How to get feedback
on a video.
There are five ways filmmakers and editors collect feedback from clients. Only one of them produces comments you can actually action without a follow-up call.
The feedback problem is a workflow problem
When a client says "somewhere in the middle it drags a bit" — that's not bad feedback. That's what happens when there's no structured way to give precise feedback. The client did their best with the tools available to them.
The usual suspects: a reply-all email thread, a voice note, a PDF with arrows, a WhatsApp message at 11pm. All of them produce the same result: ambiguous notes, extra revision rounds, and conversations that eat into the time you should be editing.
The fix isn't asking clients to give better feedback. It's giving them a tool that makes precision the path of least resistance.
Method 1: Email
The default. Client watches the video in whatever player they have, then writes you a reply. This produces feedback like:
- "The beginning is a bit slow"
- "Can we add something around the 2-minute mark?"
- "I think the music is too loud in the middle section"
- "It feels a bit long overall"
None of these are actionable without a follow-up conversation to establish what "beginning," "around 2 minutes," and "middle section" actually mean in timecodes.
Email works for approvals where no changes are needed. It doesn't work as a feedback channel for a cut in revision.
Method 2: Google Drive + comments
Upload the video to Google Drive, share the link, and ask clients to comment. Google Drive does not support frame-accurate video comments — reviewers can add document-level notes but can't pin them to a specific point in the video. The feedback ends up as a comment thread that you cross-reference against the video manually.
For document review — fine. For video feedback — the tool isn't designed for the job.
There's also a GDPR question. Google Drive stores data on US servers by default. For productions with EU clients or sensitive content, this creates a compliance gap that's easy to overlook.
Method 3: WeTransfer
WeTransfer is a file delivery tool. Some editors use it to send the video file to clients, then collect feedback by email or WhatsApp. This is method 1 with an extra step.
WeTransfer does offer a review feature in some plans, but it's a secondary capability built on top of a file transfer product. Review depth — versioning, approval states, frame pins — is limited. It's not what the product was designed around.
Method 4: Frame.io or a dedicated review tool
Dedicated video review tools were built to solve exactly this problem. The client watches the video in a purpose-built player and clicks directly on the timeline to leave a comment. The comment is pinned to that exact frame. No ambiguity, no follow-up call.
Frame.io is the benchmark here. It works well for editors in the Adobe ecosystem with US-based clients and no GDPR constraints. The limitations are well-documented: client accounts required, US hosting, pricing tied to an ecosystem you may not need.
Other tools in this category: Wipster, Filestage, Vimeo Review, Kollaborate, Krock.io. Each has a different audience and trade-off. See the full comparison of video review software →
Method 5: A tool built around no-friction client access
The version of method 4 where the tool was designed with the client experience as the primary constraint — not the editor's workflow.
The distinction matters. Most review tools require clients to create an account. That step — email verification, password, confirmation email that ends up in spam — is a friction point that costs you revision rounds and produces support requests.
RevCut was built from the other direction: the client receives a link, enters a name, and reviews. Nothing else. No account, no app, no obstacle between them and the video.
What "frame-accurate" feedback actually changes
The difference between "the logo feels off" and "the logo feels off at 00:42:14, bottom-right corner" is the difference between a revision round and a three-minute fix.
Frame-accurate tools let reviewers:
- Pin comments to exact frames — not just rough timestamps
- Point to specific areas on screen — not just the overall image
- Mark a range — IN and OUT points for sequences that need rework
- React to the paused frame — the video stops at the comment point so they're reacting to what they actually see
This isn't a luxury feature. It's the difference between feedback you can act on and feedback you have to interpret.
Getting feedback into your NLE
Once feedback is collected, the next question is how to get it into your editing software. Most review tools leave you copying timecodes manually from a browser window into your NLE.
RevCut exports directly to your timeline:
- FCPXML — imports as markers in Final Cut Pro
- DaVinci Resolve XML — imports as color-coded markers on your active timeline
- CSV — sortable by timecode, author, or status in any spreadsheet
- PDF — clean printable summary for reference
There's also a native DaVinci Resolve plugin — sign in from inside Resolve, select the project, import all comments in one click. No browser required.
Managing multiple rounds of feedback
Feedback rarely ends at V1. The tool you use needs to handle version management without creating confusion about which cut the client is reviewing.
RevCut keeps all versions — V1, V2, V3 — under the same project card with a dropdown selector. Clients always see the version you're working on. Comment history from earlier rounds stays visible but clearly tied to the version it belongs to.
You can pause comments on a version while you work on a revision — so clients who revisit the link can watch but can't leave premature notes on a cut you're still fixing. Once a version is approved, it's locked.
The approval moment
Feedback collection and approval are two different things. Getting useful comments is one step. Knowing when you have sign-off to deliver is another.
Without a structured approval step, "looks great to me!" in an email is not an approval — it's an ambiguous statement you'll spend time clarifying. RevCut's approval workflow gives clients an explicit action: Approve or Request Changes. The project status updates. The cut is locked. No more late-night feedback on a version you already delivered.
See how the approval workflow works →
Practical recommendation
If your current video feedback workflow involves email, voice notes, or shared Google Drive folders — switching to a dedicated review tool will cut revision rounds and eliminate the ambiguity that drives them.
The key criteria for choosing one:
- Clients can access without creating an account
- Comments are pinned to specific frames, not just rough timestamps
- You can manage multiple versions without creating confusion
- Comments can move into your NLE — not just sit in a browser tab
- If you're in the EU: storage is EU-hosted
That's what RevCut was built to cover. Plans from €3/month, 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to get feedback on a video from a client?
A dedicated video review tool. It gives clients a structured way to leave frame-accurate comments tied to specific moments — rather than vague email descriptions. The key criteria: no client account required, works in any browser, comments tied to exact frames.
How do I share a video for review without clients needing an account?
Upload your video to RevCut, share the review link. Clients enter only their name and can leave frame-accurate comments directly on the timeline. No account, no signup, no app. See the full guide →
What should I avoid when collecting video feedback?
Email threads, WhatsApp voice notes, screenshot markups, and PDF exports. These methods produce ambiguous feedback that can't be tied to a specific frame. The result is extra revision rounds and missed changes.
How do I get video feedback into DaVinci Resolve or Final Cut Pro?
RevCut exports FCPXML for Final Cut Pro and XML for DaVinci Resolve. Comments import as labeled markers on your active timeline. There's also a native DaVinci Resolve plugin that imports with one click from inside Resolve.
How many rounds of feedback is normal for a video project?
Two to three revision rounds is standard for most client video work. More than that usually signals one of two problems: feedback was too vague to action correctly, or the approval moment wasn't clearly defined. Both are workflow problems a review tool helps solve.
Written by Frankie Doguet — freelance editor and founder of RevCut. Updated April 2026.