A Rough-Cut Narration Brief: What to Share Before Recording and Mix

Send the rough cut with a note on what is still temporary

You can discuss narration before the picture is finished. The most useful addition to a rough cut is a short distinction between what is agreed and what may change.

A temporary voice track does not tell the narrator whether its timing must be matched. Explain whether it is a duration guide, a delivery reference, or a track with specific fixed entry points.

The brief below describes an invented production. It is not a client record or a mandatory list of documents for every enquiry.

Five things to align

Specify whether a time refers to the player’s elapsed time or a timecode burned into the picture. Otherwise, two people can read “15 seconds” and look at different moments.

An illustrative brief to adapt

Project: A three-minute company introduction for the web. Usage period and reuse are being confirmed.

Current stage: Rough cut v03 with matching script v03. Opening and final message agreed; one product line remains under review.

Direction: Composed but not stiff. A sample link and the relevant position are included as a reference.

Timing: Opening cue fixed. The middle can be adjusted in the edit. All timing notes use player elapsed time.

Questions: Product pronunciation is being checked. Approved spelling and pronunciation notes will be supplied before recording.

Delivery: WAV requested. Chapter splits, naming, sample rate and bit depth are awaiting confirmation from the mixer.

Schedule: First review hoped for next Friday. Please advise on recording availability and the schedule for any subsequent changes.

You do not need every answer before enquiring. Share what you know so scope and timing can be discussed together.

Decide where the temporary voice must be matched

Matching every pause in a temp track can make a final read feel constrained. Some cues, such as a demonstrated action, may genuinely need a precise match.

“Under three minutes” and “this word lands on that movement” are different requirements. Identify fixed cues and discuss flexibility elsewhere. If the script does not fit, consider editing the wording or picture before forcing the read faster.

Account for changes after script approval

Delivery is usually 24–48 hours after script approval; rush work depends on availability. This is not a guarantee of delivery within 24 hours of the first enquiry.

One tonal revision is included. Additional rounds start at ¥5,000 and script changes at ¥10,000, with the actual scope agreed individually. Flag uncertain sections early so recording and review can be planned around them.

Add a voice reference

Listen to the product narration sample and copy a link at the relevant position. Add a note about what matters, such as the phrasing of technical terms.

Discuss shortlisting, a quote or recording dates. The reference URL field is optional. Agree on a suitable sharing method and viewing permissions for confidential material with your production team.

Managing provisional script changes: a practical template

When ordering narration for a rough cut, do not hide that the script is unsettled. Separate what is confirmed from what may change. If a narrator treats provisional copy as final, wording, duration, and delivery may all change later. Define the rough cut as material that shows where audio will go and the provisional script as the current candidate copy.

Divide the handoff pack into three parts

The first is video: export a small review file with visible timecode and confirm that its start time matches the player. The second is the script: mark each line confirmed, provisional, or pending. The third is a memo: briefly state planned changes, things to avoid in the read, and the purpose of the recording. If the three versions differ, state their correspondence at the beginning.

Explain what “provisional” means: will wording change while length stays roughly stable, or is duration also undecided? When final duration cannot be promised, state that you want to confirm a delivery direction that fits the segment.

Show old and new versions after a change

Do not delete the old wording and leave only the replacement. Keep old copy, new copy, reason, and recording status, and update the script version. If picture timecodes change, update the script segments too; do not leave obsolete segments in place.

Current version:
Video file:
Script file:
Confirmed lines:
Changed lines:
Pending lines:
Lines not recorded this time:
Requested confirmation: delivery / duration / pronunciation / all

Do not treat a take used to place audio in a rough cut as the same thing as the final delivery. For a test recording, confirm its scope, purpose, and relationship to the final order. Even for a short test file, share the confirmation status if the wording may be used in the finished version.

Pre-order checklist

• [ ] Video timecode can be checked in the playback environment
• [ ] Every script line is confirmed, provisional, or pending
• [ ] Possible wording and duration changes are shown for provisional lines
• [ ] Video and script versions correspond
• [ ] Direction check or final recording is clearly identified
• [ ] Contact method and deadline for changes are set

See the rough-cut sharing memo when delivering information with edit materials. Check conditions on the corporate-video request page and include confirmed sections and planned changes.

When moving to final copy, do not simply delete provisional lines; record which version they moved into. When a client change returns, classify it as picture-only, script-only, or both, then decide whether it needs re-recording or can be handled in editing.

Limit the items you want reviewed at the rough-cut stage to three or fewer. State whether this pass checks voice length, wording, synchronization, or direction only. A clear purpose prevents unnecessary re-recording even with pre-final material.

Also decide whether late changes move to the next recording or are adjusted in editing. Writing the treatment for delays prevents an urgent replacement from being mixed into the final script without a decision.