Locked Picture
Finalized edit approved for sound and color finishing, with no further picture changes permitted.
Definition
Locked picture represents the final edited version of content with all creative and technical changes completed, enabling sound design, color grading, and visual effects to proceed without risk of timing changes.
This milestone requires formal approval from all decision-makers including directors, producers, and distributors. Any subsequent picture changes require expensive re-work of all downstream finishing processes.
Why It Matters
Picture lock enables efficient post-production workflow by allowing simultaneous work on sound, color, and effects rather than sequential processing, significantly reducing completion time and costs.
This checkpoint also finalizes delivery schedules and marketing timeline commitments, as all remaining post-production work can be accurately scheduled once picture timing is permanently established.
Examples in Practice
Marvel films typically lock picture months before release to accommodate extensive visual effects rendering and international dubbing requirements for global simultaneous release.
Television series lock individual episodes on rolling schedules, enabling efficient post-production pipeline management while subsequent episodes continue through editing phases.
Independent films often lock picture after test screenings, incorporating audience feedback into final creative decisions before committing to expensive finishing processes.