Press Asset Checklist: What Every Horror Series Needs Before a Streaming Premiere

Press Asset Checklist: What Every Horror Series Needs Before a Streaming Premiere

Hook: Press requests, scattered assets, and last-minute screener drops are the fastest way to lose coverage. If you’re launching a horror series like The Malevolent Bride, assemble a press-ready kit that’s tidy, secure, and built for today’s multi-format media landscape—so critics, partners, and influencers can open everything in one go and start publishing.

Why this matters in 2026

Streaming ecosystems in late 2025 and early 2026 accelerated three trends that change how press assets must be packaged: the dominance of short-form vertical clips on discovery platforms, ubiquitous AI-generated captioning (and the verification work that follows), and new anti-piracy workflows (forensic watermarking and secure portals). Niche streamers—take ChaiFlicks picking up The Malevolent Bride—are expanding global reach, so every launch needs multi-language assets, accessibility-first captions, and both long-form and snackable creative. Getting assets right up front saves time, prevents leaks, and increases early coverage across outlets and social creators.

The complete press asset checklist (core items)

Below is a practical, production-ready list you can hand to press, partners, festivals, and talent managers. Follow the file format, naming, and delivery guidance to avoid confusion. Use this as a master list for your Electronic Press Kit (EPK).

Creative & Images

• Primary key art (hero banner) — 4K source if available. Deliver variants: 3840x2160 (16:9) for streaming hero, 1920x1080 HD preview, and a web-optimized JPG (1200x675). Include color profile (Rec.709/Rec.2020 for HDR assets).
• Vertical & social posters — 1080x1920 (Stories/Reels), 1080x1350 (Instagram 4:5), 1080x1080 (square). Provide both JPEG and PNG with transparent elements if needed.
• One-sheet / theatrical poster — high-res TIFF or PSD layered file, 300dpi, recommended size 2048x3072 px (2:3) for print. Include bleed and trim marks if you expect print runs.
• Thumbnail images — 1280x720 and 640x360 for article embeds and video players.
• Behind-the-scenes stills — 20–30 high-res images (3000px on longest side), staged and candids, numbered and captioned in metadata.

Trailers & Video Assets

Horror performs differently across formats: long-form trailers create mood, short-form clips drive shares. Deliver multiple edits with clear labels.

• Official trailer (theatrical/streaming) — Master ProRes 422 HQ (or ProRes 4444 if effects-heavy). Delivery file: MP4 H.264 or H.265 for web previews. Duration examples: 90–120s and 60s cuts.
• Teasers — 30s and 15s versions for social and promos.
• Social cutdowns — 60s, 30s, 15s, and 6s bumper cuts in 9:16, 4:5, and 1:1 aspect ratios. Include burned-in caption versions for platforms that autoplay muted.
• Episode-first look clips — 60–90s preview clips for journalists; provide SRT and burned captions for each language required.
• Audio mixes — Stereo and 5.1 mixes. Loudness notes: provide stems and note platform target (-14 LUFS for many streaming services; confirm platform-specific requirements). Include mono mix for radio/TV if requested.

Subtitled clips & localization

Global launches demand ready-to-publish subtitles. Don’t rely solely on auto-captioning—deliver QA’ed files.

• SRT and VTT files — Timecode-accurate subtitles for every video asset. Files must match filename and frame rate. Example: MB_S1_E01_90s_trailer_23.976fps.en.srt.
• Burned-in captions (open captions) — For social: 9:16 burned captions with safe margins and high-contrast fonts. Provide at least one burned-in file per language for immediate posting.
• Translated subtitle packages — Top market languages plus subtitles for accessibility (English SDH, Spanish, French, Hebrew if the show is Israeli-origin like The Malevolent Bride). Include translation notes with cultural context for journalists covering faith-sensitive scenes.
• Subtitle styling spec — Font, size, color, positioning, and max characters per line. Consistency prevents clipping on mobile players.

Talent & Production Materials

• Talent bios (short + extended) — One-paragraph logline bio (30–40 words) and a longer bio (150–250 words) for showrunner, lead actors, and key creatives. Include pronouns, representative credits, and notable awards. Example: Leeoz Levy — include mention of milestone "first leading role" and safe wording for trans identity per talent guidance.
• Headshots & group photos — High-res portrait headshots (3000px) and group shots with credit lines and photographer attribution.
• Credit lists & episode guide — Full credit roster, showrunner note, episode synopses (short: 25–35 words; long: 100–200 words), and episode runtime table.
• Production notes & filmmaker statements — Director’s intent, inspirations, and production anecdotes useful for features and think pieces—especially important for culturally specific horror like The Malevolent Bride.

