Redirecting to PMD Randy Lukas | Warner Bros Discovery

Producer Updates as of May 20, 2022

Producer Updates as of May 20, 2022

To Producers contracted with Discovery brands (discovery+, Discovery, HGTV, TLC, Food Network, ID, TRVL, OWN, Magnolia, Animal Planet, Motortrend, Science, Cooking, DIY, DA, and AHC (including US & International networks):   

Please read this entire email and forward to all production/post staff.  You can also find this information in the Producer’s Portal Production Guide.  Production companies are responsible for the information contained herein.    If you have any questions, please contact Production_Ops@discovery.com.     Thank you!

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COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARK FOR COMMISSIONED CONTENT

Going forward, the new copyright and trademark for all Warner Bros. Discovery content is listed below.  The only change is adding “Warner Bros.” and “Inc.” to the language for content that is Commissioned.   The copyright does not change for Coproductions.  The rest of the Production Credits do not change.   Program Masters which have already delivered or are due to deliver soon do not need to be modified.  

COMMISSIONED CONTENT:
Copyright:
© [Year] Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. or its subsidiaries and affiliates. All rights reserved.

Trademark:
[Trademark] is a trademark of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. or its subsidiaries and affiliates.  All rights reserved.

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DISCOVERY BRANDS ARE PARTNERED WITH ARRAY CREW!

Created by filmmaker Ava DuVernay, ARRAY Crew is a personnel database of below-the-line crew members with a special focus on the amplification of women, people of color and other underrepresented film and television professionals.  Available in the United States and Canada, ARRAY Crew connects 9,000+ qualified film and television professionals across more than 600+ job categories with producers and department heads looking to hire.  From development to distribution, ARRAY Crew is for all types of projects including unscripted, animation, documentary, news and scripted. 

ARRAY Crew is available to all Discovery productions across all divisions. Please visit the ARRAY Crew resource page in the Preferred Vendor section of the Producer’s Portal Production Guide to learn more and visit www.arraycrew.com to begin crewing up!  

FOLLOW:

@ARRAYNOW and share #ARRAYCrew on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn

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PRODUCTION STILL IMAGES – New process for producers delivering to International networks (already in place for US networks)

Production Still Images and a new Photo Caption Log will be delivered together in a zip file and uploaded to the Producer’s Portal.   Producers will no longer upload to Google Drives or other storage methods.  This new process takes effect immediately for any projects newly greenlit or in contract negotiation.   For projects with executed contracts that are currently in progress, please consult with your Production Management team and/or the Photo Services team.   

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. When images for a given episode are ready for delivery, please complete the Photo Caption Log.   Template is posted in the Production Guide.
  2. Images & Photo Caption Log should be together in a single .zip file, with no sub-directories.   Filenames in the Photo Caption Log should match exactly the image file names, including file extension.  Number of images in zip file and number of records in photo caption log should match.
  3. Upload to Producer’s Portal under applicable episode, to the Deliverable Type “Production Stills & Log”

Please see an overview presentation on the Production Stills page in the Producer’s Portal Production Guide.

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PHOTO-SENSITIVE EPILEPSY REQUIREMENTS 

  • Producers are strongly encouraged to obtain PSE Certification.  There are vendors listed in the Production Guide who can provide certification and there is a document deliverable in the Producer’s Portal which allows you to upload certification.   Please also see the PSE FAQ document located in the Global Technical Specifications section of the Production Guide.
  • TRAVEL CHANNEL PRODUCERS:
    • Paranormal programming often fails PSE tests which causes costly delays.  To reduce these PSE fails:
      • Run PSE tests at rough cut and fine cut to identify issues and make corrections
      • Run PSE test at master delivery and fix failures before uploading master
      • Upload passing PSE certificate to the Producer’s Portal.   Passing PSE certificate on the master delivered by the Producer supersedes any PSE failures indicated on the TE report by Discovery.

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PRODUCTION BUDGET UPLOAD

  1. Check the Deliverable Status in the Producer’s Portal to see if your budget passed or was rejected. It usually only takes 30-60 seconds for the system to read the upload and update the status.  Hover over the status and it will tell you the reason for the failure.   This will save you the trouble of having to go back and make corrections to a budget that failed a while ago.
  2.  Use the correct Excel template, “Assumptions Only” or “Assumptions and Budget Details”.    If you are a Movie Magic user, you must upload the XML export + the Assumptions Only template.  If you are using Excel only, you must use the Assumptions & Budget Details template.
  3. For Movie Magic Users, always upload 2 files: If your MM XML export or Excel Assumptions fails and you make a correction, you have to re-upload both files, even if one has already passed.  

