Deliverables
What Stems, Alternates, and Cue Sheets Actually Are
These three deliverables show up in every scoring contract. Here's what they are and why your post team needs them.
Three deliverables show up in nearly every scoring contract, and the names get thrown around like everyone knows them. Here's the plain version.
Stems are the separated layers of a finished cue — strings, brass, percussion, synths, whatever the score contains. Your post team needs them so the dub stage can balance the music against dialogue and effects without re-recording anything. If a cue buries a line of dialogue, the mixer turns down the string stem, not the whole score.
Alternates are different versions of a cue for different uses — an international version (no vocals or lyrics), a broadcast version (cleared for TV standards), a shorter or longer cut, or a trailer edit. Having them at delivery saves you from paying for emergency sessions later.
A cue sheet is a document listing every cue: title, duration, composer, publisher, and usage. It's what your team files with performance-rights organizations so royalties get tracked. A clean cue sheet at delivery is the difference between a smooth release and a paperwork fire.
If your agreement doesn't spell these out, ask for them. Stems, alternates, and a cue sheet are the difference between a delivery and a finished delivery.