The file is only half the asset. Here are the metadata fields to capture with every VT at the point of upload — titles, spellings, durations, clearance — and why collecting them later costs you.
Ask any producer where the week-of-show time goes and "chasing details" will be near the top. The VT arrived, but nobody sent the on-screen title. The name for the lower third is spelled two different ways in two emails. The clip's duration is a guess. Every one of those gaps is a metadata field that should have been captured with the file — and wasn't.
A VT is not just a video file. It's a video file plus the information the gallery, the graphics operator and the running order need to actually use it. Collect that information at the point of upload and you delete the parallel spreadsheet entirely. This guide covers which fields to ask for and why. It pairs with our guide on collecting VTs from contributors.
The core fields to collect with every VT
Not every show needs every field, but this is the set worth considering for each upload slot.
On-screen title
What the clip should be called on screen and in the running order. Without it, someone invents one on the day — and it won't match what the contributor intended.
Name spellings for lower thirds
The single most error-prone piece of any broadcast. Capture the exact spelling and preferred form (with accents, honorifics, role/title) of every name that will appear as a lower third. Getting this from the contributor in writing, attached to the clip, removes a whole category of on-air mistakes.
Duration
The running time of the clip. The producer needs it to build timings into the running order; the director needs it to back-time the show. A guessed duration throws the whole rundown off.
Format and aspect ratio
Codec, resolution and aspect ratio (16:9, 9:16, etc.). This tells the team whether the file drops straight into the workflow or needs a conversion — better to know at intake than at playout.
Source and clearance notes
Where the footage came from and whether it's cleared for broadcast. Music, third-party clips and contributor-shot material all carry rights implications. A short clearance note attached to the asset is your paper trail.
A contact for questions
Who to go back to if something's wrong with the clip. Obvious, and constantly missing.
Why capture it at upload, not later
There's a simple test for whether a piece of information belongs in your upload form:
If it has to be typed into the graphics system or the running order later, capture it when the file comes in.
Collecting metadata at the point of upload has three compounding benefits:
- No parallel spreadsheet. The details travel with the file, so there's one source of truth instead of a file here and a spreadsheet there.
- The contributor is the right person to ask. They know the spelling, the source and the intent. Asking them later — often several people, on the day — is slow and error-prone.
- It's auditable. You have a record of what was supplied, by whom, and when.
The cost of skipping it isn't zero; it's just deferred to the worst possible moment: show day.
Design your fields per slot
Different assets need different metadata, so define the fields per upload slot rather than one global form. A VT slot might require title, duration, name spellings and a clearance note; a graphics slot might only need a title and usage note. Make the fields that genuinely matter required, so a file can't be submitted without them.
- List the fields the graphics/running-order team retypes today
- Make the error-prone ones (name spellings, titles) required
- Keep optional context (notes, contact) available but not blocking
- Set the fields per slot, not once for the whole show
How Show Runner handles it
In Show Runner, every upload slot has its own metadata schema — you define the fields (and which are required) when you create the slot. Contributors fill them in as they upload, so each file arrives with its title, spellings, duration and any notes attached. Nothing lives in a separate spreadsheet, and because contributors are email-verified, every submission is attributable.
FAQ
What metadata should I make required?
Make the fields your team currently retypes by hand required — most often the on-screen title and the exact name spellings for lower thirds, plus duration for timing. Keep genuinely optional context (source notes, a contact) available but non-blocking so you don't stop a file being submitted.
Can different upload slots collect different fields?
Yes. In Show Runner each slot has its own metadata schema, so a VT slot and a graphics slot can ask for completely different fields. Define the fields, and which are required, when you create the slot.
Why not just collect the details by email afterwards?
Because the contributor is the person who knows the spelling, source and intent, and chasing multiple people for details on show day is slow and mistake-prone. Capturing metadata at upload keeps one source of truth and an auditable record.
Ready to stop retyping details from emails? Read how to collect VTs from contributors, or start for free.