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PRODUCTION SCHEDULES – Please keep Delivery Dates updated!  It is required and will reduce inquiries!

Reminder that delivery dates and shooting dates should be updated weekly and/or when the Program Master File delivery dates change.   Critical dates include:

    • Deliverables – Rough Cut(s), Fine Cut, Picture Lock, and Program Master File(s)
    • Production Phases – Shooting Dates & Locations (please enter for individual episodes unless the shooting dates are the same for all episodes and then enter under All Episodes)

Long-form programs have 7 key deliverables which must be delivered either before the Program Master File or on the same day.   The Trailer must deliver 4 weeks prior to the Program Master File.   Snap In Content, Textless Material, Program Graphics Master, Final Script, Music Cue Sheet, and the final Rights Waiver Log must deliver on the same day as the Program Master File.   

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YOUR COMPANY CONTACTS IN THE PRODUCERS PORTAL – Please keep updated!

  • Reminder that Super Users at every company are responsible for keeping their company contacts up to date.  Please remove/add contacts to your company as applicable and ensure their security setting is correct.   Here are the definitions again:
    • Super User – Can manage company contacts & bio, can submit program proposals, can edit schedules, can upload deliverables, can open deliverables which have been restricted 
    • Basic –  Can submit program proposals, can edit schedules, can upload deliverables
    • Post House – Can upload media deliverables only for specific projects controlled by Super Users
    • Read Only – Cannot complete any of the above functions.  Added only for basic contact information purposes.
    • Note: Reminder that anyone uploading a document deliverable can mark it Restricted which allows the uploader + Super Users to open the document.   Other users can see that the document has been uploaded but cannot open it.
  • These emails are sent to production company contacts who are working on active projects with Discovery brands and have a legitimate email address with their company domain name.   We cannot add recipients to the distribution list manually.   Please ensure your contacts are current for this purpose as well.   

New Still Image Process

New Still Image Process

PRODUCTION STILL IMAGES – New process for Discovery Channel, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet, Science, and Motortrend

Production Still Images and a new Photo Caption Log will be delivered together in a zip file and uploaded to the Producer’s Portal.   Producers will no longer upload to google drives or other repositories, although some projects currently in-flight may close out using the previous process – please consult with Production_Ops@discovery.com if you have questions. 

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. When images for a given episode are ready for delivery, please complete the Photo Caption Log.   Template is posted in the Production Guide.
  2. Images & Photo Caption Log should be together in a single zip file, with no sub-directories.   Filenames in the Photo Caption Log should match exactly the image file names, including file extension.  Number of images in zip file and number of records in photo caption log should match.
  3. Upload to Producer’s Portal under applicable episode, to the Deliverable Type “Production Stills & Log”.    (Right now “Scripps” is appended at the end of the deliverable name – that will be removed.)  

Please see an overview presentation on the Production Stills page in the Producer’s Portal Production Guide here.

(This notice does not apply to Food Network US, HGTV US, Cooking Channel, DIY, Travel Channel US, and Magnolia since this delivery method is already in place for these networks.) 

Producer Updates as of February 18, 2022

Producer Updates as of February 18, 2022

COVID-19 GUIDELINES AND POSITIVE CASE REPORTING

Discovery’s Covid-19 Guidelines have been updated and are posted in the Production Guide.    Please also be sure to communicate all positive Covid cases to your Discovery Production Manager, even if it does not disrupt production.

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*NEW* RECIPE FORM & INSTRUCTIONS

Please note that there is a new Recipe Form & Instructions posted in the Production Guide.    The new form must be used going forward for all productions; the old form will no longer function in Discovery systems.   The key change is shown below – the ingredients & method are now split into 2 fields.

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PRODUCTION SCHEDULES – Please keep Delivery Dates updated!  It is required and will reduce inquiries from Discovery!

