Client Approval

What is Client Approval?

Client approval is the client's explicit sign-off that a specific version of a video is final and ready for delivery or release. It is a decision and a record, not a feeling: someone with authority says "v5 is approved", and that statement is saved somewhere you can find later. Approval usually triggers the final export, the release of files and often the final invoice.

Why it matters

Without a clear approval, projects drift. Late feedback arrives after files are delivered, a new stakeholder appears with fresh opinions, or a client disputes that a change was ever agreed. A written approval on a named version gives you a fixed point: anything requested afterwards is a new change, which you can schedule and price accordingly.

Approval also protects the client. It confirms that the person responsible has actually watched the final version, including credits, legal text, music and logos, before it goes public.

How it works

A reliable approval step has a few parts:

• Define who approves. Agree at the start which person, or which small group, has sign-off authority. Feedback from others is input; approval comes from them.

• Approve a specific version. Tie the approval to a version label or file name, such as "Brand_Film_v5_2024-06-10", not "the latest one".

• Ask a direct question. "Please reply 'approved' or send final notes by Thursday" gets clearer answers than "let me know what you think".

• Record it. Keep the approval in writing: an email reply, a comment on the video, or a signed form. Store it with the project files.

• Connect it to the contract. Many contracts say the final payment is due on approval or on delivery, and that work after approval counts as an additional revision.

Some teams also use deemed approval: if no feedback is received within a set number of days, the cut is treated as approved. If you use this, write it into the contract and remind the client of the deadline.

Common approaches

Approval is often captured informally by email, which works if the message clearly names the version. Review platforms such as Frame.io and Vimeo include approval status buttons, useful when several reviewers need to sign off. Some studios use e-signature tools for high-stakes work like broadcast spots. Whatever the method, the test is simple: six months from now, can you show who approved which version and when?

How does client approval work in DLVRD?

DLVRD doesn't have a formal approve button, and it doesn't replace your contract or sign-off form. There are two practical ways to handle approval. For revision rounds, turn on client comments: clients leave timecoded notes under the video without logging in, so feedback and a written "approved" stay attached to the cut. For final delivery, many filmmakers treat the client's download as the sign-off moment, and you can switch on email notifications to know when a client has downloaded their files.