Tutorial: Previewing and Reviewing Client Videos with Frame.io

For Editors

Another key thing to note is that Frame.io offers integrations with various apps in that, not only can you look at it on your phone, but it also interfaces with Final Cut Pro X, Premiere Pro, and After Effects. This means the comments can be loaded directly into the timeline of the editing app so that while you're editing, you can see the various notes as opposed to jumping between a web interface with the comments and then going into your app. That's very handy. My editor is using DaVinci, which is not integrated at this time. But, it's not an unsurmountable problem to go back and forth between web browser and edit app.

Another really handy feature is that the Frame.io interface works much like edit systems. You use a spacebar to start and stop, and you can use the JKL keys to go back and forth across video. So, if you’re an editor, this online interface actually works as you would expect a video interface to work.

I like the email integration as well. In the video that accompanies this article, I show how, when my editor is working with uploaded content, Frame.io sends me an email notification even when my editor is clearly working throughout the night. When I log on in the morning I can see everything that's been done, everything that's going on, just by looking in my email. I don't have to hunt it down on the Frame.io interface. I have time-stamped notifications of every comment, every upload.

Support has been good as well. From asking questions, offering interface suggestions, and even working out billing issues when I needed to change my plan, and accidentally went from monthly to yearly, everything went smoothly and I felt the folks at Frame.io were very responsive.

Conclusion

This is my look at Frame.io as it has served me over the past two months on this 29-video series. I hope I've shown how you can leverage the tools in Frame.io to smoothly manage projects--especially projects with lots of clips.

Remember, I didn't have just 29 videos in play because I had multiple versions of each video—one before the client sees it, and more during the revisions as well. So as many as 4-6 versions of 29 videos all being reviewed, commented on, and revised, resulting in new comments, revisions, etc. That's a lot to keep track of. Frame.io has proven itself to be a very worthwhile tool for managing this project and worth the dollars I spent on it.