Reminder that delivery dates and shooting dates should be updated weekly and/or when the Program Master File delivery dates change.   Critical dates include:

    • Deliverables – Rough Cut(s), Fine Cut, and Program Master File(s)
    • Production Phases – Shooting Dates & Locations

Long-form programs have 7 key deliverables which must be delivered either before the Program Master File or on the same day.   The Trailer must deliver 4 weeks prior to the Program Master File.   Snap In Content, Textless Material, Program Graphics Master, Final Script, Music Cue Sheet, and the final Rights Waiver Log must deliver on the same day as the Program Master File.

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PRODUCTION STILLS DELIVERY – New Global Process Coming!

In the coming weeks, all stills deliveries will follow the same process:  the Production Stills & Log will be part of one form and the stills will be embedded in the form.   They get uploaded and ingested in Discovery systems.  Delivery via other methods will not be necessary although some projects currently in-flight may close out using the existing process.   More information to come with training and templates.   (This notice does not apply to Food Network US, HGTV US, Cooking Channel, DIY, Travel Channel US, and Magnolia since this delivery method is already in place for these channels.)

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LEGAL ALERT – USE OF GRAFFITI AND STREET ART IN CONTENT

Discovery Legal has observed an uptick in claims based on the inclusion of graffiti and street art in programs. Like all original artistic works, graffiti and other forms of street art are subject to copyright protection.   A fleeting use of street art may be defended as de minimis. However, many copyright owners reject this defense, forcing production companies to either litigate or settle. Fair use may not be a viable defense unless the program is commenting on or critiquing the street art (and, as a reminder, any reliance on fair use material in your program must be approved by your BLA representative before including the material, as set forth in the “Fair Use Procedure” section of the Production Guide). Production companies are responsible for clearing all artwork – including graffiti and street art – included in their programs.  Permission should be obtained from the copyright owner, which is not necessarily the building owner or municipality where the art is located. If you have questions about this notice, please reach out to your Business & Legal Affairs representative.

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SOURCE FOOTAGE – Retention Policy & Retention Letter Template

  • If it is decided that for your project you will retain the source material, the standard retention period is 4 years.  If you have questions or concerns, please discuss with your Discovery Production Manager.
  • A new Retention Letter template is posted in the Production Guide
  • Reminder that Snowball devices which are not shipped back within 10 calendar days will incur penalties which compound daily.

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PRODUCER’S PORTAL TRAINING VIDEOS

New training videos will be posted in the Production Guide next week.   Topics include:

  • Registration, Company Management, and General Navigation
  • Submitting a Program Proposal
  • Uploading Document Deliverables
  • Uploading Media Deliverables

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EMERGENCY ALERT TONES & PHOTO-SENSITIVE EPILEPSY REQUIREMENTS

  • Production partners must not, under any circumstances, add real or simulated emergency alert tones to a program.  If the program includes recordings of naturally-occurring alert tones, the production partner must cover (bleep) or silence the emergency alert tones.  For production partners unfamiliar with EAS tones, the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) makes simulated training tones available on their website.   https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/audio/132794 .    Please also see the EAS page under Policies in Discovery’s Production Guide which includes a training video.
  • Reminder regarding Photosensitive Epilepsy delivery standards.  Please see the PSE FAQ document located in the Global Technical Specifications section of the Production Guide.

COVID-19 Guidelines – Version 5

COVID-19 Guidelines – Version 5

Version 5 – Updated February 2022

 

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Please see the attached updated COVID-19 Guidelines.  Contact your Production Management team with questions.

Producer’s Portal User Guides

Producer’s Portal User Guides

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Producers-Portal-Invite-Steps.pdf

Open Download Copy Link 431.93 KB 2021-10-08 October 8, 2021 2020-05-01 May 1, 2020
431.93 KBMay 1, 2020
Producers-Portal-Media-Upload-Guide.pdf

Open Download Copy Link 1.26 MB 2021-10-08 October 8, 2021 2020-10-29 October 29, 2020
1.26 MBOctober 29, 2020
Producers-Portal-Password-Steps.pdf

Open Download Copy Link 112.29 KB 2021-10-08 October 8, 2021 2020-05-01 May 1, 2020
112.29 KBMay 1, 2020
Producers-Portal-Production-Schedule.pdf

Open Download Copy Link 266.81 KB 2021-10-08 October 8, 2021 2020-05-01 May 1, 2020
266.81 KBMay 1, 2020
Producers-Portal-User-Guide.pdf

Open Download Copy Link 558.61 KB 2021-10-08 October 8, 2021 2020-09-16 September 16, 2020
558.61 KBSeptember 16, 2020

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