Press Documents & Legal

• Press release (embargoed & day-of) — One-page headline release with boilerplate, release timestamp in ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DDThh:mmTZD), and an explicit embargo field if applicable.
• One-sheet PDF / EPK — A single downloadable PDF that compiles the logline, key art, episode guide, talent highlights, and contact info.
• Music & rights clearances — Cue sheet for music, credits, and any sample usage details. Flag any third-party materials requiring additional clearance.
• Trigger & content advisories — Horror can involve sensitive themes; include clear warnings for depictions of violence, religious content, or potential transphobic framing. Provide notes to help reporters cover those elements responsibly.

Distribution & Security

• Secure screener workflow — Use forensic watermarking for screeners (Irdeto, NAGRA, or platform-integrated watermarking). Provide instructions for screener access, viewing windows, and anti-leak policies.
• File delivery methods — Aspera/Signiant for large masters, secure SFTP, and expiring cloud links (Dropbox/Google/Box) with access logs. Include MD5 or SHA256 checksums for master files.
• Press portal — A centralized landing page with login or tokenized access; include an index, file manifests, and contact information. Track downloads and note press assets with embargo metadata.

Practical file naming, metadata & specs

Consistency saves time. Adopt a simple, predictable naming standard so journalists can find everything programmatically or by eye.

Recommended naming convention

Use this convention for every asset:

ShowSlug_S{season}E{episode}_{AssetType}_{Description}_{Language}_{FPS/Aspect}.{ext}

Examples:

• MB_S1_E01_90s_trailer_en_23.976.mp4
• MB_KeyArt_Hero_3840x2160_HDR.psd
• MB_Talent_LeeozLevy_headshot_en.jpg

Essential metadata

• Title / Original title
• Country of origin
• Language(s) and subtitle languages
• Episode runtime and frame rate
• Release date and embargo timestamp
• Credits (key cast, director, showrunner, producers)
• Contact — PR name, email, phone, timezone

Technical specs (quick reference)

• Video masters: ProRes 422 HQ (or 4444 if necessary) — 10-bit where possible; HDR: Dolby Vision/ HDR10 masters in Rec.2020.
• Web delivery: MP4 (H.264) for compatibility; H.265 for smaller size on supported platforms.
• Resolution: deliver 4K masters (3840x2160) where available; 1920x1080 for HD proxies.
• Audio: 5.1 and stereo mixes. Provide dialog stems for localization if requested.
• Subtitles: SRT and WebVTT. Include timecode fps tag if non-standard (23.976/25/29.97).
• Image: TIFF/PSD for print, PNG/JPG for web. Use sRGB for web; embed color profiles for print/HDR assets.

Accessibility, localization & ethical coverage

2026 audiences and outlets expect accessible assets. Make it easy for outlets and creators to repurpose materials while respecting identity and cultural contexts.

• SDH (Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing) — Deliver English SDH files that include speaker labels and non-verbal cues (e.g., [door creaks], [whispering]).
• Localization packages — Localized subtitles and burned-in captions for priority territories. Provide translation credits and notes on cultural references.
• Pronoun & identity guidance — For shows featuring trans talent or sensitive cultural touchpoints (e.g., the Mea Shearim setting in The Malevolent Bride), include a brief guidance note with recommended phrasing and interview considerations.
• Content warnings — Standardized trigger warnings for violence, religiously sensitive scenes, and depictions of mental health. Provide suggested copy for headlines and social posts.

Pitch-ready press materials and social copy

Give press everything they need to publish fast: ready-to-go quotes, suggested tweet copy, and multi-platform social blurbs.

• Suggested embargoed tweet / headline pack — 2–3 variations for lead paragraphs, tweet text under 280 characters, 2–3 short Instagram captions, and suggested hashtags.
• Pull quotes — Short, attribution-ready quotes from showrunner or lead talent (20–40 words) to use as article openers or social overlays.
• Interview availability — Time windows, preferred interview format (live/recorded), and a roster of available talent with PR contact details and timezone conversion tips.

