diff --git a/RenderWorker/VFXReviewWorker/Dtos.cs b/RenderWorker/VFXReviewWorker/Dtos.cs
index 108a18d..8143cc7 100644
--- a/RenderWorker/VFXReviewWorker/Dtos.cs
+++ b/RenderWorker/VFXReviewWorker/Dtos.cs
@@ -157,19 +157,6 @@ public sealed class PreviewManifest
     public string? SlateSubmissionProp { get; set; }
     public SlateInfo Slate { get; set; } = new();
 
-    /// <summary>Skip picture-lock trimming and the reference render entirely.</summary>
-    public bool NoPictureLock { get; set; }
-    /// <summary>"{footageRoot}/{showId}/_PICLOCKS" — empty when not configured.</summary>
-    public string? PiclockDir { get; set; }
-    /// <summary>e.g. "UNG_106" — the picture-lock file glob prefix.</summary>
-    public string? PiclockGlobPrefix { get; set; }
-    public string? SeqTimecodeStart { get; set; }
-    public string? SeqTimecodeEnd { get; set; }
-    /// <summary>Studio-standard head/tail handle count, applied symmetrically.</summary>
-    public int HandleFrames { get; set; }
-    /// <summary>Full-duration (handles included), ungraded picture-lock reference render.</summary>
-    public string? PiclockRefOutput { get; set; }
-
     public int TotalFrames => FrameEnd - FrameStart + 1;
 }
 
@@ -199,10 +186,6 @@ public sealed class PreviewBuildResult
     public int? FrameCount { get; set; }
     public int? Width { get; set; }
     public int? Height { get; set; }
-    /// <summary>Whether the picture-lock reference comp was found, positioned and queued.</summary>
-    public bool PiclockRefBuilt { get; set; }
-    /// <summary>Why the picture-lock reference/trim was skipped, when it was (non-fatal).</summary>
-    public string? PiclockSkippedReason { get; set; }
 }
 
 /// <summary>The Render Manifest (§6.2) — the fields the render and validation stages need; the rest is preserved raw.</summary>
diff --git a/RenderWorker/VFXReviewWorker/JobExecutor.cs b/RenderWorker/VFXReviewWorker/JobExecutor.cs
index 01f270f..b5a8d67 100644
--- a/RenderWorker/VFXReviewWorker/JobExecutor.cs
+++ b/RenderWorker/VFXReviewWorker/JobExecutor.cs
@@ -438,19 +438,6 @@ public sealed class JobExecutor
                     job.Id, machineId, "thumbnail", result.ThumbnailPath, "image/jpeg", shutdown);
             }
 
-            // Diagnostic sidecar, not a deliverable — an upload failure here must
-            // never hold back the mov/mp4/thumbnail that already succeeded.
-            string? piclockRefKey = null;
-            if (result.PiclockRefPath is not null)
-            {
-                piclockRefKey = await _api.UploadArtifactAsync(
-                    job.Id, machineId, "piclockRef", result.PiclockRefPath, "video/mp4", shutdown);
-                if (piclockRefKey is null)
-                {
-                    _log.LogWarning("Picture-lock reference upload failed for job {JobId} (non-fatal)", job.Id);
-                }
-            }
-
             _spooler.Enqueue("finalize", job.Id, new Dictionary<string, object?>
             {
                 ["machineId"] = machineId,
@@ -459,9 +446,7 @@ public sealed class JobExecutor
                     ["deliveryMovPath"] = manifest.MovOutput,
                     ["previewMovKey"] = previewKey,
                     ["thumbnailKey"] = thumbKey,
-                    ["piclockRefKey"] = piclockRefKey,
                 },
-                ["piclockSkippedReason"] = result.Build?.PiclockSkippedReason,
                 ["renderStats"] = new Dictionary<string, object?>
                 {
                     ["previewSeconds"] = (int)result.Seconds,
diff --git a/RenderWorker/VFXReviewWorker/PreviewStage.cs b/RenderWorker/VFXReviewWorker/PreviewStage.cs
index 169a221..9eec8f3 100644
--- a/RenderWorker/VFXReviewWorker/PreviewStage.cs
+++ b/RenderWorker/VFXReviewWorker/PreviewStage.cs
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@ public sealed record PreviewStageResult(
     string? ThumbnailPath,
     string? TempAep,
     PreviewBuildResult? Build,
-    double Seconds,
-    string? PiclockRefPath = null);
+    double Seconds);
 
