Our multimedia visual products require approved flash pattern analysis to check for photosensitivity if they may be a problem for photosensitive viewers. WBD continues to use industry-standard software to test all incoming content.
POLICY CHANGE:
Program masters delivered to Warner Bros. Discovery via producers.discovery.com on and after February 22, 2024 will be evaluated with a different flash and pattern analysis software than content delivered prior to this date. We understand you may have questions if your program’s technical evaluation report contains different feedback after this date. To accommodate active production delivery timelines, WBD will enter a policy adjustment period described here, until June 2024.
TIMELINE:
POLICY STARTING ON FEBRUARY 22, 2024: If content falls outside the test parameters, it may be rejected. The operations team will work with you to determine a path forward based on legal requirements, including the current policy of allowing certificates from compliant flash and pattern analyzers. You may see different information noted in your technical evaluation report from our flash and pattern analyzer.
POLICY STARTING ON JUNE 5, 2024: At the end of the policy adjustment period in June, content that fails the PSE testing within WBD’s automated supply chain will be rejected based on those standards only. The acceptance process comes to a halt until the content passes this evaluation.
Warner Bros. Discovery strongly recommends that providers use a Harding Flash and Pattern Analyzer on all content before delivery to ensure it meets those standards.
As always, the deliverables and operations teams at WBD are available to you and your network contacts to answer any questions regarding any faults within your master technical evaluation reports.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Emergency Alert Tones: Policy Reminder
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 the Discovery Production Guide which includes a training video.
WBD’s Covid-19 Guidelines have been updated and posted in the Covid-19 section under Policies.
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:
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
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PRODUCTION BUDGET UPLOAD
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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:
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!
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:
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.)
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:
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
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PRODUCER’S PORTAL TRAINING VIDEOS
New training videos will be posted in the Production Guide next week. Topics include:
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EMERGENCY ALERT TONES & PHOTO-SENSITIVE EPILEPSY REQUIREMENTS
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Discovery-COVID-19-Production-Guidelines-V5_FINAL.pdf
application/pdfDiscovery-COVID-19-Production-Guidelines-V5_FINAL.pdf Open Download Copy Link 150.39 KB 2022-02-10 February 10, 2022 2022-02-10 February 10, 2022 |
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Please see the attached updated COVID-19 Guidelines. Contact your Production Management team with questions.
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Producers-Portal-Invite-Steps.pdf
application/pdfProducers-Portal-Invite-Steps.pdf Open Download Copy Link 431.93 KB 2021-10-08 October 8, 2021 2020-05-01 May 1, 2020 |
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Producers-Portal-Media-Upload-Guide.pdf
application/pdfProducers-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 MB | October 29, 2020 |
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Producers-Portal-Password-Steps.pdf
application/pdfProducers-Portal-Password-Steps.pdf Open Download Copy Link 112.29 KB 2021-10-08 October 8, 2021 2020-05-01 May 1, 2020 |
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Producers-Portal-Production-Schedule.pdf
application/pdfProducers-Portal-Production-Schedule.pdf Open Download Copy Link 266.81 KB 2021-10-08 October 8, 2021 2020-05-01 May 1, 2020 |
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Producers-Portal-User-Guide.pdf
application/pdfProducers-Portal-User-Guide.pdf Open Download Copy Link 558.61 KB 2021-10-08 October 8, 2021 2020-09-16 September 16, 2020 |
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Please note Discovery’s vendors with preferred rates for transcriptions (field & final) & hard drives!
