In short
- Write each comment against a timecode, such as 02:14, so the editor goes straight to it.
- Say what you want changed, then add a short reason.
- Sort comments into facts to correct, taste, and new requests.
- Send one combined list, not a stream of messages.
Useful feedback is specific, in one list, and tied to a point in the video. Say where it is, what you want instead and, briefly, why. An editor can act on that in one round.
Why do vague comments cause extra rounds?
“Make it more exciting” can mean faster cuts, different music, shorter speeches or a new opening. The editor has to guess, and a wrong guess uses up a review round. Many people also notice problems on the second watch that they missed on the first, so comments trickle in and the edit keeps changing.
Specific comments avoid this. Our guide to revisions, corrections and scope-change charges explains how review rounds are usually agreed.
How do I write a comment the editor can use?
Use four parts:
- Where: the timecode, such as 01:05, or a range, such as 03:20 to 03:45.
- What: the change you want, in plain words.
- Why: a short reason, so the editor can solve it a better way if needed.
- Type: whether it is a fact to correct, a matter of taste or something new.
| Vague comment | Useful comment |
|---|---|
| The speech part is too long | 04:10 to 06:30: keep the CEO’s first and last points, cut the story in between. Most guests will watch on their phones, so shorter is better. |
| Wrong name | 02:14: the caption says “En. Hamdan”, it should be “Dr. Hamdan Yusof”. Spelling confirmed by the organiser. |
| Music is not right | Whole video: the music feels too heavy for a children’s concert. Something lighter and more cheerful, please. |
| Add the other group | New request, from 05:00: please add the Year 5 choir if footage exists. |
What kinds of comments are there?
Sorting comments helps the editor, and helps you see which are corrections and which change the plan.
- Facts to correct. Names, titles, spelling, wrong logo, a clip placed in the wrong order. Check the right version before you send. See checking names, titles and logos.
- Taste. Pace, music, colour, length. These are valid, but one person’s taste is not another’s. If several people have opinions, settle them first with consolidating feedback from several stakeholders.
- New requests. Something not in the agreed plan, such as another version, another language or footage from a moment that was never recorded. These may change the scope, so label them clearly.
- Technical problems. Sound dropouts, stutter, a file that will not play. Note the device and player you used.
A simple routine for the draft
- Watch the whole draft once without writing anything.
- Watch again with the player open and write down timecodes.
- Check every name, title and number against a trusted source.
- Sort comments into the types above.
- Agree internally who sends the list, then send it once.
The timecoded video feedback builder gives you a clean table to fill in. A plain spreadsheet works just as well.
For a long video, check the speeches and the name captions first. Mistakes there are hardest to undo once the video has been shared.
If you have many comments, put the most important ones first.
What we confirm before the first draft
- How you send comments, and in which format.
- How many review rounds the quote includes, and what counts as one round.
- How you mark something as a new request.
- That the draft can be viewed on a phone as well as a computer.
- When we need your list for the schedule to hold. (More on this in agreeing a delivery schedule.)
If you are sending raw footage and want a clear review process before work begins, see editing your event footage, or message us and we will set out how drafts and comments will work.
Not sure how to ask for changes? Send us the draft or footage and tell us what the video is for. We will tell you what an edit can fix.
Ask about your event