 /// <summary>
 /// Stage 3 — preview generation (RenderPipeline2 §9), the second half of a
@@ -60,8 +59,6 @@ public sealed class PreviewStage
 
         var movLocal = mapper.Map(manifest.MovOutput);
         var mp4Local = mapper.Map(manifest.Mp4Output);
-        var piclockDirLocal = string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(manifest.PiclockDir) ? null : mapper.Map(manifest.PiclockDir);
-        var piclockRefLocal = string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(manifest.PiclockRefOutput) ? null : mapper.Map(manifest.PiclockRefOutput);
 
         // Everything the script needs, in machine-local paths.
         var context = new
@@ -86,13 +83,6 @@ public sealed class PreviewStage
             slateScopeProp = manifest.SlateScopeProp,
             slateSubmissionProp = manifest.SlateSubmissionProp,
             slate = manifest.Slate,
-            noPictureLock = manifest.NoPictureLock,
-            piclockDir = piclockDirLocal,
-            piclockGlobPrefix = manifest.PiclockGlobPrefix,
-            seqTimecodeStart = manifest.SeqTimecodeStart,
-            seqTimecodeEnd = manifest.SeqTimecodeEnd,
-            handleFrames = manifest.HandleFrames,
-            piclockRefOutput = piclockRefLocal,
         };
 
         await File.WriteAllTextAsync(contextPath, JsonSerializer.Serialize(context, WorkerOptions.JsonOpts), shutdown);
@@ -191,29 +181,12 @@ public sealed class PreviewStage
 
         var thumbnail = await TryMakeThumbnailAsync(job.Id, mp4Local, shutdown);
 
-        // Non-fatal by design: the picture-lock reference is a diagnostic aid,
-        // not part of the deliverable, so a missing file here must never hold
-        // back the mov/mp4 that already rendered successfully.
-        string? piclockRefResult = null;
-        if (build.PiclockRefBuilt)
-        {
-            if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(piclockRefLocal) && File.Exists(piclockRefLocal))
-            {
-                piclockRefResult = piclockRefLocal;
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                _log.LogWarning("Picture-lock reference was queued but is missing after render: {Path}", piclockRefLocal);
-            }
-        }
-
         sw.Stop();
-        _log.LogInformation("Preview complete for job {JobId} in {Sec:F0}s (mov + mp4{Thumb}{Piclock})",
-            job.Id, sw.Elapsed.TotalSeconds, thumbnail is null ? "" : " + thumbnail",
-            piclockRefResult is null ? "" : " + piclock ref");
+        _log.LogInformation("Preview complete for job {JobId} in {Sec:F0}s (mov + mp4{Thumb})",
+            job.Id, sw.Elapsed.TotalSeconds, thumbnail is null ? "" : " + thumbnail");
 
         return new PreviewStageResult(true, true, null, movLocal, mp4Local, thumbnail,
-            build.TempAep, build, sw.Elapsed.TotalSeconds, piclockRefResult);
+            build.TempAep, build, sw.Elapsed.TotalSeconds);
     }
 
     private async Task<int> RunAfterFxAsync(
diff --git a/RenderWorker/scripts/vfxr_build_preview.jsx b/RenderWorker/scripts/vfxr_build_preview.jsx
index a6a32ff..81c8b13 100644
--- a/RenderWorker/scripts/vfxr_build_preview.jsx
+++ b/RenderWorker/scripts/vfxr_build_preview.jsx
@@ -30,9 +30,7 @@
         queued: [],
         frameCount: null,
         width: null,
-        height: null,
-        piclockRefBuilt: false,
-        piclockSkippedReason: null
+        height: null
     };
     var resultPath = null;
 
