery Dates within Source Management must be accurately maintained for all redelivery requests.
- AD partner must deliver archival assets to Netflix within 20 business days of delivery of final, QC-approved AD audio.
- All archival assets must follow the Dubbing and Audio Description Archival Asset Specifications.
- Required archival assets for each viewable are the following:
- As Recorded Audio Description Script, verbatim to final AD audio, delivered to Source Management.
- Audio Description Mix Project Files.
- A fully mixed Pro Tools, Nuendo, Pyramix, or other digital audio workstation project created during the AD mix at the sample rate, bit rate, frame rate, and the file format of the OV Print Master.
- Delivered to Source Management.
- 5.1 Near Field Audio Description Audio Stem.
- An audio description stem fully mixed in the 5.1 format.
- Delivered to Source Management.
- Talent list including full voice cast with associated roles, artistic director, translator and writers, and other associated talents if present, studio name and location.
- Please use Netflix’s Dubbing Talent List Template, and send directly to your Netflix dubbing contact.
- A complete talent list must be submitted for each episode/viewable.
Summary of Lead Time Expectations
Business day = Monday-Friday
- Confirmation of acceptable source assets in Source Management
- ≤ 5 business days of receipt
- AD writing, recording, mix and delivery to Source Management
- ≤ 10 business days for features
- ≤ 12 business days for episodic batches of 135 minutes or less
- QC notes and redelivery request fulfillment
- ≤ 2 business days to provide feedback during QC arbitration
- ≤ 10 business days from end of QC arbitration to deliver fixes
- Detailed breakdown of all final, itemized costs submitted to Grand Bazaar
- ≥ 10 calendar days before final delivery
- Delivery of required archival materials
- ≤ 20 business days from final delivery.
Translations
Change Log:
2019-09-16 (Version 1.1)
- Corrections made relating to the submission of final costs into Grand Bazaar. Final, itemized costs must be submitted to Grand Bazaar 10 calendar days prior to final delivery.