How to get client feedback on a video

A rough cut goes out to the client on Monday. By Wednesday the notes arrive as an email: the logo at the start feels small, the shot after the interview should go, and could the music come in a bit later. The editor scrubs through the timeline trying to match each note to a moment, picks a shot that might be the one, and sends a follow-up question. Half a day goes on working out what the client meant.

This guide covers the usual ways people collect notes on a video, where those approaches create extra rounds, and how to share a cut in Fabric so the client can comment at the exact timestamp and draw on the frame they’re talking about.

How people usually collect notes on a video

The most common route is a download link from WeTransfer, Dropbox, or Google Drive, followed by notes in an email. It’s quick to set up and clients know how it works. The feedback, though, arrives separately from the video, written as rough timecodes or descriptions like “the bit with the blue car”, and the editor has to translate each one back into the timeline.

Some teams ask clients to fill in a spreadsheet with a timecode column and a notes column. That gives structure, but clients often skip it or write approximate times, and the sheet becomes a second file to keep in step with each new cut.

Dedicated video review tools such as Frame.io are built for this job and many post-production teams rely on them. Studios that also send clients documents, stills, and design files for review can end up with feedback split across several tools, each with its own logins and links for the client to keep track of. Video calls to walk through a cut work well for big decisions, though the notes from the call still need writing up afterward.

Step 1: Put the cut in a space for that client

Create a space just for the client and add a folder for the project. When you share the space, the client sees only that space, so other clients’ work stays out of view. How to give a client access to only their files explains that setup in more detail.

Drag the exported video into the folder, paste it, or click Upload a file. If you work from Finder or File Explorer, the Fabric desktop app mounts Fabric as a virtual drive on Mac, Windows, and Linux, so you can export straight into the client’s folder. Files on the drive take no space on your computer and stream when you open them, which helps when a project has several long cuts. The free plan has file size caps, so large masters may need a paid plan.

Give each cut a clear name such as “Brand film v2, 14 Oct” so the client knows which version they’re reviewing. How to manage video project files has more on naming and folder structure for edits.

Step 2: Share it with commenter permission

Feedback needs a shared link, and the client needs the commenter role. Click Share on the video, folder, or space and give the client commenter permission. Fabric’s roles and permissions are viewer, commenter, editor, and admin, set at space and file level, so you can let a client comment on one project without being able to edit or delete anything.

External people can use shared links without signing up, which matters for clients who won’t create another account just to watch a cut.

For unreleased work, you can add password protection on the Pro and Team plans. Right-click the item or folder, choose Add password protection, and enter a password. Anyone opening it enters the password, and access lasts 6 hours before they’re asked again. There’s no password reset, so save it in a password manager before you send it.

Step 3: Let the client comment on the exact moment

A commenter can leave timestamped comments on video and audio. When the client pauses on the shot they want changed and writes a note, the comment is tied to that timestamp, so you open it and land on the right frame. On video, a comment can also include a drawing on the frame: the client can circle the logo that’s too small or point at the background detail that needs removing. The annotations page shows how this looks.

It helps to send a short note with the link explaining what you want from this round. For a rough cut, that might be structure and pacing only. For a fine cut, it might be graphics, color, and spelling in lower thirds. Clients tend to give more focused notes when they know what’s still open.

Several people on the client side can comment on the same cut, and Fabric’s collaboration features keep comments threaded, so a producer and a marketing lead can discuss a note under the same timestamp instead of sending you two conflicting emails.

Step 4: Work through the notes and mark them completed

As you make each change, mark the comment completed. The feedback then works like a checklist, and you and the client can both see what’s been handled and what’s left. It also makes the next round easier to review, because the client can check the completed notes against the new cut. How to mark client feedback as done covers this habit across file types.

When the new cut is ready, add it to the same folder with the next version number and share it the same way. Keeping each round in one folder gives the client a clear history of what changed.

Step 5: Deliver the approved video

Once the client signs off, you can publish the final video as a link. Click Share, open the Publish tab, and click Create link. Name the link, and turn on allow downloads so the client can save the master. Downloads on published links are available on every plan. Published links are view only (plus download if you allow it) and don’t take comments, so keep review on shared links and use publishing for delivery.

On Pro and Team plans you can turn on collect engagement analytics for the published link. Link analytics show visits with dates, location, and device, which tells you whether the delivery link has been opened.

Frequently asked questions

Does my client need a Fabric account to leave comments on a video?

No. External people can use shared links without signing up. Give them commenter permission so they can leave notes.

Can clients leave comments at a specific timestamp?

Yes. Commenters can leave timestamped comments on video and audio, and opening a comment takes you to that moment in the cut.

Can a client draw on a video frame to show what they mean?

Yes. On video, a comment can include a drawing on the frame, which is useful for pointing at a logo, a crop, or something in the background.

Can clients comment on a published video link?

No. Published links are for viewing and, if you allow it, downloading. Use a shared link with commenter permission for feedback.

How do I keep track of which video notes I’ve already fixed?

Mark each comment completed once you’ve made the change. The comments then work like a checklist for that round.

Can I password protect a video I send for review?

Yes, on the Pro and Team plans. Anyone with access enters the password, access lasts 6 hours, and there’s no reset, so keep the password somewhere safe.

Will storing client videos in Fabric fill up my laptop?

No. Files on the Fabric desktop drive take no space on your computer and stream when you open them.

Can I see whether the client opened the final video?

Yes, if you deliver it as a published link with engagement analytics turned on, which needs a Pro or Team plan. Analytics show visits, dates, location, and device. Plan details are on the pricing page.