@@ -158,67 +156,6 @@
         return null;
     }
 
-    // Mirrors the panel's parseTimecodeToSeconds exactly.
-    function parseTimecodeToSeconds(tc, fps) {
-        var parts = String(tc).split(/[:;]/);
-        if (parts.length < 4) {
-            return 0;
-        }
-        return parseInt(parts[0], 10) * 3600 + parseInt(parts[1], 10) * 60 +
-            parseInt(parts[2], 10) + parseInt(parts[3], 10) / (fps || 24);
-    }
-
-    // Locates the picture-lock reference footage the same way the panel's
-    // pullPictureLock does: the _PICLOCKS project folder first, then a disk
-    // glob under ctx.piclockDir. Returns the FootageItem, or null (with a
-    // warn()) if it cannot be found — never fatal to the preview build.
-    function findPiclockFootage(ctx) {
-        var piclocksProjectFolder = findFolder("_PICLOCKS");
-        var i;
-        var item;
-        var piclocksDir;
-        var files;
-        var importOptions;
-
-        if (piclocksProjectFolder) {
-            for (i = 1; i <= app.project.numItems; i += 1) {
-                item = app.project.item(i);
-                if (item instanceof FootageItem &&
-                    item.parentFolder === piclocksProjectFolder &&
-                    item.name.indexOf(ctx.piclockGlobPrefix + "_") === 0) {
-                    return item;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        if (!ctx.piclockDir) {
-            warn("Picture lock: no footage root configured for this project — skipping reference render");
-            return null;
-        }
-        piclocksDir = new Folder(ctx.piclockDir);
-        if (!piclocksDir.exists) {
-            warn("Picture lock: folder not found: " + piclocksDir.fsName);
-            return null;
-        }
-        files = piclocksDir.getFiles(ctx.piclockGlobPrefix + "_*");
-        if (!files || files.length < 1) {
-            warn("Picture lock: no file matching " + ctx.piclockGlobPrefix + "_* found in " + piclocksDir.fsName);
-            return null;
-        }
-        for (i = 0; i < files.length; i += 1) {
-            if (files[i] instanceof File) {
-                try {
-                    importOptions = new ImportOptions(files[i]);
-                    return app.project.importFile(importOptions);
-                } catch (importError) {
-                    warn("Picture lock: import failed: " + importError.message);
-                    return null;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        return null;
-    }
-
     // Mirrors the panel's addOCIOToLayer: effect added but disabled, so the
     // artist/farm chain matches exactly.
     function addOCIOToLayer(layer) {
@@ -484,56 +421,22 @@
         result.height = height;
         result.frameCount = Math.round(duration * fps);
 
-        // Trim decision (§9, picture lock): the render's frame range is
-        // editorial ± a fixed symmetric handle count by studio convention (the
-        // same constant pullPictureLock hardcodes), so no picture-lock file is
-        // needed for this — only ctx.handleFrames. Applied at the footage/shot
-        // comp level (below) rather than by juggling layer timing inside
-        // previewComp — previewComp is duplicated from an artist-authored
-        // template whose slate/shot timing relationship this script does not
-        // own, so it is left completely untouched, exactly as it always
-        // rendered correctly before this feature existed.
-        var handleSeconds = (ctx.handleFrames || 0) / fps;
-        var contentDuration = duration;
-        var headSkipSeconds = 0;
-        var trimmedToPictureLock = false;
-        if (ctx.noPictureLock) {
-            result.piclockSkippedReason = "No Picture Lock was set for this export";
-        } else if (handleSeconds <= 0) {
-            result.piclockSkippedReason = "No handle frame count configured";
-        } else if (2 * handleSeconds >= duration) {
-            warn("Picture lock: handle count (" + ctx.handleFrames + "fr) covers the whole render (" +
-                result.frameCount + "fr) — trim skipped");
-            result.piclockSkippedReason = "handle count exceeds the render duration";
-        } else {
-            headSkipSeconds = handleSeconds;
-            contentDuration = duration - (2 * handleSeconds);
-            trimmedToPictureLock = true;
-        }
-        var contentStartFrame = (ctx.frameStart !== null && ctx.frameStart !== undefined)
-            ? ctx.frameStart + Math.round(headSkipSeconds * fps)
-            : null;
-
         // 3. Footage precomp (mirrors buildShotFromCode)
         var precompFolder = findFolder("_PRECOMPS");
         var footageComp = app.project.items.addComp(
-            ctx.shotCode + "_FOOTAGE", width, height, 1, contentDuration, fps);
+            ctx.shotCode + "_FOOTAGE", width, height, 1, duration, fps);
         if (precompFolder) {
             footageComp.parentFolder = precompFolder;
         }
-        if (contentStartFrame !== null) {
-            setCompStartFrame(footageComp, contentStartFrame);
+        if (ctx.frameStart !== null && ctx.frameStart !== undefined) {
+            setCompStartFrame(footageComp, ctx.frameStart);
         }
-        var footageLayer = footageComp.layers.add(footage);
-        if (headSkipSeconds > 0) {
-            footageLayer.startTime -= headSkipSeconds;
-        }
-        addOCIOToLayer(footageLayer);
+        addOCIOToLayer(footageComp.layers.add(footage));
 
