Audio & Sound Design Quick-Apply Portfolio Checklist for TV and Streaming Jobs

Apply fast. Get hired faster: your one-page audio portfolio checklist for TV & streaming

Searching through long, poorly formatted portfolios wastes time — yours and hiring managers'. If you want to move from discovery to interview for TV and streaming jobs, have a compact, job-ready audio portfolio that answers producers' top questions in under a minute. This checklist gives you the exact assets, formats, and organization hiring teams expect in 2026, plus quick-packaging tips so you can quick-apply to TV scoring jobs with confidence.

Why this matters in 2026

Streaming platforms and networks accelerated professional audio requirements in late 2024–2025: wider adoption of immersive mixes (Dolby Atmos), stricter localization workflows, and faster cycle times for episodic scoring. Producers now expect rapid delivery of stems and clean cues for ADR, promos, and adaptive music pipelines. At the same time, edge-backed production workflows for small teams and cloud collaboration mean you can prepare a professional deliverable faster — but only if you know what to include. This checklist is built for that new reality.

One-page quick-apply checklist (print or keep on your desktop)

• Demo reel (highlights): 60–90 seconds, mix-focused, highest-impact cues up front. MP3 320kbps + WAV 48kHz/24-bit source.
• Full cues for review: 3–5 full-length cues, 60–180 seconds each. Provide WAVs (48kHz/24-bit) and reference MP3 previews.
• Stems per cue: At minimum - Music (MIX), Music-only (MUSIC), FX, Ambience/Textures, Rhythm/Percussion, Lead Elements (if applicable). Supply BWF (Broadcast Wave) or WAV with clear metadata.
• Alternate mixes: Clean music-only bed (no dialog), punch-in stems for trailers/promos, and a short 10–20s promo-ready loop for quick auditioning.
• Immersive assets (if available): Dolby Atmos and spatial audio previews or stems mastered for object-based beds. If you can’t deliver Atmos, offer a 5.1 and stereo mix.
• Metadata & cue sheet: Title, cue length, tempo, key, mood, usage examples (e.g., "tense chase, ep.1 promo"), copyright & licensing notes, publisher/rights contact.
• File naming & folder structure: Simple and consistent (see examples below).
• One-page PDF portfolio: A single-page summary with links to demo reel, cue folder, stems, and credits. Include one-line bios, notable credits, and contact info.
• Hosted delivery: Cloud link (Dropbox/Google Drive/WeTransfer) and a streaming preview link (SoundCloud/YouTube private or password-protected page).
• Quick-apply email template: 2–3 lines, relevance-first, link to one-page PDF, and subject line with job ref. (Template included below.)

Detailed breakdown: what to include and exactly how to format it

Demo reel: length, structure, and placement

Length: 60–90 seconds for TV/streaming roles in 2026. Recruiters scan quickly — under 90s is ideal.

Structure: Start with your strongest, most job-specific moment (e.g., tense drama cue for a thriller series). Follow with contrasting moods to show range: tension → emotional → theme. End with a memorable hook. Use quick fades to keep transitions clean.

Versions: Provide one high-quality MP3 (320kbps) for immediate playback and a WAV (48kHz/24-bit) as the source. Label clearly: "REEL_60s_2026_NAME.mp3" and "REEL_SRC_48k_24b_NAME.wav".

Full cues & stems: why producers ask for them

Producers want stems to: adjust music in post, create promo edits, localize mixes, and test cues against picture. In 2026, many streaming workflows are modular — music must be adaptable. Provide these minimum stems per cue:

• MIX — Final stereo/5.1 mix.
• MUSIC — Music-only mix without any sound effects or dialog bleed.
• FX — Sound design or processed elements separate from core music.
• AMBIENCE/TEXTURES — Pads, drones, environmental beds.
• PERCUSSION/RHYTHM — If percussion is a separate element.
• LEAD — Any melodic lead (vocal line or featured instrument).

For Atmos-capable submissions, include ADM BWF or stems prepared for an object-based mix — see industry writeups about spatial audio workflows. If Atmos isn’t possible, ensure a 5.1 bed and stereo mix exist.

Technical specs (industry-standard)

• Sample rate/bit depth: 48kHz / 24-bit for TV; 96kHz for Atmos projects by request.
• File type: WAV/BWF for deliverables; MP3 320kbps previews allowed for quick auditioning.
• Bit depth consistency: Keep stems at the same bit depth as the mix to avoid resampling artifacts.
• Normalization: Provide stems at unity (-0.1 dBFS peak) and note any loudness targets used (e.g., -16 LUFS momentary was used as reference).
• Timecode: If the cue syncs to picture, include timecode or frame-accurate notes. Supply a video reference or EDL when possible.

Metadata & cue sheet: make discovery effortless

Include a machine-readable cue sheet and a human-friendly summary. Producers and music supervisors scan metadata to confirm usage rights quickly. A sample cue sheet should have:

• Filename
• Cue Title
• Duration
• Tempo (BPM), Key
• Mood/Keywords
• Intended usage (scene, promo, theme)
• Rights: Owned, Co-written, Library-licensed (with owner contact)
• Publisher/PRO info (if applicable)

Embed basic metadata into WAV/BWF using available tools and include a CSV for quick parsing. If you're delivering internationally, consider a data and rights checklist to avoid downstream issues with multinational releases.

Packaging & file naming — examples that hiring teams love

Consistency is credibility. Use short, predictable names so producers can quickly locate what they need.