FIELD TRANSCRIPTIONS – REV.COM
$1.25/min includs timecode & 24-hour turnaround
Offering 100% human-transcribed transcription services, Rev.com’s team of specially-trained experts deliver transcripts at over 99% accuracy. Rev.com is offering Discovery’s content producers field transcriptions with timestamps and a guaranteed 24-hour turnaround for $1.25/min – a 17% discount off their standard rate and more than half the price of the average transcription service. Also exclusive to our production company partners is a unique portal (integrations.rev.com/Discovery) just for Discovery Networks projects, and a transcription template that reflects the standard format preferred by most of Discovery’s partners. Detailed instructions on how to access the Discovery Rev.com portal and activate the Discovery discount can be found on the Producer’s Portal Production Guide under PREFERRED VENDORS > TRANSCRIPTIONS – FIELD
FINAL/AS BROADCAST TRANSCRIPTIONS – TAKE1 TRANSCRIPTIONS
$2.72/min for actual runtime – $57.12 for 21-min runtime (30-min Network clock) and $114.24 for 42-min runtime (60-min Network clock)
Take1 Transcriptions has long been partnered with Discovery, but to establish themselves as our preferred vendor for Final/As Broadcast Transcriptions, they are offering Discovery’s production company partners a discounted rate of $2.72/min and charge for actual run-time (21 min for a 30-min program, 42 min for a 60-min program). This extraordinary rate is 64% lower than the average competitors’ rates! Contact Take1 at (855) 958-2531 or email: production@take1.tv. Detailed instructions on how to request the Discovery discount can be found on the Producer’s Portal Production Guide under PREFERRED VENDORS > TRANSCRIPTIONS – FINAL
HARD DRIVES/MEMORY CARDS/EXPENDABLES AND MORE – FILMTOOLS.COM
10% lower than competitors’ prices and FREE delivery!
Filmtools offers Discovery’s partners a wide variety of production essentials at a discounted rate (on average 10% lower than competitors) delivered to your location FREE in a timely manner with enhanced service and support. Filmtools has secured discounts exclusive to Discovery’s content producers on major brands including G-tech, LaCie, SanDisk, OWC, Fuji, HP, Quantum, Sony, Panasonic, Mathews, and PRO Tape. Please visit the Filmtools Discovery portal (www.filmtools.com/discovery) for direct access to these discounted rates. You can also email DiscoveryQuotes@Filmtools.com for quick answers regarding pricing, availability, or any other questions. Detailed instructions on how to access the Discovery Filmtools portal and activate the Discovery discount can be found on the Producer’s Portal Production Guide under PREFERRED VENDORS > Hard Drives/Memory Cards/Expendables.
CAMERA EQUIPMENT RENTALS – COMING SOON!
Discovery is launching a preferred vendor initiative for camera equipment rentals. This initiative will provide a reduced, baseline cost for the camera kits most commonly used across all Discovery productions including Sony, Canon, and Arri. The select camera rental vendors will honor and accommodate globally with a high volume of available equipment, multiple locations (both domestic and internationally), and ability to ship gear year-round most anywhere in the world.
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Reminder that Production Schedule data entry in the Producer’s Portal is required. Schedules should be updated at least once per week and/or when Program Master File delivery dates change.
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. (Rights Restrictions must be approved prior to Program Master delivery.)
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General reminder that Snowball devices which are not shipped back within 10 calendar days will incur penalties which compound daily. This can result in thousands of dollars deducted from your final payment. Please ensure that the device is ordered when your post team is truly ready to load the source material. Please also note that shipping it back without material loaded in order to meet the 10 day deadline and then asking for a second device will also incur the same costs for each day plus additional costs for shipping a second device.
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For programs shot in UHD High Dynamic Range (HDR), Discovery requires delivery of 3 masters for each episode: an HDR grading master, a UHD Standard Dynamic Range program master, and an HD program master. For programs shot in UHD SDR, 2 masters must be delivered: a UHD SDR program master and an HD program master. This requirement is listed in Discovery’s Global Technical Specifications, the Producer’s Portal Production Guide, and has been communicated in several emails and webinars as Discovery transitioned to Global Tech Specs V6 last year.
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The Producer’s Portal contains fields within your Company information which allows you to indicate the diversity status of your company (options listed below). Please do use these fields as applicable and consult with our Production Operations team with any questions.
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Many countries and localities use emergency broadcast alerts to notify their residents of weather or security emergencies. Some of those countries, including the United States, have strict laws about the misuse of those emergency alert tones. There must not be any emergency alert tones, either real or simulated, in any program. This includes the header or attention tones of the US-based Emergency Alert System (EAS), Amber Alerts, Silver Alerts, or the tones and signals used by any other nation, state, or locality to notify the public of an emergency. 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 this Discovery EAS Prohibition training video:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EmSSvDGYigasjqrwF0Dv2KeUsVrLpE6E/view?usp=sharing