         // 4. Shot comp: footage + show LUT + overlay
-        var shotComp = app.project.items.addComp(ctx.shotCode, width, height, 1, contentDuration, fps);
-        if (contentStartFrame !== null) {
-            setCompStartFrame(shotComp, contentStartFrame);
+        var shotComp = app.project.items.addComp(ctx.shotCode, width, height, 1, duration, fps);
+        if (ctx.frameStart !== null && ctx.frameStart !== undefined) {
+            setCompStartFrame(shotComp, ctx.frameStart);
         }
         shotComp.layers.add(footageComp);
 
@@ -607,10 +510,6 @@
             warn("NETFLIX_SLATE layer not found in template — slate fields not filled");
         }
 
-        // previewComp sizes itself to whatever shotComp.duration actually is —
-        // unchanged from before this feature existed. shotComp is already the
-        // trimmed (or full, if skipped above) duration, so this needs no
-        // special-casing here.
         var shotLayer = previewComp.layer("SHOT");
         var targetOutPoint = shotLayer.inPoint + shotComp.duration;
         if (targetOutPoint > previewComp.duration) {
@@ -620,85 +519,13 @@
         previewComp.duration = targetOutPoint;
 
         result.previewComp = previewComp.name;
-        result.trimmedToPictureLock = trimmedToPictureLock;
 
+        // 6. Queue both outputs against the same preview comp. aerender will
+        //    render the whole queue in one launch.
         app.project.renderQueue.showWindow(false);
         while (app.project.renderQueue.numItems > 0) {
             app.project.renderQueue.item(1).remove();
         }
-
-        // 5b. Picture-lock reference comp: the raw plate only — no OCIO, no
-        // show LUT, no overlay — spanning the FULL padded duration (handles
-        // included), so a supervisor can check back against it if a delivered
-        // edit is ever suspected to be off. Independent of the trim above:
-        // this one needs the actual picture-lock file and sequence timecodes,
-        // and is skipped gracefully (never fatal) if either is missing.
-        if (ctx.noPictureLock) {
-            if (!result.piclockSkippedReason) {
-                result.piclockSkippedReason = "No Picture Lock was set for this export";
-            }
-        } else if (!ctx.seqTimecodeStart || !ctx.seqTimecodeEnd) {
-            warn("Picture lock: no sequence timecodes for this shot — reference render skipped");
-            result.piclockSkippedReason = "no sequence timecodes for this shot";
-        } else {
-            // A diagnostic aid, not a deliverable: any failure building or
-            // queuing it must warn and move on, never take down the mov/mp4
-            // that already succeeded (queueOutput() throws on template errors).
-            try {
-                var piclockFootage = findPiclockFootage(ctx);
-                if (piclockFootage) {
-                    var piclockStartTC = 0;
-                    try {
-                        if (piclockFootage.mainSource && typeof piclockFootage.mainSource.startTimecode === "number") {
-                            piclockStartTC = piclockFootage.mainSource.startTimecode;
-                        }
-                    } catch (tcReadError) {
-                    }
-
-                    var tcIn = parseTimecodeToSeconds(ctx.seqTimecodeStart, fps);
-                    var tcOut = parseTimecodeToSeconds(ctx.seqTimecodeEnd, fps);
-                    var refIn = tcIn - piclockStartTC - handleSeconds;
-                    var refOut = tcOut - piclockStartTC + handleSeconds;
-                    if (refIn < 0) {
-                        refIn = 0;
-                    }
-                    if (refOut > piclockFootage.duration) {
-                        refOut = piclockFootage.duration;
-                    }
-
-                    var piclockRefComp = app.project.items.addComp(
-                        ctx.shotCode + "_PICLOCK_REF", width, height, 1, refOut - refIn, fps);
-                    if (previewsFolder) {
-                        piclockRefComp.parentFolder = previewsFolder;
-                    }
-                    var piclockLayer = piclockRefComp.layers.add(piclockFootage);
-                    var piclockScale = Math.max(
-                        piclockRefComp.width / piclockFootage.width,
-                        piclockRefComp.height / piclockFootage.height
-                    ) * 100;
-                    piclockLayer.property("Scale").setValue([piclockScale, piclockScale]);
-                    piclockLayer.startTime = -refIn;
-                    piclockLayer.inPoint = 0;
-                    piclockLayer.outPoint = refOut - refIn;
-
-                    if (queueOutput(piclockRefComp, ctx.mp4Template, ctx.piclockRefOutput, "piclockRef")) {
-                        result.piclockRefBuilt = true;
-                    } else {
-                        result.piclockSkippedReason = "no mp4 template or output path configured";
-                    }
-                } else if (!result.piclockSkippedReason) {
-                    result.piclockSkippedReason = "picture-lock file not found";
-                }
-            } catch (piclockError) {
-                warn("Picture lock: reference render skipped — " +
-                    (piclockError && piclockError.toString ? piclockError.toString() : String(piclockError)));
-                result.piclockSkippedReason = "error building the reference render";
-                result.piclockRefBuilt = false;
-            }
-        }
-
-        // 6. Queue both outputs against the same preview comp. aerender will
-        //    render the whole queue in one launch.
         queueOutput(previewComp, ctx.movTemplate, ctx.movOutput, "mov");
         queueOutput(previewComp, ctx.mp4Template, ctx.mp4Output, "mp4");
 
