The approved MP4 is a delivery file. It is useful for publication and review, but it is not the same thing as an editable project. When the client returns with a changed logo or a shorter ending, a folder containing only that file leaves the editor with limited options.
Agree what will be retained at the end of the job. The project, source footage, graphics, music and approval notes serve different purposes. Keep records of the permitted uses of third-party assets alongside their sources. Having an editable copy does not extend a music licence.
For an original score, agree whether the handoff includes the editable music session as well as the finished mix. Keep a note of the samples and plug-ins used, including anything the receiving editor will need to supply. If the cue was made in FL Studio, FLStudioPro’s production tutorials provide a reference for the music editor alongside the project notes. Save the approved render as a listening reference: it lets the team check that a reopened session still sounds like the version the client accepted.
Know what the archive contains
In Lightworks, a project-data archive can preserve bins, sequences and edit decisions while still depending on source files stored elsewhere. If the archive is meant to survive a lost editing drive or move to another machine, check that the necessary media is included and available when the archive is made.
The guide to archiving a Lightworks project with the media it needs explains those choices. It also distinguishes the application’s continuous saving from an independent backup. Another folder on the same drive shares that drive’s failure risk.
If a CapCut draft disappears from the project list, first check the original device, account and Space before assuming it was deleted. The guide to finding a CapCut draft and choosing a recovery route distinguishes that symptom from missing source clips. Preserve any working copy while investigating; reinstalling or clearing app data can remove information you still need. The independent CapCut Guide site also separates storage problems from export problems, which need a different diagnosis.
Verify a recovery copy before cleaning up working storage. When offered, restore it as a new project so the active edit remains intact. Open the important sequence, inspect a few cuts and confirm that picture and sound come from the intended originals. A successful copy operation alone does not establish that the next editor can resume work.
Lightworks Guide’s independent resources cover related media and delivery questions. Retention still needs a named owner and an agreed period. The aim is a clear answer when the revision request arrives: which approved project can be opened, where its media lives and who is responsible for keeping it available.
