A master file and a delivery copy may contain the same film but serve different purposes. The master preserves a defined high-quality output state. A delivery copy adapts that state to a recipient, player or transfer route. The label alone guarantees neither quality nor future editability, however.
Define the master's purpose
Decide which properties it should preserve: resolution, frame rate, colour presentation, audio channels and perhaps versions with or without permanent text. Select an appropriate format and document the settings. A very large export is not automatically better if the source is limited or processing is incorrect.
A completed master is also not a replacement for the editing project. Individual edits, graphics layers and separate audio cannot be recovered freely from a flattened file. Where later revisions are expected, preserve the necessary projects and sources as well.
Create copies for their destination
A review file may be smaller and contain reference time. A web version needs encoding appropriate to its service. A presentation copy must play reliably on the intended computer. These differences justify clearly named separate files rather than using one copy everywhere without checking.
Create new copies from the high-quality master or original project where possible. Recompressing an already heavily compressed web file can add further damage. Increasing bitrate on the next export cannot reliably restore lost detail. A clean starting point avoids unnecessary generations.
Distinguish editorial variants
A shorter vertical edition is more than a technical copy if it contains different edits or wording. Record it as its own editorial version. Link its identifier to the corresponding project state so later corrections are not accidentally applied to only one edition.
For multiple languages, preserve the relationship between picture, audio and captions. A master without permanent text can simplify further language versions, but does not replace checking each soundtrack. Language-dependent graphics also need their editable sources within the organised collection.
Check every delivered file
Verify masters and delivery copies independently. A flawless master does not establish that the smaller export used the correct audio, complete range or suitable captions. Check the transfer too where files have been copied elsewhere.
Record which version is approved and which is merely a working or review copy. Protect the master from accidental overwriting and identify new versions clearly. This retains a dependable reference while allowing copies to be adapted to different uses.