# Picture Lock

Source: https://storiara.com/glossary/picture-lock
Last updated: 2026-09-14
Author: Nick Harty, Storiara

> Picture lock is the point in post-production when the edit is declared final: shot selection, order, and duration will not change. Once picture is locked, the cut is turned over to sound, music, visual effects, and color, who all finish their work against the same fixed timecode.

## What gets turned over

On the day of lock, the [assistant editor](https://storiara.com/roles/assistant-editor) prepares a turnover for each department. A typical package:

| Recipient | What they get |
|---|---|
| Conform and color | [EDL](https://storiara.com/glossary/edl) or XML per reel, reference video, list of VFX shots |
| Sound editorial | AAF with production audio and handles, reference video with timecode burn |
| Composer | Reference video with temp music removed or on a separate track, cue list |
| VFX vendors | Shot plates with handles, reference clips, lineup sheets |
| Titles and graphics | Durations and in points for main and end titles |

The reference video carries burned in source and record timecode so everyone can talk about the same frame. If Reel 3 starts at 03:00:00:00 and a sound editor says there is a click at 03:12:44:17, the editor can find it in seconds.

## Why the date matters so much

Everything after lock is built on fixed timings. The composer writes cues to the frame. The sound team cuts effects and [foley](https://storiara.com/glossary/foley) against picture. The colorist grades each shot after the [conform](https://storiara.com/glossary/conform). If one scene loses four seconds, the music cue across it no longer lands, the sound edit has to shift, and the grade may need new shots.

Post schedules are usually built backward from the delivery date. A plan for an indie feature might hold several weeks for sound editorial, a week or two for the mix, and a separate block for the grade, all starting from the lock date. Those durations depend on the facility and the film, so get them from your vendors.

## Unlocking without chaos

It happens. A distributor buys the film and wants two minutes out, or a test screening shows a confusing scene. When changes come after lock, editorial issues a change list that tells each department exactly which events moved and by how much. Sound and picture teams can conform their work to the change list instead of starting over. Changes are cheaper when they are grouped into one revision rather than dribbled out over weeks.

## Common confusion

Picture lock does not mean the film is finished. Sound, music, color, VFX, titles, and [deliverables](https://storiara.com/glossary/deliverables) all still come after it. People new to post sometimes schedule a festival submission for the week after lock and find there is no mix yet. Ask the [post-production supervisor](https://storiara.com/roles/post-production-supervisor) for the full schedule from lock to delivery before promising anyone a date.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can you change a film after picture lock?

Yes, but every department that has started from the locked cut has to update its work. That usually means change lists, extra sound editorial time, and possibly VFX and grading changes, all of which cost money.

### What is a turnover?

The package the editorial team sends to each department at lock: reference video with burned in timecode, EDLs or AAF files, and notes.

### What happens right after picture lock?

Editorial turns the cut over to the conform and color facility, the sound team, the composer, and VFX vendors, and each works to a delivery date.