Security & embargo best practices

Piracy and premature leaks are real risks for high-interest horror titles. Use these practices:

• Watermarked screeners — Embed forensic watermarks in every screener with press ID and timestamped access logs.
• Tokenized links — Share expiring, token-validated URLs; avoid generic public links for embargoed material.
• Clear embargo language — State embargo timestamps in ISO 8601 with timezone. Example: "Embargo lifts: 2026-02-01T08:00:00Z (UTC)."
• Audit logs — Maintain download and access logs to quickly identify breaches.

Case study: How The Malevolent Bride could present its EPK

Take the recent acquisition by ChaiFlicks as an example. Here’s a scenario for a clean press roll-out:

1. Press portal live 72 hours before embargo with low-res watermarked trailers and thumbnail images for preview.
2. Embargoed 90s trailer (ProRes master + H.264 proxy) with English SRT and Hebrew subtitles; two social cutdowns (9:16, 1:1) burned with captions.
3. Talent packet: short bios, high-res headshots for Tom Avni, Leeoz Levy, Hisham Suliman, and Maya Wertheimer; PR contact details and interview windows.
4. Content guidance: cultural context paragraph about Mea Shearim, trigger warnings, and suggested lines for sensitive coverage.
5. Day-of assets: press release, episode guide PDFs, one-sheet TIFF, and a press-only Zoom room schedule for premieres and critic Q&A.

2026 trends to bake into your press kit strategy

Planning for the next wave of coverage means accounting for the way press and creators work now.

• Short-form first — Allocate your editing and localization budget to 9:16 and 4:5 formats. Short clips are primary discovery tools on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels.
• AI-assisted captioning + human QC — Use AI for speed but always include a human pass for names, cultural references, and tone—especially for translations tied to religion or regional dialects.
• Forensic watermarking expectation — Most broadcasters and trade outlets now expect visible or embedded watermarking for screeners.
• Inclusive press materials — Press now expects pronoun clarity, trigger warnings, and identity-sensitive bio language in the kit.
• SEO-friendly metadata — Provide meta titles and descriptions for each asset so sites can publish cleanly and retain link equity back to your official pages.

Quick checklist you can copy-paste

• Hero key art (4K master + web JPG)
• One-sheet TIFF/PSD (2048x3072, 300dpi)
• Primary trailer (ProRes + H.264 proxy) — 90s & 60s
• Social cutdowns — 9:16, 1:1, 4:5 (60/30/15/6s)
• SRT & VTT subtitles for English + priority languages; burned-in captions for social
• Talent bios (short + long) and headshots
• Episode synopses and full credits
• Press release (embargoed + day-of) and EPK PDF
• Secure screener with forensic watermarking; access logs and expiry
• Contact card: PR name, email, phone, timezone

Actionable rollout timeline (sample)

Use this timeline to avoid last-minute fires. Modify based on your platform pick-up and release cadence.

1. T-30 days: Finalize key art, master trailer, and one-sheet. Lock fonts and branding guidelines.
2. T-14 days: Create social cutdowns, burned captions for major languages, and first-round SRTs. Set up press portal and watermarking process.
3. T-7 days: Upload embargoed assets to the portal, send embargoed press release to select outlets with access tokens.
4. T-1 day: Confirm interview schedules, finalize day-of assets, and test all download links and watermarks.
5. Day-of: Open portal, distribute screeners as scheduled, and publish press release at the exact ISO timestamp. Monitor coverage and downloads.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Missing burned captions: Provide at least one burned-in social clip per language. Many creators will repost muted autoplay clips; burned captions increase pickup.
• Inconsistent filenames: Use the standard naming convention above—mismatched fps or language tags cause caption sync issues.
• Late legal clearances: Lock music and third-party rights early; unresolved music can block ads and social promotion.
• No contact availability: Give press time windows and a backup PR contact across timezones—news cycles are global.

Final takeaways

In 2026, a press kit is not a folder of PDFs—it's a distribution-ready product. For horror series like The Malevolent Bride, the stakes are higher: cultural context, trigger sensitivity, and pronunciation guidance matter as much as a spooky trailer. Build your kit with localization, accessibility, security, and short-form formats front and center.

Actionable next steps: create a single-source press portal, standardize file naming, produce burned captions for social, and watermark every embargoed screener. Run a pre-embargo QA checklist two days before the press drop to catch frame-rate mismatches, subtitle sync issues, and missing credits.

Call to action

Want a downloadable, printable press asset template tailored for horror series? Visit comings.xyz to get our free Press Asset Checklist (print-ready PDF) and a Trello template you can copy into your workflow. Need a quick consult to prep an EPK for your next premiere? Reach out to our team and we’ll audit your assets in 48 hours.

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