diff --git a/VFXReviewConnector.jsx b/VFXReviewConnector.jsx
index f2c856f..8dea799 100644
--- a/VFXReviewConnector.jsx
+++ b/VFXReviewConnector.jsx
@@ -3962,9 +3962,6 @@ var PANEL_VERSION = "2.5.0";
         if (uiState.skipPreviewCheckbox && uiState.skipPreviewCheckbox.value) {
             body.skipPreview = true;
         }
-        if (uiState.noPictureLockCheckbox && uiState.noPictureLockCheckbox.value) {
-            body.noPictureLock = true;
-        }
 
         if (CONFIG.artistEmail) {
             body.submittedByEmail = CONFIG.artistEmail;
@@ -4534,13 +4531,6 @@ var PANEL_VERSION = "2.5.0";
             "For deliverables framed differently from the review — unscaled or\n" +
             "un-punched-in EXRs — where a preview rebuilt from these frames\n" +
             "would be the wrong picture.";
-        uiState.noPictureLockCheckbox = pipelineRow1.add("checkbox", undefined, "No Picture Lock");
-        uiState.noPictureLockCheckbox.helpTip =
-            "Skip picture-lock trimming and the picture-lock reference render\n" +
-            "for this export.\n\n" +
-            "Check if picture lock is missing or wrong for this shot — the\n" +
-            "preview build will fall back to the full rendered range instead\n" +
-            "of trimming against bad data.";
 
         var slateNoteGroup = pipelinePanel.add("group");
         slateNoteGroup.orientation = "row";
diff --git a/app/(dashboard)/pipeline/exports/[exportId]/ExportDetailClient.tsx b/app/(dashboard)/pipeline/exports/[exportId]/ExportDetailClient.tsx
index a42a363..ba54937 100644
--- a/app/(dashboard)/pipeline/exports/[exportId]/ExportDetailClient.tsx
+++ b/app/(dashboard)/pipeline/exports/[exportId]/ExportDetailClient.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import { useState } from "react";
 import Link from "next/link";
 import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
-import { ArrowLeft, RotateCcw, XCircle, ShieldAlert, Clapperboard } from "lucide-react";
+import { ArrowLeft, RotateCcw, XCircle, ShieldAlert } from "lucide-react";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { useToast } from "@/components/ui/use-toast";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
@@ -36,9 +36,6 @@ interface ExportDetail {
     vfxScope: string | null;
     submissionNote: string | null;
     submittedByName: string | null;
-    noPictureLock: boolean;
-    /** Full-duration, ungraded picture-lock reference MP4 — a diagnostic sidecar, not a Version. */
-    piclockRefKey: string | null;
     shot: {
       id: string;
       shotCode: string;
@@ -180,7 +177,6 @@ export function ExportDetailClient({ exportId }: { exportId: string }) {
     ["Colorspace", e.colorspace ?? "—"],
     ["EXR files", e.exrFileCount != null ? String(e.exrFileCount) : "—"],
     ["Submitted by", e.submittedByName ?? "—"],
-    ["Picture lock", e.noPictureLock ? "Skipped (No Picture Lock)" : "Trimmed to picture lock"],
   ];
 
   return (
@@ -207,13 +203,6 @@ export function ExportDetailClient({ exportId }: { exportId: string }) {
           </div>
         </div>
         <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-          {e.piclockRefKey && (
-            <a href={`/api/files/${e.piclockRefKey}`} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">
-              <Button variant="outline" size="sm">
-                <Clapperboard className="h-4 w-4 mr-2 text-zinc-400" /> Picture Lock Reference
-              </Button>
-            </a>
-          )}
           {FAILED_STATUSES.includes(e.status) && (
             <Button variant="outline" size="sm" onClick={() => action("retry")}>
               <RotateCcw className="h-4 w-4 mr-2 text-amber-400" /> Retry
diff --git a/app/api/ext/exports/route.ts b/app/api/ext/exports/route.ts
index f7144a7..fd394ad 100644
--- a/app/api/ext/exports/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/ext/exports/route.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { createExport } from "@/lib/render-pipeline/exports";
 
 // ── POST /api/ext/exports (E1 — Queue Export) ────────────────────────────────
 //
-// Body: { manifest: RenderManifest, submittedByEmail?, priority?, force?, skipPreview?, noPictureLock? }
+// Body: { manifest: RenderManifest, submittedByEmail?, priority?, force?, skipPreview? }
 // The server decides the new version number, updates Shot.shotVersion/exrOutput,
 // supersedes older non-terminal exports, and creates Export(QUEUED) + RenderJob.
 
