A memorial video production workflow should move each order through an agreed brief, checked photographs, an identifiable proof, family approval, final delivery and venue testing. Name one order owner and a receiving person at every handover. Give each stage a deadline and an exit check so staff know what is ready and what still needs action.
Start one order record and name its owner
Create a unique reference when the family chooses the tribute. Use it on the collection folder, production brief, correspondence and delivered file. A surname alone is insufficient when several orders involve similar names or members of the same extended family.
The order owner keeps the process moving. This person does not need to perform every task, but must see what has been promised, what remains unresolved and who acts next. Name a backup and ensure that both can access the same controlled record.
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Record the person’s approved display name and exact title wording.
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Enter the service date, venue, screening slot and operator.
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Name the family contact and the person authorized to approve.
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Record the selected service scope and any separately agreed work.
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Identify the submission route, production resource and support contact.
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State the intended family deliverable after the service.
Use the tribute arrangements conversation to establish choices without asking the family to manage production. Staff translate those choices into a brief that an editor can follow.
Give every stage an owner and an exit check
| Stage | Responsible role | Ready to move on when |
|---|---|---|
| Brief | Arranger or coordinator | Purpose, duration, display name and scope are agreed |
| Collection | Coordinator with family contact | Selected files open and essential captions are resolved |
| Production | Editor or supplier | A complete, labeled proof matches the brief |
| Staff review | Named checker | Obvious production errors are corrected before family review |
| Family approval | Agreed approver through coordinator | Approval identifies the exact version |
| Delivery and playback | Venue operator | The approved file passes the actual equipment test |
| Family handover | Order owner | The family can access its agreed copy and knows the access terms |
A completed task is more than a sent message. “Supplier emailed” describes an action; “supplier accepted the brief and confirmed the proof time” describes an effective handover. Use the latter standard when marking progress.
When one person has several roles, still retain separate checks. The editor reviews technical completeness; the family checks personal meaning; the operator tests the venue. Collapsing these into a single “done” status hides the difference between a finished edit and a service-ready file.
Set deadlines backward from the service
Begin with the latest practical venue test, then allow time for final delivery, correction export, family review, staff review, production and collection. Ask the people doing those tasks for their actual availability. Office closing time, supplier time zones and access to the chapel all affect the sequence.
For a hypothetical afternoon service on Friday, the operator reserves Thursday afternoon for testing. The editor therefore delivers the approved export on Thursday morning. Family review happens on Wednesday, with the proof available early enough for questions. The collection deadline must precede production by the time needed to inspect and organize the material. These are planning assumptions, not a universal timetable.
Record four distinct checkpoints: photographs due, proof available, approval due and final file tested. Do not tell the family simply that “the deadline is Thursday” if that is actually the operator’s last testing opportunity. The photo submission deadline guide supplies family wording.
Attach an escalation rule to each checkpoint. If photographs are missing, the coordinator asks the contact for a decision. If a supplier misses the proof time, the order owner contacts its escalation person. If approval remains unresolved, the service coordinator needs a viable alternative before the program is finalized.
Check the collection before sending it to production
Open every selected image and give it a stable identifier. Keep the originals separate from working copies. Match names, captions and cropping instructions to the relevant image rather than putting those details in a general paragraph that an editor must interpret.
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Count the selected images and compare them with the intended runtime.
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Identify the person in group photographs where necessary.
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Mark approved treatment choices, including any restoration or animation limits.
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Resolve conflicting family instructions through the agreed contact.
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State exactly which music or other media has been approved for the intended use.
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List outstanding questions, their owner and the latest decision time.
Use the photo collection checklist for the detailed intake process. Do not mark a brief ready if an unresolved question will force the editor to guess the person, caption or sequence. A deliberate omission is safer than an invented answer.
For example, if image 018 is awaiting identification, the brief should say “hold image 018 until the coordinator confirms the subject” or “omit if unresolved by the production start.” “Family still checking” alone leaves the editor without an action.
Review proofs and control the final version
Require the editor to label each proof with the order reference and a version identifier. Staff compare it with the brief before it reaches the family. Check title spelling, included images, obvious crops, sound, duration and the completeness of the opening and ending.
The family receives one version and one review request. Ask for a combined correction list using image numbers or timestamps. Keep conflicting comments with the coordinator until the approver resolves them. The family approval workflow provides the review checklist and approval wording.
After corrections, request approval of the revised version. Do not assume that fixing one caption automatically approves a new export with other changes. Record who approved, what file they reviewed and when approval was received.
Keep the approved file separate from working proofs. When a late change is requested, retain the currently approved version until the replacement has passed the same checks. Tell the operator explicitly when a previously delivered file is superseded.
Hand over clearly between shifts
Tribute shift handover
Order reference: the identified order in the current case record. Service: [date, time and venue]. Current status: awaiting family approval of the identified proof. The collection and staff review are complete. The family contact has the review link. The incoming coordinator should request the response at the time recorded in the schedule. No new export is authorized yet. The current files and brief are in the order folder. If approval is delayed, contact the order owner before changing the service plan.
Replace the example status and next action with the actual order position. A useful handover contains the next task, due time, responsible person and location of the evidence. It should not require the incoming colleague to reconstruct the whole order from scattered messages.
Ask the receiving colleague to acknowledge the handover during an active order. If they cannot access the folder or do not understand the decision required, fix that before the outgoing colleague leaves. “Left a note” does not establish that anyone has taken responsibility.
Keep personal speculation out of handovers. Record “the contact requested additional time to consult a relative” rather than judgments about the family. The operational fact tells the next person what to do without turning private circumstances into unnecessary staff commentary.
Test playback, deliver the keepsake and close the order
The operator tests the approved file on the actual playback device, display and sound route. Record the test result, cue and fallback. Use the chapel playback checklist for room preparation. A successful office preview does not verify a venue system.
After the service, deliver the family copy promised in the brief. State whether it is a download or a viewing link and explain any access period. Follow the memorial video delivery guide so a technically successful screening does not become an incomplete family handover.
Close the order only after outstanding delivery questions are resolved and retention instructions are recorded. Review exceptions briefly: missing captions, duplicated work, unclear approval or a failed cable test. Change the relevant instruction or training step, rather than adding a vague reminder to “be more careful.”
Check locally: Have the responsible manager confirm authorization, media-use, privacy and retention requirements. Agree any religious restrictions with the family and officiant, and technical requirements with each venue operator.
To connect this procedure with external production, discuss your tribute workflow with LifeTribute using the stage owners and deadlines you have established.
Frequently asked questions
Can one staff member hold several workflow roles?
Yes. Small teams often combine arrangement, coordination and playback duties. Keep the responsibilities distinct in the order record even when one person holds them. Name a backup who can access the current brief and files if that person becomes unavailable.
Should the team keep every draft in the playback folder?
No. Keep the approved service file in a clearly identified playback location. Store earlier proofs separately according to your retention process. An operator should not have to guess whether a filename containing “final” is newer than another file labeled “final revised.”
What happens if the family has not approved by the cutoff?
Contact the agreed approver and explain the remaining options. Do not treat silence as approval. Escalate to the order owner and use the previously agreed alternative if review cannot be completed. Record the decision and tell the service coordinator what will actually be shown.