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The working process behind the final piece

Audiovisual, media & creative businesses

Creative and technical archives can preserve how a brief became a production: configurations, edits, corrections, signal paths, tests and final approvals.

Discuss records in this sector

Digital & creative

Which decisions and revisions explain the final result?

The finished image, recording or programme is not the whole archive. Technical process records may be useful, but the rights around content, performers, contributors and commissioned work remain central.

Illustrative connectionNot a sample archive or a promise of value

01
Brief or technical requirement
02
Configuration, edit or creative choice
03
Review, test or correction
04
Approved output & rights record

Relevant records

Look beyond
the final file.

What was known, what was decided, what happened and what the evidence shows.

The examples below are categories to discuss. Existence, rights, suitability and buyer requirements still need to be established.

01

AV & live production

Room layouts, signal-flow diagrams, equipment configurations, commissioning results and acoustic measurements.

02

Media production & post-production

Permitted edit histories, technical workflows, review notes, localisation corrections and linked versions.

03

Studios & specialist workshops

Equipment maintenance, repair diagnoses, test observations and technical specifications, separated from third-party creative content.

Potential uses, not promised demand

What might an AI team investigate?

Evaluating retrieval from technical production documentation.
Researching revision and quality-review workflows using appropriately licensed material.
Testing whether an assistant can connect a production problem with the documented change and outcome.

Any actual recipient, purpose and permitted use must be agreed. These are research and evaluation possibilities, not confirmed buyers, available datasets or claims of proven AI performance.

Before anything is shared

The boundaries
are part of the work.

Copyright, performer and contributor permissions, commissioned-work contracts and platform licences may all apply.
Recorded voices, faces, client meetings and unpublished content are not assumed cleared for AI use.
Owning equipment or storing a master file does not necessarily confer the rights to license its content.

McKays does not promise that redaction or anonymisation will make material suitable. Detailed review, preparation responsibilities and any specialist advice must be agreed separately.

Find your kind of business

Specific work.
Specific records.

Explore examples for the businesses and organisations in this sector.

Find a business type

AV systems integrators

Record classes to describe, not upload

Room layouts and signal-flow diagrams
Commissioning tests and acoustic measurements
Client briefs and production or technical review discussions
Creative or engineering alternatives and revision decisions

Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.

Discuss this type of archive

AV equipment rental companies

Record classes to describe, not upload

Equipment configurations and rental histories
Faults, damage and maintenance records
Client briefs and production or technical review discussions
Creative or engineering alternatives and revision decisions

Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.

Discuss this type of archive

Live-event production companies

Record classes to describe, not upload

Cue sheets and show schedules
Technical incident logs and production records
Client briefs and production or technical review discussions
Creative or engineering alternatives and revision decisions

Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.

Discuss this type of archive

Recording studios

Record classes to describe, not upload

Multitrack recordings and edited audio
Session notes, signal chains and production methods
Client briefs and production or technical review discussions
Creative or engineering alternatives and revision decisions

Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.

Discuss this type of archive

Film and television production companies

Record classes to describe, not upload

Raw takes, rushes and production footage
Scripts, shot logs and media metadata
Client briefs and production or technical review discussions
Creative or engineering alternatives and revision decisions

Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.

Discuss this type of archive

Post-production and visual-effects studios

Record classes to describe, not upload

Edit versions and effects-review imagery
Creative revisions and review decisions
Client briefs and production or technical review discussions
Creative or engineering alternatives and revision decisions

Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.

Discuss this type of archive

Dubbing and localisation studios

Record classes to describe, not upload

Aligned dialogue takes and pronunciation corrections
Scripts, speaker labels and timing alignment
Client briefs and production or technical review discussions
Creative or engineering alternatives and revision decisions

Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.

Discuss this type of archive

Radio and television broadcasters

Record classes to describe, not upload

Programme audio and recorded broadcasts
Programme schedules and transmission logs
Client briefs and production or technical review discussions
Creative or engineering alternatives and revision decisions

Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.

Discuss this type of archive

News organisations

Record classes to describe, not upload

Interview recordings and transcripts
Editorial research files and verification evidence
Client briefs and production or technical review discussions
Creative or engineering alternatives and revision decisions

Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.

Discuss this type of archive

Photography agencies

Record classes to describe, not upload

Image archives and contact sheets
Captions, rights records and provenance metadata
Client briefs and production or technical review discussions
Creative or engineering alternatives and revision decisions

Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.

Discuss this type of archive

Musical-instrument repair workshops

Record classes to describe, not upload

Before-and-after sound recordings
Repair, tuning and playability outcomes
Client, supplier or technical query correspondence
Specialist operating and quality-control procedures

Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.

Discuss this type of archive

A useful first enquiry

Start with a description.
Not the archive.

Describe the technical or creative discipline, archive formats, version history and the known rights position. Do not attach media at this stage.

Paper, digital and mixed archives can be discussed. Approximate answers are fine. Mention your role, who can authorise a review and any practical deadline.

Prepare an enquiry

Send a non-confidential enquiry through the website. No archive files are uploaded.