Chapters

Review guidelines for inserting timecodes for Chapter Breaks. These will be used by ad-supported platforms.

Chapters are recommended and only apply to the Main Video (not to trailers or other videos). These are just timestamps and should not be in the Main Video file.
No Chapters in the first or last 5 minutes. After the first Chapter, each subsequent Chapter must be every 8-12 minutes. Your first Chapter break can be at any point after 5 minutes.
Chapter 1 always starts at timecode 00:00:00:00.
For titles less than 20 minutes, only 2 Chapters are allowed.
For titles less than 10 minutes, no Chapter is allowed.
All time codes must be frame-accurate.
Frames in the time codes must match the video's frame rate or you will not be able to submit. For example, entering "27" as FF for a 24 fps video is invalid.

In the Video section, scroll down to Chapters.
Each Chapter has three fields:
- Name - name of the chapter.
- Time - timecode of the start point of the chapter. It's also the time location where the advertisement break is inserted. Must be frame-accurate.
- Thumbnail Time (optional): timecode of the thumbnail. The frame at this exact time location is used as the thumbnail image for this chapter on some streaming services.
Enter "00:00:00:00" as the first one, click the "Add" button to create the next.

It is best to place a Chapter after a scene's end or before a major lighting change.
Try to avoid placing ad breaks in the middle of a monologue, dialogue, or action sequence.
It is best to find scene changes with black frames in between. If not available, use the timecode of the first frame of the next scene/shot.
Use the Filmhub video player to identify the best spots - we ONLY support Chrome browser for this at the moment:
- Go to the beginning of the time range where you want your next ad break to be
- Play the video, find a scene change, extended transition, or clean cut. Use the Left or Right arrows on your keyboard to jump 10 secs back or forward if needed.
- Once you find the spot, pause a few seconds right before it, and use "." key on your keyboard to step frame forward until you get to the very first frame of the next scene/shot, enter the timecode displayed on the left of the progress bar.