In short
- Check who can open the link, whether it expires and whether it needs a password.
- Ask which file format you will get, and test it on the device you will really use.
- A drive and a link each have weak points. Many people keep both.
- Save your own copy in two places before the link or drive is gone.
A finished video is only useful if you can open it, keep it and share it. Check the delivery method before the files arrive, not after.
Link or physical drive?
Event videos are usually delivered by an online link, a physical drive, or both. Each has a weak point.
| Method | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Download link | Fast delivery, sharing with many people | Expiry dates, passwords, slow or unstable internet, large files |
| USB drive or hard drive | Keeping a copy, places with poor internet | Loss, damage, a device with no matching port |
| Both | Important films such as weddings and anniversaries | You still need to save your own copy |
For large files, such as a full ceremony recording, a link can take a long time to download. Our storage and transfer calculator helps you estimate how much space and time you need.
What to check about a download link
Ask these questions when the link arrives, or before:
- Who can open it? Anyone with the link, or only named people?
- Does it need a password, and who has it?
- When does it expire, and can it be extended?
- Can you download the files, or only watch them online?
- Does it work on the phone or computer you will use?
Open the link soon after you receive it. If something fails, you can ask for a fix straight away.
If several people need the video, such as a committee or a family, decide who receives the link first. Forwarding a link to many people can make it hard to know who has a copy.
If the video has speeches or private moments, think about who should be able to watch it. A link that anyone can open may not suit a family event.
Which file format will you get?
Your quote should name the format for each video. MP4 is a common format that plays on most phones, computers and TVs. Other uses may need something different, such as a file for a venue screen or a version for social media. Our guide on choosing the finished videos and files explains the main deliverables, and the format and framing planner helps with shape and size.
Test one file on the device you will really use, such as the screen at your venue. Do this before the event, not at the event.
A handover checklist
- Confirm what you should receive: each video, each version, and any captions or extra files. Write it down.
- Check each file opens from start to end, with sound.
- Check the names are clear, for example by language or by version.
- Save two copies in different places, such as a computer and an external drive.
- Note any expiry date for the link, and set a reminder.
- Tell your videographer what arrived and what is missing.
The archive and handover planner can turn this list into a plan with reminders you add to your own calendar. For checking the content itself, see what to check before accepting the final event video.
Who keeps what, and for how long?
If you may want a new edit later, ask whether your files are kept after delivery and for how long. Our guide on requesting a new edit months after the event explains why this matters.
If any file will not open, tell us the file name and the device you used.
If you want the handover agreed before filming or editing starts, message us about editing your event footage and tell us who needs the files.
If you are planning a video and want the handover agreed from the start, tell us who needs the files and how they will be used. We will plan the handover with you.
Ask about your event