Gotham CCSL — How We Work
A Process Built for
Precision & Speed.
From the moment you submit your materials to the moment your platform-compliant CCSL lands in your inbox — here is exactly how Gotham CCSL works.
How It Works
Five Steps from Submission to Delivery
Gotham CCSL follows a consistent five-step process on every project — whether it's a ten-minute short or a two-hour feature. The process is designed to be transparent, efficient, and stress-free for the filmmaker or producer on the other end.
Every deliverable is produced manually by a human expert — no automation, no AI-generated output. What you receive is the result of careful, frame-by-frame attention to your locked picture cut.
Submit Your Materials
Send us your locked picture cut, platform specification, and project details. We confirm receipt within one business day.
Review & Assessment
We review your materials, confirm the platform spec, and provide a formal quote and timeline before any work begins.
Production
Philip works through your locked cut frame by frame — logging every line of dialogue, action, on-screen text, and music cue with SMPTE timecodes.
Quality Control
Every deliverable is checked against our internal QC checklist and the platform's current specification before it leaves our hands.
Delivery
Your completed, platform-compliant CCSL is delivered in your required format — Excel, PDF, or both — on or before your agreed deadline.
Step 01 — Getting Started
Submit Your Materials
The process begins with a simple submission. Use our contact form to send us your project details — we will review everything and respond with a confirmed quote and timeline within one business day.
We work from your locked picture cut only — we do not produce CCSLs from rough cuts or assembly edits. If your picture is not yet locked, contact us anyway and we can discuss timeline planning.
- Locked picture cut — screener link or file transfer
- Target platform or distributor name
- Project runtime and frame rate
- Required deliverable — CCSL, Dialogue Spotting List, or both
- Your delivery deadline
- Any platform-specific notes or prior rejected documents
No work begins until you approve the quote. We confirm scope, pricing, and timeline in writing before production starts — no surprises.
Step 02 — Before Work Begins
Review & Assessment
Once we receive your materials, Philip reviews your locked picture cut, confirms the platform specification, and assesses the project in full before any work begins. This step ensures complete clarity on scope, pricing, and timeline — for both sides.
You receive a formal written quote covering the exact deliverable, the agreed rate, and the confirmed delivery date. Production does not start until you approve it — no assumptions, no surprises.
Have a prior rejected document? Send it along with your submission. We will identify the non-compliance issues and quote accordingly.
Step 03 — The Work
Production
This is where the work happens. Philip works through your locked picture cut frame by frame — logging every element required by your platform's specification with SMPTE timecode accuracy. No shortcuts, no automation, no AI-generated output.
The production phase is the most time-intensive part of the process — and deliberately so. Accuracy at this stage determines whether your document passes platform QC. Every cue is verified against the picture before it is logged.
What We Log — Every Project
- All spoken dialogue
- Action lines
- On-screen text
- Music cues
- Foreign language inserts
- Character identification
- SMPTE in & out timecodes
- Lip-sync notes
Step 04 — Before It Leaves Our Hands
Quality Control
Before any deliverable leaves Gotham CCSL, it goes through a thorough internal QC process. Every document is checked against both our internal standards and the platform's current technical specification — not a generic checklist, but the actual requirements for your specific distributor.
This step exists because a single timecode error or formatting deviation can trigger a platform rejection. Our QC process is the last line of defence before your document enters the distribution pipeline.
Timecode Accuracy Check
Every in and out timecode is verified against the locked picture cut. Frame-accurate accuracy is confirmed on every cue before sign-off.
Platform Spec Compliance
The document is checked against the platform's current formatting specification — column structure, character encoding, file format, and delivery requirements.
Completeness Verification
Every required element is confirmed present — dialogue, action lines, on-screen text, music cues, foreign language inserts, and character identification.
Final Review
Philip reviews the completed document in full as a final read-through — checking for consistency, formatting, and overall integrity before delivery is authorized.
If it doesn't pass our internal QC, it doesn't leave our hands. We have never had a CCSL rejected by a platform for non-compliance — and we intend to keep it that way.
Step 05 — The Finish Line
Delivery
Once your document has passed our internal QC, it is packaged and delivered to you in your required format — on or before your agreed deadline. Delivery is via secure file transfer link, with confirmation sent to your email.
Your deliverable arrives ready for immediate platform submission — no reformatting, no revision needed. If for any reason a platform raises a compliance issue after delivery, we will address it at no additional charge.
- Platform-compliant — built to your distributor's current specification
- Frame-accurate timecodes — verified against your locked picture cut
- Ready for immediate submission — no reformatting required
- Post-delivery support included — any compliance issues addressed at no charge
Why Gotham CCSL
The Process Behind the Precision.
Our five-step process exists for one reason — to ensure that every deliverable is accurate, compliant, and ready for platform submission the first time, every time.
No Work Without Approval
Every project begins with a written quote covering scope, rate, and deadline. Production never starts without your written sign-off — no assumptions, no unexpected charges.
Frame-by-Frame Manual Production
Every cue is logged manually from your locked picture cut — no automation, no AI, no shortcuts. The accuracy of your CCSL depends on the attention given to every frame.
Internal QC Before Every Delivery
Every deliverable passes our internal QC checklist before it leaves our hands. We have never had a CCSL rejected by a platform for non-compliance — and we intend to keep it that way.
Deadlines Guaranteed in Writing
Your delivery date is confirmed at the quote stage and guaranteed in writing before production begins. Standard turnaround is 7–10 business days — rush available when you need it.
Philip Kotur
CCSL Specialist — Gotham CCSL
Philip Kotur is a New York-based post-production documentation specialist who personally handles every project at Gotham CCSL — from submission through delivery. There is no junior team, no outsourcing, no delegation. When you work with Gotham CCSL, you work directly with Philip.
Gotham CCSL delivered a flawless document on a very tight deadline. The CCSL was accepted by Netflix without a single revision request. I won't use anyone else.
Paul McGuire
Producer
Start Your Project
Five Steps to a
Platform-Compliant CCSL.
The process is straightforward. Send us your project details and we will respond with a confirmed quote and timeline within one business day. No work begins until you approve it in writing.
Response within 1 business day ⎯ No work without written approval ⎯ Rush turnaround available