Wie Sie große Videodateien an einen Kunden senden

A finished edit for a client is rarely small. A two-minute brand film exported at high quality can run to several gigabytes, a full interview with its raw angles to far more, and none of it fits through email. Then the client watches it, writes back with notes about “the bit near the start where the logo comes in”, and the next cut has to go through the same process again.

This page covers how editors and production teams usually move large video files to clients, where those routes slow things down, and how to deliver video from Fabric: one upload, a link the client can download from, comments pinned to the exact moment in the cut, and access you can lock down when the footage is confidential.

How people usually send big video files

File transfer services such as WeTransfer are the quick option. The client doesn’t need an account and the link arrives by email. Those links usually expire after a set period, though, and the client often comes back months later asking for the file again. Feedback goes back by email too, with timecodes typed out by hand.

Cloud drives like Google Drive and Dropbox keep the file around longer. Uploads of large exports can take a while, and the folder the client sees is often the same one holding project files, proxies and old versions, so the client may have to guess which file is the one to watch.

Dedicated review tools such as Frame.io are built around timestamped notes on video. Teams that use them describe them as a good fit for review and a separate subscription on top of wherever the files are stored. For raw camera footage, some productions still post a hard drive.

Step 1: Upload the video once

Add the export to the client’s folder or space in Fabric. Drag it in or click Upload a file in the web or desktop app. For a production with many files, the Fabric desktop app mounts Fabric as a drive on Mac, Windows and Linux, so you can save exports straight into it from your editing software’s output folder.

Files on that drive take no space on your computer and stream when you open them, which helps when a laptop is already full of footage. How to edit video straight from a cloud drive goes further into working this way. The free plan has storage and file size caps, so check which plan suits the size of files you deliver before a big handoff.

Step 2: Send a download link for delivery

For final delivery, publish the file or the project folder. Click Share to open the share modal, open the Publish tab, and click Create link. Name the link, turn on allow downloads so the client can save the master file, and decide whether to collect engagement analytics, allow indexing by search engines, and allow visitors to copy it to their Fabric. Then copy the link and send it.

Publishing a folder rather than a single video works well for productions with several deliverables, such as a main edit, cutdowns for social, and a version with captions. The folder appears as a web page with each file on it, and because editing the source in Fabric updates the published version, adding a new cutdown to the folder adds it to the page the client already has. More on how publishing works is on the feature page.

Step 3: Collect timestamped feedback on each cut

Published links are view and download only, so review rounds use a shared link. Click Share, give the client commenter permission, and send them the shared link; external people can open it without signing up. While watching, the client can leave timestamped comments, and a comment can include a drawing on the frame, so “move the logo here” comes with a circle around the spot. The annotations page has examples of comments on video.

Each comment can be marked completed once the change is made. Before sending the next cut, check that every note from the last round is ticked off. How to mark client feedback as done covers running feedback rounds this way.

If the client wants to find a line in an interview, transcription turns MP4, MOV and WebM files into searchable text, and search results jump to the timestamp. Transcription needs a paid plan.

Step 4: Protect the footage and check delivery

Unreleased campaigns and footage under embargo can sit behind a password. Right-click the video or its folder (or open it and use the three-dot menu), choose Add password protection, and enter a password. A password on a folder covers files added to it later, so new cuts are protected as soon as they land. There’s no password reset, and access lasts six hours before the viewer has to enter it again. Password protection is on the Pro and Team plans.

To see whether the delivery link was opened, turn on engagement analytics when you create it. Each link shows traffic over time, visit dates, and the location and device of each visitor. For a client with several reviewers, create one named link per person so you can see who has opened it. Link analytics need a Pro or Team plan.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the best way to send a large video file to a client?

Upload it once and send a link instead of the file. In Fabric, publish the video with downloads allowed so the client can save the original, or share it with commenter permission if you need feedback first.

Does the client need an account to download the video?

No. External people can use shared links without signing up, and a published link opens in the browser.

Can a client leave comments at a specific point in a video?

Yes, on a shared link with commenter permission. Comments are timestamped and can include a drawing on the frame.

Will storing client videos fill up my laptop?

Not with the desktop app. Files on the Fabric drive take no space on your computer and stream when you open them.

Is there a file size limit for video uploads?

The free plan has storage and file size caps. The pricing page lists what each plan includes.

Can I send a new cut without sending a new link?

Yes, if you published a folder. Add the new cut to the folder and it appears on the page the client already has, because editing the source updates the published version.

Can I password protect a video link?

Yes, on the Pro and Team plans. Right-click the video or folder and choose Add password protection.

Can I get a transcript of the video for the client?

Yes. Fabric transcribes MP4, MOV and WebM files, and the transcript is searchable and editable. Transcription needs a paid plan; see pricing.