Week 1: wrap and protect the footage
The first days after wrap are about protecting the work. Back up all footage in at least two independent places, one near you and one remote. Log every take with episode and scene references so the editor never has to guess. Sync audio and picture before handing files forward. These steps feel quiet, but mistakes here cost weeks of unpicking later.
Weeks 2-3: the assembly cut
Cut the whole series together in sequence, episode by episode, without worrying yet about polish. The goal is to feel whether each episode has a working hook, a small emotional movement, and a strong closing beat. Expect to trim ten to twenty percent of the material; what plays well in isolation sometimes drags in context. Watching the assembly with a couple of honest first viewers helps more than one might expect.
Weeks 4-5: finishing
Lock each episode, grade it with a consistent palette so the series has one visual identity, and do a real sound mix even if you are working alone. A good mix is one of the quiet things that separates a series people finish from a series people stop halfway through.
Week 6: titles, thumbnails, descriptions
Write a series title, episode titles, one-line descriptions and a short synopsis. Design vertical thumbnails in 1080 by 1920 that read clearly at small size. Each thumbnail should communicate the emotional state of the episode at a glance. If you plan to publish in more than one language, produce localized versions; machine translation is usually not enough at the thumbnail level.
Week 7: onboarding
Apply to your chosen platform early. Review and onboarding typically take one to two weeks, and the process is smoother when you already have the pieces ready: masters, subtitles, thumbnails, metadata in every language you plan to publish in, and a short note about your creative direction. Sending a complete package tends to move everything forward faster.
Week 8: going live
Release the first episodes and watch the retention curve closely. Most drop-offs happen at specific points, typically around the second or third gated episode. If your curve breaks there, the fix is often a stronger cliffhanger one or two episodes before. Good platforms share this data with you directly, so the next series you make can be built from evidence rather than instinct.
If you are close to this moment with a series of your own, you can apply to publish on Dramaloft and our team will help you through the onboarding.