Video Access Controls

What is Video Access Controls?

Video access controls are the settings that determine who can view, comment on or download a shared video, and for how long. They include passwords, download permissions, watermarks, expiry dates and account or link-based sharing rules. Together they let a filmmaker match the level of protection to the stage and sensitivity of a project.

Why it matters

Not every share needs the same treatment. A first rough cut for a corporate client, a finished wedding film for the couple and a public showreel each call for different rules. Without access controls, the only options are "send the file" or "don't", which pushes filmmakers into awkward workarounds like burning text into exports or holding files back until an invoice is paid.

Good controls protect your work and your leverage. They reduce the risk of an unapproved draft being published, help enforce payment terms, and keep embargoed or confidential material contained.

How it works

Most platforms offer some combination of the following:

• Visibility. Public, unlisted (link only) or restricted.

• Password. A shared secret required before anything loads.

• Account or invite restrictions. Only named, signed-in users can open the content.

• Download permission. On or off, sometimes per file.

• Watermark. A visible overlay marking content as a draft or identifying its owner.

• Expiry. The link stops working after a set date.

• Comment permission. Whether viewers can leave feedback.

• Activity tracking. Notifications when content is viewed or downloaded.

The skill is in combining them by project stage. A typical pattern:

1. Review drafts: password, watermark, downloads off, expiry at the end of the review round.

2. Approved but unpaid: password, no watermark, downloads off until the invoice clears.

3. Final delivery: downloads on, optional expiry that matches your contract's availability window.

4. Portfolio or public use: no password, downloads off.

Link-based vs account-based control

There are two broad philosophies. Account-based control, common in Google Drive, Dropbox and many review tools, ties access to a named login. It is precise and auditable, but clients often get stuck on sign-in screens or the wrong account. Link-based control, common in client gallery and transfer tools such as WeTransfer, keeps things frictionless and adds protection through passwords, expiry and download settings. Neither is wrong. For client-facing delivery, most filmmakers favor link-based control because the recipient experience is simpler, while internal team collaboration tends to use accounts.

What access controls does DLVRD offer?

DLVRD uses link-based galleries, so clients never need an account. Each gallery can have a password, an expiry date and downloads switched on or off, and a watermark can be applied, which disables downloads automatically. Download notifications let you know when a client collects a file.