Guides / Who owns the source files
Who owns the source files for your explainer video
The masters are the film. The source files are the ability to change the film without coming back. Only one of those is usually in the contract.
The short answer
On final payment you should own the delivered films and the source files outright, worldwide and in perpetuity.
Source files means the project file, the compositions, the asset files and the font list. Aurevon ships all of it on final payment as standard. Many studios do not, and the contract is usually silent rather than explicit. In our September 2026 check of 52 studios, only 6 of the 25 that publish prices said source files come with a single video.
What "source files" actually means
| What you get | What it is | What it lets you do |
|---|---|---|
| Masters | Rendered MP4 files | Publish the film as it is |
| Project file | The editable animation project | Change a scene without rebuilding |
| Compositions | The layered scenes inside it | Re-time, re-cut, re-export |
| Assets | Illustrations, icons, UI captures | Reuse the visual system elsewhere |
| Font list | Which typefaces, which weights | Open the project without substitution |
Without the project file, a price change on a pricing screen eighteen months from now means paying someone to rebuild the scene from scratch, or living with an out-of-date film.
Why studios withhold them
Two reasons, one reasonable and one not.
The reasonable one: source files are messy, and handing them over invites support questions long after the invoice is paid. Some studios charge a release fee to cover that.
The other one is retention. A client who cannot edit the film has to return to the studio for every change, at whatever the rate is then. That is a business model, and it is worth recognising before you sign rather than after.
What to put in the agreement
- Ownership transfers on final payment, worldwide, in perpetuity, for any use.
- Source files are named in the deliverables, not implied by the word "files".
- Before final payment, the studio retains ownership and the files are licensed for review only. This protects both sides and is normal.
- The studio keeps its own tools and templates. That is reasonable and does not limit your ownership of the film itself.
The licence question underneath it
Owning the project file is not the same as owning everything inside it. Stock music, licensed fonts and purchased illustrations usually come with their own terms that do not transfer. Ask which third-party assets are in the film and what their licences permit, particularly for paid advertising, which many standard music licences exclude.
Questions people ask
Do we get source files at Aurevon?
Yes, on final payment, as standard and at no additional charge. Project file, compositions, assets and font list.
Can we edit the film ourselves afterwards?
Yes. That is the point of receiving the project file. You will need the same software and the fonts listed.
What if we never intend to edit it?
Take them anyway. They cost nothing at handover and are expensive to obtain later, particularly if the studio has closed or the relationship has ended.
Does the music licence transfer?
Standard stock library tracks are licensed to the project rather than sold outright. Ask specifically whether the licence covers paid advertising, because many do not.