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
     vfxScope?: string | null;
     submissionNote?: string | null;
     skipPreview?: boolean;
-    noPictureLock?: boolean;
   };
   try {
     body = await req.json();
@@ -41,7 +40,6 @@ export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
       vfxScope: body.vfxScope,
       submissionNote: body.submissionNote,
       skipPreview: body.skipPreview === true,
-      noPictureLock: body.noPictureLock === true,
     });
     return NextResponse.json(result, { status: 201 });
   } catch (err) {
diff --git a/app/api/ext/render/jobs/[jobId]/artifact-presign/route.ts b/app/api/ext/render/jobs/[jobId]/artifact-presign/route.ts
index 8ca73a9..4fc2c0e 100644
--- a/app/api/ext/render/jobs/[jobId]/artifact-presign/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/ext/render/jobs/[jobId]/artifact-presign/route.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ const KIND_FOLDERS: Record<string, string> = {
   thumbnail: "image",
   metadata: "renders",
   log: "renders",
-  piclockRef: "videos",
 };
 
 export async function POST(
diff --git a/lib/render-pipeline/config.ts b/lib/render-pipeline/config.ts
index eaa112e..5cbadf8 100644
--- a/lib/render-pipeline/config.ts
+++ b/lib/render-pipeline/config.ts
@@ -26,11 +26,7 @@ export const PIPELINE_CONFIG_DEFAULTS = {
   "validation.sampleEvery": 25,
   /** Per-check severity overrides, e.g. {"exr_type":"warn"} (§17.3). */
   "validation.overrides": "{}",
-  /**
-   * Frames of head/tail handle the studio pads every render with. Used for the
-   * API timecode fallback (§8.1a) and, symmetrically, to trim the preview
-   * build's client-facing comp back to the picture-lock edit (§9).
-   */
+  /** Frames of head handle the plates carry; only used for the API timecode fallback (§8.1a). */
   "validation.handleFrames": 8,
   /**
    * Studio-wide delivery defaults (§11.2). A project's own `deliveryConfig`
@@ -47,11 +43,6 @@ export const PIPELINE_CONFIG_DEFAULTS = {
   "preview.lutComp": "_SHOW LUT",
   "preview.movTemplate": "4444 Tri",
   "preview.mp4Template": "REVIEW_PREVIEW",
-  // Bare footage root the preview build reads picture-lock plates from, at
-  // `{footageRoot}/{showId}/_PICLOCKS` — same convention as the panel's own
-  // "Footage Root" setting (VFXReviewConnector.md). Per-project override via
-  // pipelineConfig.footageRoot for a show on different storage.
-  "preview.footageRoot": "V:/_FOOTAGE",
   // Essential Property names on the NETFLIX_SLATE layer for the per-submission
   // fields. If a name is wrong the build logs the template's actual property
   // names as a warning, so it is a config fix rather than a code change.
diff --git a/lib/render-pipeline/exports.ts b/lib/render-pipeline/exports.ts
index cb5ed80..10f20ff 100644
--- a/lib/render-pipeline/exports.ts
+++ b/lib/render-pipeline/exports.ts
@@ -70,11 +70,6 @@ export interface CreateExportInput {
    * frames would produce the wrong MOV.
    */
   skipPreview?: boolean;
-  /**
-   * Skip picture-lock trimming and the picture-lock reference render for this
-   * export — set when picture lock is missing or wrong for the shot.
-   */
-  noPictureLock?: boolean;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -210,7 +205,6 @@ export async function createExport(input: CreateExportInput) {
             vfxScope,
             submissionNote,
             skipPreview: input.skipPreview === true,
-            noPictureLock: input.noPictureLock === true,
             submittedById: submittedBy?.id ?? null,
             submittedByName: submittedBy?.name ?? input.submittedByEmail ?? null,
           },
@@ -253,8 +247,7 @@ export async function createExport(input: CreateExportInput) {
             actorId: submittedBy?.id ?? null,
             note:
               `Queue Export ${versionString}${input.force ? " (force)" : ""}` +
-              `${input.skipPreview ? " (skip preview)" : ""}` +
-              `${input.noPictureLock ? " (no picture lock)" : ""} — ` +
+              `${input.skipPreview ? " (skip preview)" : ""} — ` +
               `${provenance.ok ? "" : "WARNING: "}${provenance.note}`,
           },
         });
diff --git a/lib/render-pipeline/preview.ts b/lib/render-pipeline/preview.ts
index 422b92f..471764c 100644
--- a/lib/render-pipeline/preview.ts
+++ b/lib/render-pipeline/preview.ts
@@ -32,18 +32,6 @@ export interface PreviewManifest {
   mp4Output: string;
   slateScopeProp: string;
   slateSubmissionProp: string;
-  /** Skip picture-lock trimming and the reference render entirely (§9, picture lock). */
-  noPictureLock: boolean;
-  /** `{footageRoot}/{showId}/_PICLOCKS`, mirroring the panel's getShowFootageRoot(). */
-  piclockDir: string;
-  /** e.g. "UNG_106" — mirrors the panel's getEpisodePrefix(); the picture-lock glob prefix. */
-  piclockGlobPrefix: string;
-  seqTimecodeStart: string | null;
-  seqTimecodeEnd: string | null;
-  /** Studio-standard head/tail handle count, applied symmetrically. */
-  handleFrames: number;
-  /** Full-duration (handles included), ungraded picture-lock reference render. */
-  piclockRefOutput: string;
   slate: {
     versionName: string;
     date: string;
@@ -70,7 +58,6 @@ type ExportForPreview = {
   fps: number;
   vfxScope: string | null;
   submissionNote: string | null;
-  noPictureLock: boolean;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -91,27 +78,18 @@ export async function buildPreviewManifest(exportRow: ExportForPreview): Promise
       description: true,
       notes: true,
       slateDescription: true,
-      seqTimecodeStart: true,
-      seqTimecodeEnd: true,
       project: { select: { name: true, code: true, showId: true, pipelineConfig: true } },
     },
   });
   if (!shot) throw new PipelineError(404, "Shot not found for export");
 