• Folder: LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_Portfolio_2026
• Demo: LASTNAME_REEL_60s_2026.mp3
• Cue: TVS_S01E03_000_TenseChase_90s_MIX.wav
• Stem: TVS_S01E03_000_TenseChase_90s_STEM_MUSIC.wav
• PDF one-pager: LASTNAME_ONEPAGE_PORTFOLIO_2026.pdf
• CSV cue sheet: LASTNAME_CUES_2026.csv

If you want a deeper take on naming conventions and component-style organization, the same principles that make design systems reliable also improve studio file hygiene — see design-systems-to-marketplace naming patterns for ideas.

One-page PDF portfolio: content & layout

This single-page PDF is your elevator pitch. Keep it visual — logo, headshot (optional), your one-line specialty, and links. Include these sections:

1. One-line specialty (e.g., "Drama & Tension Composer for Episodic TV — immersive stems ready")
2. Top 3 credits or representative projects (year + role)
3. Links: Demo reel, Cue folder, Stems, Resume
4. Contact: email, phone, agent (if any), and best time to reach
5. Rights summary: "All original music, rights available" or detailed licensing notes

Quick-apply email template (copy, personalize, send)

Subject: Composer — [Show Title] / [Job Ref] — Quick Portfolio Attached

Body (2–3 lines):

Hi [Producer/Coordinator name],
I’m [Name], a composer/sound designer specializing in [genre]. I’ve attached a one-page portfolio with a 60s highlights reel and stems for three full cues that match [show/style]. Link: [one-page PDF cloud link].
Available for a quick call this week — thanks for considering. — [Name] | [phone] | [email]

Advanced strategies for 2026 (stand out without extra work)

1) Prepare an adaptive music seed: With more streaming platforms exploring adaptive and generative music, include one cue split into dynamic layers (intro, loop, transition, outro) so supervisors can test adaptive beds quickly. If you're considering where to run interactive tests and where to push processing locally vs in the cloud, read about edge vs cloud inference for guidance on latency and cost tradeoffs.

2) Offer a short Atmos/Immersive preview: Even a 30s Atmos demonstration shows capability. Provide a stereo downmix for clients who can’t play Atmos natively.

3) Timestamped use cases: Add one or two 10–20 second timestamps in full cues where the music hits are strongest, making it easier for editors to find usable moments.

4) AI & stems: Use AI tools for fast vocal removal or stem separation only when it improves clarity — never as a substitute for properly exported stems from your DAW. Note when AI tools were used and keep versions organized; governance and prompt versioning resources such as versioning prompts and models are useful when you track iterations.

5) Localization-ready notes: Add quick notes about where loops can be extended or reordered to fit different language edits — a big plus for global streaming releases. For larger teams coordinating distributed work, a hybrid edge orchestration perspective helps align handoffs and storage policies.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Overlong reels: Recruiters won’t listen past 2 minutes. Keep highlights tight.
• Poor metadata: Missing rights and contact info kills momentum. Always add a cue sheet.
• Unreadable links: Set cloud links to direct download or provide a password. Broken links = lost opportunities. Test links and delivery methods the same way web teams test assets — tools and scripts for cache and link testing are handy reminders to validate links across devices.
• Loudness mismatch: Normalize but document loudness reference. Silence can be as off-putting as clipping.
• Complex folder structure: Keep it shallow: Demo + Cues + Stems + PDF + CSV is enough.

Real-world example (how this checklist changes outcomes)

Case: A sound designer applied to a streaming anthology in late 2025 using a tight 60s reel, three full cues, and stems labeled precisely with a one-page PDF. The supervising producer requested two stems for an early promo; because the portfolio already included a promo-ready 15s loop and clear license notes, the producer improvised the promo without additional back-and-forth. The applicant moved from submission to interview in 72 hours — a cycle time that was standardizing across streaming projects in 2025–26.

Checklist printable (single-screen scan)

• Demo reel: 60–90s MP3 + WAV (48k/24b)
• 3–5 Full cues: WAV + preview MP3
• Stems per cue: MIX, MUSIC, FX, AMB, PERC, LEAD
• Alternate mixes: Clean music-only bed + 15–30s promo loop
• Immersive: Atmos ADM or 5.1 + stereo
• Metadata & CSV cue sheet with rights
• One-page PDF portfolio with links
• Cloud hosting & streaming preview links (test links!)

Final practical tips — make this part of your workflow

1. Build this packet as a template in your DAW: export stems with one click and auto-name files.
2. Keep a rolling one-page PDF updated with recent credits — refresh every quarter in 2026 as projects move fast.
3. Test all links on a mobile device; many producers review on phones between meetings.
4. Automate cue sheet CSV exports using batch tools or DAW scripts to avoid manual errors — automation patterns are covered in articles on automating small-team triage, which translate well to batch exports.
5. Keep a short version of your pitch in your email signature for instant replies.

Why this one-page approach works

Hiring teams in TV and streaming juggle many roles and short deadlines. Clear, predictable packaging reduces friction and increases your chances of being heard and hired. In 2026, demonstrable readiness — clean stems, clear licensing, and a concise reel — signals you can deliver under modern streaming workflows. For cross-platform delivery and preview strategies, see guidance on cross-platform content workflows.

Next steps & call to action

Make your portfolio job-ready today: use the checklist above to assemble your demo reel, full cues, stems, and one-page PDF. Want a ready-made folder structure and an email template to paste? Download the printable one-page checklist and sample file-naming templates from QuickJobsList and upload your portfolio for targeted TV and streaming gigs.

Ready to apply? Put this checklist into action now — update one reel, export the stems, and send the one-page PDF with your next application. Employers are moving faster in 2026; be the applicant who makes the hire decision easy.

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