Curious.... I am about to start a project for a remote client (I'm in Minneapolis, they're in California). This, admittedly, is one of my first contracts that will have no "personal" contact. All communication, data management, file transfers, submissions, etc, will be through the cloud.
What are some of the best ways to share and exchange "status" mixes with such a remote client? I'm familiar with some....private SoundCloud links, Dropbox, etc... What do you use? Why do you like it?
Additionally, what do you do to protect your work? Obviously, you wouldn't send a full rez deliverable until any back-end is paid....I plan to send them mp3s or some other means of a "hearable" but unusable mix. (The client can hear everything well enough to approve or revise, but can't necessarily put it to use ....until I'm paid and I send them the final product.) I have brainstormed on using alternate methods to protect these "status" mixes (like inserting a sample-length beep every 20 seconds and the like), but I would love to hear what each of you actually do? What is practical for your workflow?
If it helps, the project is a 30 minute documentary. Deliverable is a single, full-length stereo mix of original music.