-  const [cfg, handleFrames] = await Promise.all([getPreviewConfig(), getConfigNumber("validation.handleFrames")]);
+  const cfg = await getPreviewConfig();
   // Per-production templates: each show has its own slate/overlay AEP, and
   // above all its own show LUT. Falling back to another show's would render a
   // preview that is quietly the wrong colour.
   const templates = await resolveProjectTemplates(shot.project);
   const base = `${shot.shotCode}_cmp_TT_${exportRow.versionString}`;
 
-  // Same convention as the panel's getShowFootageRoot()/getEpisodePrefix(): the
-  // picture-lock plate lives at {footageRoot}/{showId}/_PICLOCKS, glob-matched
-  // by "{showId}[_{episode}]_*".
-  const showId = shot.project.showId?.trim() || shot.project.code;
-  const piclockDir = templates.footageRoot ? `${templates.footageRoot}/${showId}/_PICLOCKS` : "";
-  const piclockGlobPrefix = shot.episode?.trim() ? `${showId}_${shot.episode.trim()}` : showId;
-
   return {
     stage: "PREVIEW",
     exportId: exportRow.id,
@@ -132,13 +110,6 @@ export async function buildPreviewManifest(exportRow: ExportForPreview): Promise
     mp4Output: `${exportRow.outputDir}/${base}.mp4`,
     slateScopeProp: cfg.slateScopeProp,
     slateSubmissionProp: cfg.slateSubmissionProp,
-    noPictureLock: exportRow.noPictureLock,
-    piclockDir,
-    piclockGlobPrefix,
-    seqTimecodeStart: shot.seqTimecodeStart,
-    seqTimecodeEnd: shot.seqTimecodeEnd,
-    handleFrames,
-    piclockRefOutput: `${exportRow.outputDir}/${base}_PICLOCK_REF.mp4`,
     slate: {
       versionName: base,
       date: slateDate(),
@@ -187,7 +158,6 @@ export async function inheritPreviewMedia(
       deliveryMovPath: true,
       previewMovKey: true,
       thumbnailKey: true,
-      piclockRefKey: true,
       versionId: true,
     },
   });
@@ -204,7 +174,6 @@ export async function inheritPreviewMedia(
       deliveryMovPath: donor.deliveryMovPath,
       previewMovKey: donor.previewMovKey,
       thumbnailKey: donor.thumbnailKey,
-      piclockRefKey: donor.piclockRefKey,
       // The Version row stays attached to the export that actually produced the
       // media; this one only points at the same files.
       versionId: donor.versionId,
@@ -298,13 +267,9 @@ export interface FinalizeInput {
     thumbnailKey?: string;
     metadataKey?: string;
     logFileKey?: string;
-    /** Full-duration, ungraded picture-lock reference MP4 — a diagnostic sidecar, not a Version. */
-    piclockRefKey?: string;
   };
   renderStats?: { renderSeconds?: number; previewSeconds?: number };
   media?: { width?: number; height?: number; frameCount?: number; fps?: number; fileName?: string };
-  /** Why the picture-lock trim/reference was skipped, when it was — surfaced on the export's timeline. */
-  piclockSkippedReason?: string | null;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -473,12 +438,7 @@ export async function finalizePreview(jobId: string, machineId: string, body: Fi
               ? " — review version media replaced"
               : ` — review version created (${inheritedApproval ?? "PENDING_REVIEW"})`
