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M&E Creation and Delivery Guidelines

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Netflix is available in over 190 countries, and a rapidly growing number of our subscribers will
consume our titles in a language other than the original. It is therefore imperative to the creative
intent of the film or series that the Music and Effects Package reflects the original version mix. For
non-fiction titles, please check with a Netflix representative for depth of fill required.

Please deliver a fully-filled Music & Effects Package as long-play, discrete channels according to the
Netflix Nearfield true-peak requirements (Sound Mix Specifications and Best Practices) with the
program content of each file conformed and in sync with that of the final media delivered to
Netflix. M&E levels should generally match the original mix. Do not modify Music levels at all, and
do not modify FX levels beyond what is required for a properly filled M&E. Optional channel
assignment should match that of the top-level mix. Please name files according to Netflix naming
conventions outlined here.

For selected titles, Netflix will provide specific notes for the mixing of the M&E elements. Unless
those notes specify otherwise, please apply the following general guidelines to the M&E mix and
contact Netflix Post or International Dubbing if they cannot be followed.

Preparing M&E assets

The audio deliverables should sync to the final IMF picture. Head leader and pops may be present
on these assets.

A step by step guide to create M&E assets can be found in the M&E Creation Guideline article. 

Alternate Audio: Brazilian Portuguese, Castilian Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin
American Spanish, Polish, Turkish, Korean, Mandarin, Thai

Naming Convention
All pertinent information regarding the M&E asset should be included in the file name. Please
follow the instructions in this Naming Convention article to properly name the files before
uploading to Content Hub.

M&E QC Requirements
To ensure viewers experience an accurate presentation of the creative intent, the following assets
are required for M&E QC: 
1. Reference Video (ProRes, DNxHD etc.) - The same picture used during Mix. (MnE Request).
2. M&E Track (5.1 wav) - MnE Request.
3. Optional Tracks (5.1 wav)  - MnE Request (*see below).
4. Dialogue Guide (Stereo) - MnE Request (*see below).
5. Print Master (5.1 wav) - This is uploaded to the Printmaster Request in Content Hub (per episode number).

*What is a Dialogue Guide? A Dialogue Guide is a mono mix-down of the final mixed dialog stem.
It is used and usually included with an M&E for reference.

*What is an Optional Track? 

An Optional Track is a separate audio track containing valuable but language-specific material. For
example:

Language-specific walla, crowd chants, cheers.

Dialogue from TV show playing on-screen or from real-life/historical people.

Language(s) being spoken that is foreign to that of the original language of production.

Vocals from a character singing on-screen (It may be dubbed IF the songs lyrics are story pertinent).

Optional tracks also contain dialogue of other languages that are spoken in a Film/Show. You may
provide any number of optional tracks in any channel configuration from Mono to 7.1.2. Below are
some examples of how to organize them. When in doubt, add it to the optional tracks.

1. Optional A - By CHARACTER: (etc etc)

2. Optional B - By LANGUAGE: (etc etc)
3. Optional C - Group ADR and Walla (by Language if necessary) 

Music and DX
  Optional Tracks
Effects Mix Guide/Remove

Crowd Walla and Group dialogue Specific,

non that is not distinct lines
language- discernible in mix of dialogue
specific but is made up of within walla
crowd noises, distinct individual bed or crowd
reactions, dialogue (possibly stems
cheers, etc. on group-specific
Discernible
stem)
Generic language
crowd walla Live (and/or within
bed that database)
 matches the audience audience
intent of the laughter/reactions reactions
crowd (should be placed
reaction in on reax-specific
original mix track)
(if production
Crowd chants of a
bed contains
person’s name
crowd noises
with
discernible
language that
must be
removed)

Background
music exactly
Vocals from
as it is
performances
represented
original to or
in the original
produced for Discernible
language mix
show. dialogue
Instrumental overlapping
Music Instrumental/vocal
tracks for on- with musical
mix if isolated
screen performance
vocals from on-
musical
screen
performances
performance are
original to or
not available
produced for
show.

All dialogue that is

in a language
(recognized or Short
original to words/phrases
content) different interrupting
Foreign/Fictional than the original lines of
 
Dialogue version language. original
Separate language
overlapping dialogue
speakers if
possible.
 Existing IP/ Music and Dialogue of audio Dialogue of
Archival Audio effects from from outside anything
audio source sources (archival, scripted and
outside film/ recorded
television IP, etc.) specifically for
mix
Full audio mix of
outside sources if
tied together

Babies/
young
children
crying,
screaming,
etc. in non-
discernible
language Non-language
“mouth sounds”: Babies/young
Non- groaning, children
language coughing, speaking in a
Babies “mouth grunting, heavy discernible
sounds”: breathing, etc. if it language
groaning, occurs close to
coughing, dialogue  
grunting,
heavy
breathing,
etc. occurring
separate
separate from
dialogue

Optional Track Recommendations:

Unless otherwise specified by Netflix, please use best judgment in placing this material on
Optional tracks.

  Body of M&E Optional Tracks DX Guide/Remove

Yelling
 Non-dialogue Non-dialogue Yelling,
yelling, yelling, screaming,
screaming, screaming, crying, etc. that
crying, etc. crying, etc. contains
from characters from speaking dialogue
who never characters
speak
discernible
language in
program

Breaths/efforts
Breaths/efforts
from characters Breaths/efforts
from speaking
who never from speaking
characters
Breaths/efforts speak characters not
occurring
discernible occurring next
within lines of
language in to dialogue
dialogue
program

Delivery Guide
M&E is delivered to Netflix via Content Hub. If you have never delivered to Content Hub, please visit
this article which details how to access Content Hub for the first time.

Before delivery, you should have been onboarded to your given project/s in Content Hub. If you
are unable to access your specified project in Content Hub please contact your Netflix Post
Production representative.

In preparation for upload to Content Hub, please organize the files accordingly:

Nearfield M&E mix will be uploaded with the Stage Mix Reference Video.
The Stage Mix Reference video is defined as the video file the Sound team used as a reference for their
mixing and Print Mastering process.
Please do not transcode this file; deliver as you received it.

Once organized, navigate to the Contenthub.netflix.com.

Search the title in the search bar at the top of the screen.
On the Requests page, open the 5.1 Nearfield M&E by clicking on the Request row. More information about
fulfilling requests linked here.

Click the Upload files button - Auto submit to the request will be selected by default
If all required tracks are not included, please de-select auto upload option. 
The uploader will select the files from the folder location
Folders can be accepted. Subfolders are not allowed, please only deliver tracks within one folder.

Upload will begin and Aspera Connect plugin will launch.

After a successful upload, please email your Netflix Post Production contact to let them know the delivery is
complete.
If upload errors or issues occur, consult the tutorials and documentation button in the top right corner,
where you can type in a question to find articles or help:
If these do not assist you, submit a ticket via the “?” Icon:
Once upload completes, your files will appear in the request like so:

For Redeliveries
1. The Post Coordinator assigned to the show shall delete all the Version 1 files in the Content Hub Request
bucket.
2. The sound team will adhere to the naming convention and add a version number to each file that has been
changed, along with an update created date.
3. Upload instructions are the same, please always include the Stage Mix Reference Video in all M&E
Deliveries.

For Workspaces
Workspaces is a convenient tool within each project in Content Hub which allows users to upload,
stage and share files with other project collaborators.  More in depth information can be found
here.

Translations
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Español (Latinoamérica)

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日本語
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