Patent ID: 8880712

Claim:
An apparatus for providing digital media content, comprising: a processor; and a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being adapted for: obtaining, by a client, a package including one or more metadata files and a plurality of data files, each of the plurality of data files including media content and the metadata files including metadata content, the metadata content including instructions associated with encoding the digital media content; determining by the client whether the package is a valid package, wherein determining validity of the package comprises validating the metadata content or the media content; receiving, by the client, input associated with submission of the package as metadata wherein the input includes at least one command which requests or provides information associated with the package submission; and submitting the package to a media content distribution system, thereby enabling a digital media file to be encoded at the media content distribution system using at least a portion of the media content in the plurality of data files according to the encoding instructions in the metadata content, when it is determined by the client that the package is valid, and preventing submission, by the client, to the media content distribution system, of the package when it is determined that the package is invalid, wherein the input includes at least one command input, included with the metadata, having package instructions to be performed on the package prior to or subsequent to the submission of the package, and wherein the input specifies a directory, on the client, to which validated packages are to be moved or indicates a first directory, on the client, to which the package is to be moved after the attempt to submit is successful and a second directory, on the client, to which the package is to be moved after the attempt to submit is unsuccessful thereby identifying the package for future resubmission to the media content distribution system, wherein the client and the media content distribution system are distinct devices.