             : " — no preview media reported") +
-          (taskRenamed ? ` — task renamed to ${taskTitle}` : "") +
-          (artifacts.piclockRefKey
-            ? " — picture-lock reference built"
-            : body.piclockSkippedReason
-              ? ` — picture lock skipped (${body.piclockSkippedReason})`
-              : ""),
+          (taskRenamed ? ` — task renamed to ${taskTitle}` : ""),
       },
       {
         ...(versionId ? { versionId } : {}),
@@ -486,7 +446,6 @@ export async function finalizePreview(jobId: string, machineId: string, body: Fi
         ...(artifacts.previewMovKey ? { previewMovKey: artifacts.previewMovKey } : {}),
         ...(artifacts.thumbnailKey ? { thumbnailKey: artifacts.thumbnailKey } : {}),
         ...(artifacts.metadataKey ? { metadataKey: artifacts.metadataKey } : {}),
-        ...(artifacts.piclockRefKey ? { piclockRefKey: artifacts.piclockRefKey } : {}),
       }
     );
 
diff --git a/lib/render-pipeline/project-templates.ts b/lib/render-pipeline/project-templates.ts
index 3461c17..d2907de 100644
--- a/lib/render-pipeline/project-templates.ts
+++ b/lib/render-pipeline/project-templates.ts
@@ -20,10 +20,6 @@ export const pipelineConfigSchema = z.object({
   templateAep: z.string().max(1000).optional().nullable(),
   /** Where per-shot pre-renders live, imported by Import Renders. */
   rendersRoot: z.string().max(1000).optional().nullable(),
-  /** Bare footage root (e.g. "V:/_FOOTAGE") the panel's Pull Picture Lock reads
-   *  from at `{footageRoot}/{showId}/_PICLOCKS` — same convention as the panel's
-   *  own `getShowFootageRoot()`. */
-  footageRoot: z.string().max(1000).optional().nullable(),
   /** Overrides for templates that depart from the {showId}_* convention. */
   overlayComp: z.string().max(200).optional().nullable(),
   previewComp: z.string().max(200).optional().nullable(),
@@ -38,7 +34,6 @@ export type PipelineConfigInput = z.infer<typeof pipelineConfigSchema>;
 export interface ResolvedTemplates {
   templateAep: string;
   rendersRoot: string;
-  footageRoot: string;
   overlayComp: string;
   previewComp: string;
   lutComp: string;
@@ -83,11 +78,10 @@ export async function resolveProjectTemplates(project: {
     return fallback;
   };
 
-  const [defaultAep, defaultMov, defaultMp4, defaultFootageRoot] = await Promise.all([
+  const [defaultAep, defaultMov, defaultMp4] = await Promise.all([
     getConfigValue("preview.templateAep"),
     getConfigValue("preview.movTemplate"),
     getConfigValue("preview.mp4Template"),
-    getConfigValue("preview.footageRoot"),
   ]);
 
   return {
@@ -95,7 +89,6 @@ export async function resolveProjectTemplates(project: {
     // No sensible studio-wide default: a renders root that points at another
     // show's folder is worse than an empty one the panel can report.
     rendersRoot: pick("rendersRoot", ""),
-    footageRoot: pick("footageRoot", defaultFootageRoot),
     overlayComp: pick("overlayComp", convention.overlayComp),
     previewComp: pick("previewComp", convention.previewComp),
     lutComp: pick("lutComp", convention.lutComp),