1
Ready to edit · receive
Read the brief and handoff
Open the project. Check selected ideas, the Drive folder, the videographer's notes, and the files you need. Ask immediately for missing files or context.
What you own for each project
The working target is five business days from the shoot, with weekends and holidays skipped. If Cortex has no real shoot date, agree on a manual due date with the strategist when footage arrives.
2
When work starts · status
Set Editing
Move your work from To do to Editing. Cortex does not set this status just because you opened the card. Tell the strategist early if the target is at risk.
3
Within 5 business days · upload
Put each cut in its slot
Upload each edited cut into its matching Cortex project slot. Wait for processing and confirm that the cut plays. Do not substitute a Drive link for the finished edit.
4
Internal and client review · revise
Keep revisions with the cut
Replace a cut in the same slot so it moves from v1 to v2 and onward while comments remain attached. Confirm which version the client saw before making a later revision. Mark All revisions complete when the next round is ready for the strategist.
5
All cuts approved · close
Confirm Done and hand off finals
The source process says the last approval moves the project to Approved and the editor to Done automatically. Verify both statuses. The strategist owns final delivery, captions, and post scheduling. Every post still needs client approval.
No recorded shoot date
Accept footage from a brief-only handoff. Do not wait for someone to invent a booking date. Ask the videographer for the actual date when available, and set a manual edit due date with the strategist in the meantime.
Upload and version checklist
Before upload
Use the right destination
- Raw source footage stays in the accessible Drive handoff.
- Edited cuts and replacement versions go in Cortex project slots.
- Choose the slot matching the selected idea and cut.
- Keep the source file until the upload and playback are verified.
After upload
Confirm delivery
- Wait for processing to finish.
- Open the cut and confirm it plays.
- Check that the version appears in the intended slot.
- Before retrying a failure, check for a pending record or a file that arrived.
If a cut looks stuck
A pending upload may remain visible after a failed attempt. Inspect the existing slot before reselecting the file so you do not create duplicates. Retry in the same slot. Report a persistent issue with client, project, filename, and the exact error text.
Exception paths
| Situation | Next action |
|---|---|
| Drive access denied or files missing | Ask the videographer to fix access and record what is missing. Alert the strategist if the delivery target is at risk. |
| No shoot date in Cortex | Begin from the footage handoff. Agree on a due date with the strategist and request the actual date separately. |
| Editor not notified in Google Chat | The footage may already be saved. Treat a direct message from the videographer with the Drive link as the handoff, then confirm the project card. |
| Upload fails or processing stalls | Check the slot and pending record before retrying. Use the same slot; escalate with project, filename, and error if it persists. |
| Feedback arrives for an old version | Confirm which version the client reviewed and work from the latest intended cut. |
| Change affects brief, scope, or schedule | Bring in the strategist before promising a new date or direction. |
| All revisions complete | Mark the round complete so the strategist can send the next review. Check that the client sees the intended version. |
Team walkthrough
Use this sequence for onboarding and the next editing meeting.
1 · Receive
Open the handoff
Show the Ready to edit card, selected brief, Drive link, notes, and manual due date for a no-date shoot.
2 · Upload
Cut and replace
Set Editing, upload v1, verify playback, then replace in the same slot and inspect version history.
3 · Review
Close the loop
Walk client comments, All revisions complete, strategist resend, final approval, Done, and per-post approval.
Decisions for Jack and the team
Set the fallback deadline for footage with no date, assign daily monitoring of pending uploads, decide who clears duplicates, and name the internal review handoff owner. The source brief does not settle these rules.
This report adapts the Claude Brief to Finals map and the shipped Cortex upload workflow. See the full operations report for the rest of the cycle.