Artwork Requirements

In this guide

• Required image sizes
• Image design requirements
• Safe area
• Common reasons artwork fails QC
• Tips for great artwork

Required image sizes

Filmhub accepts artwork across multiple aspect ratios to meet the varied display requirements of our channel partners. Some sizes are required before your title can be submitted; others are optional but strongly recommended because they unlock additional distribution opportunities.

Movies

Shows

Note on recommended sizes: While not required to submit your title, missing these slots will be flagged during QC. Providing them significantly expands your distribution reach, as many channels specifically require these aspect ratios. Season and Episode images must be textless.

Accepted file formats: JPEG or PNG only. PSD files are not accepted.

Image design requirements

Streaming channels expect clean, professionally designed key art. Your artwork should prominently feature the title name against imagery that represents your content.

What your artwork must include

• The title name — all texted image slots (every slot except the 16:9 Textless, Season images, and Episode images) must display the title name clearly.
• Content imagery — your artwork must include visual elements that relate to your content, such as characters, locations, or scenes. A title name on a plain background with no other imagery will not pass QC.
• Consistent imagery across sizes — use the same key art and fonts across all aspect ratios. Each size should be a purpose-built crop or redesign of your key art, not a simple crop of the portrait image pasted into a landscape slot.

What your artwork must not include

Subtext and promotional elements — do not include any of the following:

• Actor or character names, billing blocks, or production credits
• Taglines, quotes, review pull quotes, or critic blurbs
• Festival laurels, awards badges, or official selection stamps
• Streaming service logos (Netflix, Amazon, etc.)
• Season numbers (e.g., "Season 2")
• URLs, QR codes, release dates, or premiere dates

Physical packaging or promotional materials — do not submit:

• DVD, Blu-ray, or VHS cover scans or designs
• Scanned theatrical posters (especially those showing fold lines, spine details, or physical media formatting)
• One-sheets or pitch documents

Stills as main artwork — plain film stills without a title name are not accepted for texted image slots. Stills can be uploaded to the "Other Artwork" section.

Restricted content — artwork must not depict:

• Drug use or paraphernalia
• Nudity or explicit sexual content
• Excessive or graphic violence

Weapons are permitted if presented discreetly and not pointed directly at the viewer or characters.

Textless slots must stay textless — the 16:9 Textless image slot, Season images, and Episode images must contain absolutely no text, including the title name. Any text in these slots is grounds for a QC fail.

Image quality

All artwork must be:

• Sized to the minimum pixel dimensions listed above (or larger)
• Sharp and in focus — pixelated or blurry images will fail QC
• Free of heavy JPEG compression artifacts
• Properly proportioned — do not stretch or pad images to meet aspect ratio requirements

Safe area

Filmhub requires a 5% safe area margin on all four sides of every image. This ensures that your title name and key visual elements are not cut off when channels display your artwork across different devices and screen sizes.

When you hover over an uploaded image on your title's Artwork tab, a safe zone overlay will appear automatically so you can verify your design meets this requirement.

What must stay within the safe zone:

• All overlaid text, including the title name
• Lead talent faces, specifically eyebrows and chins

Exceptions:

• Decorative or background text that is part of the photographic or illustrated background (e.g., a sign in a scene) is not evaluated for safe zone placement
• For stylized creative compositions or large group shots, some leniency applies. For individual title text, insignificant portions of a letter can slightly cross the safe zone as long as the character is still clearly legible.

If your title name or a character's face is cropped or falls outside the safe zone, your artwork will fail QC.

Common reasons artwork fails QC

Understanding these common fail reasons will help you prepare artwork that clears QC on the first submission.

1. Artwork does not qualify (Mandatory fail)

Your artwork will fail if it does not meet the basic definition of streaming key art. Specific examples that do not qualify:

• All images are plain stills without a title name
• All images are scanned or photographed from physical media (DVD covers, VHS sleeves, folded theatrical posters)
• Images are pitch materials or one-sheets rather than streaming key art
• The title name is the only element, and no content imagery is present
• The 16:9 Textless slot contains text or a title name

A plain background with a title name and nothing else does not pass. Your artwork needs both a title and imagery that represent your content (characters, scenes, etc.).

2. Title name missing or not legible (Mandatory fail)

All texted artwork slots must display the title name. Your artwork will fail if:

• The title name is not present in a texted image slot
• The title name is too small to read at thumbnail size
• The title name is obscured by busy background imagery

3. Title name does not match submission (Mandatory fail)

The title name displayed on your artwork must match the title name submitted in your metadata exactly. If the name on your artwork differs from the title you submitted, including alternate spellings, translations, or shortened versions, this will fail QC.

4. Additional text elements present (Mandatory fail)

Only the title name is permitted as overlaid text. Everything else (taglines, actor names, billing blocks, awards, reviews, streaming logos, URLs, season numbers, and similar elements) must be removed before your artwork can pass. This includes text that may appear small but is still present.

5. Text or faces outside the safe zone (Mandatory fail)

As described in the Safe area section above, all text and lead talent faces (eyebrows through chins) must fall within the 5% safe zone margin on all four sides.

6. Image is stretched or padded (Mandatory fail)

Do not resize or reframe an image by stretching it to fit an aspect ratio it was not designed for, or by adding padding (blank bars on any side). Each image slot should be filled with purposefully designed art at the correct proportions. Using your portrait image as-is for a landscape slot, for example, will not pass.

7. Image is pixelated or blurry (Mandatory fail)

All artwork must be sharp and high-resolution. Pixelated, blurry, or heavily compressed images will fail QC and need to be replaced with higher-quality source files.

8. Recommended image sizes missing (Acceptable; does not block distribution)

If you have not uploaded artwork for one or more of the recommended (non-required) slots, such as 16:6, 2:1, 16:9 Textless, or Season/Episode images, your title will pass QC, but these slots will be flagged. We strongly recommend providing these images, as many channel partners specifically request these formats.

Tips for great artwork

• Design for the thumbnail — your artwork will be viewed at very small sizes on most platforms. Keep your title name large, clear, and readable even at a glance.
• Use consistent key art — use the same core image, fonts, and color palette across all aspect ratios for a cohesive look across channels.
• Design each size natively — don't just crop a portrait image for landscape slots. Redesign the layout so key elements (faces, title name) are well-positioned for each aspect ratio.
• Leave space at the edges — design with the 5% safe zone in mind from the start so you don't need to rework images after submission.
• Start with high resolution — always work from the highest resolution source files possible to avoid compression and pixelation.
• Keep it clean — streaming channels favor simple, uncluttered key art. Fewer elements, larger title treatment, and strong content imagery perform best.

For design inspiration and more detailed guidance, see our Artwork Best Practices article.