Frame.io for Remote Editor and Video Review

Frame.io Workflow For Content Creators

Most content creators are sending their unedited video to professional video editors as we focus more on remote work post-2020. Because of this, there’s a whole host of new problems that clients are faced with, not least of which is how to share those files and get the video completed quickly. We use the software Frame.io for video feedback as part of our workflow.

Let’s dive into four quick ways this affects you as a content creator working with a remote video editing team.   

Frame.io, Remote Work, and Video Feedback

For the majority of content creators working remotely with an editor means sending their raw video files using something like Dropbox or Google Drive. Both, in my opinion, are terrible for this sort of thing. Sure, they’re great for storing your footage and sharing the unedited files, but Dropbox’s web player has a tendency to compress your footage when you try to view it. This often leaves it sounding terrible, blurry, or even removing your color grade edits. 

Google Drive is glitchy, slow, and not as cheap as Dropbox. Unless you’re a Chrome user and open to sharing your data with a vast advertising conglomerate, you’re also going to have trouble with the zip downloader that often fails in other browsers and has a confusing folder management system for many clients.

Video Feedback Workflow

Frame.io has none of these problems. In fact, upload is at least 5x faster to their server than on Dropbox, so you’re editor gets to work faster. The software itself is a collaboration tool for production teams, but as a client, you’ll not need most of these features.

In this blog we’ll cover the features you’ll most likely come in contact with

  1. Video Feedback by Timecode
  2. Smaller Files for Faster Playback
  3. Version Tracking and Downloading Frame.io Projects
  4. Frame.io App For An Improved Workflow

Frame.io Workflow – Video Feedback by Timecode

Many times the biggest problems facing remote workers are communication issues. Clients have to explain what edits they want and video editors are sometimes left guessing where in the video that’s supposed to happen. Frame.io fixes that.

When the edited video is shared online from your editor, by using the software you can provide video feedback by timecode. After pressing play, simply start typing in the text window and the video automatically pauses. This pause allows you to type whatever change or edit you want to be made. Pressing enter posts the message along with the exact timecode in the sidebar.

You can also draw on the video if you want to isolate a shape, shadow, or tell the editor where to put a graphic element.

 

Later, when your editor comes to check your notes, he simply has to click the timecode and is brought to the exact point you wanted him to make the change. The editor can also import these notes into their video editing software such as Final Cut Pro X or Adobe Premiere with those same timecodes intact so that keep track of your edits.

If necessary, they can also reply and react to your notes from within the Frame.io software.

All of these messages can be alerted to you by email so that you know when the editor might have more questions or need clarification. This can also be turned off if you receive too many messages.

Just start typing in the text block to leave notes for your video editor

Smaller Files for Faster Playback

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Another problem with Dropbox and Google Drive is the size of production files are usually pretty big, especially with 4k footage and up. Downloading them takes space from your device and sharing them with your team can be cumbersome. We already discussed the web player issues that Dropbox and Google Drive also tend to have that pixelate or compress your video to a lower quality.

Frame.io solves that problem by allowing you to choose the size you watch the video in – from the original High Definition quality to a lower quality with less bandwidth.

Click the Resolution to Choose Your Preferred Viewing Quality

Version Tracking and Downloading Frame.io Projects

As you go through the life of your project, you’ll likely want to see versions of your project. Look for the v2 (or higher if there have been multiple versions already) to choose other drafts of your video. You can even play them side by side if you want to compare versions by clicking “Compare Versions” from the same menu.

Perhaps my favorite feature, though, is delivery. Earlier I told you the video size was smaller – which is true. But when the job is finished, you can simply download your video at the full high-quality version for distribution to your preferred destination such as YouTube or Instagram. This works on both their desktop and mobile apps.

Frame.io Mobile App

The mobile apps are gorgeous and have all the features of the browser app including leaving time-coded notes, version tracking, and downloading. Click here for the Apple version.

Frame.io In My Video Editing Workflow

If you’re working with me as one of my clients, this app is going to save you so much time. It’s such powerful software and a lot of what it does happens behind the scenes. It also has advanced features that benefit me as an editor in that I can collaborate with my team of animators, videographers, audio engineers, and fellow video editors to get you drafts of your video back the fastest possible.

For you as a client, however, it’s just as easy as clicking the link I sent to you, hitting play, and to start typing your first edit request.

If you’re not one of my clients and you’d like to try out the software for yourself, here’s a link to get 2-weeks free of Frame.io.

If you want to learn more about the software or about our video editing services check us out on YouTube, Instagram, or Linkedin!

Leave A Comment