Every edit goes through feedback, and feedback is where projects either speed up or stall. Vague notes lead to guesses. Scattered notes lead to missed changes. Contradicting notes lead to frustration on both sides. The good news is that giving great feedback is a learnable skill, and it pays back on every single video.
Watch it properly first
Watch the whole edit once without stopping, the way your audience would, ideally on the device they'll use. Get a feel for pace and story before you start picking at details. Then watch again and take notes. First impressions matter: if you got bored at a certain point, that's useful feedback in itself.
Use timestamps
"The middle feels slow" is hard to act on. "From 2:10 to 2:45 feels slow; can we cut the second example?" is easy. Review tools that let you comment directly on the timeline make this effortless, but a simple list with timestamps works too.
Explain the why
Editors make better decisions when they understand what you're trying to achieve. Compare:
- "Change the music." versus "The music feels too upbeat for this topic; something calmer would fit the serious tone."
- "Cut this part." versus "This section repeats the point from 1:20, so we can lose it."
When you explain the reason, the editor can apply it elsewhere without being told, and suggest better solutions than the one you had in mind.
Separate must-haves from preferences
Not all notes are equal. Mark which changes are required (factual errors, brand rules, legal issues) and which are suggestions or taste. It helps the editor prioritise and opens room for them to push back politely on a preference if they think it hurts the video.
Consolidate before you send
If several people need to review, gather all notes into one list and resolve conflicts before sending. Drip-fed comments from different people, sometimes contradicting each other, are the number one cause of endless revision rounds. One decision-maker should sign off the final list.
Be specific about what you like
Feedback isn't only about fixing things. Telling the editor what worked, "the hook is great, the captions are perfect", means they'll keep doing it. Positive notes are information, not just politeness.
Use references
If you struggle to describe something, show it. "I want the zooms to feel like this video at 0:30" is clearer than any adjective. Keep a shared folder of reference clips for your brand.
Know what counts as a revision
Most editors include a set number of revision rounds. Small tweaks, like trimming, swapping a shot or fixing a caption, are normal revisions. Changing the whole structure, adding new footage or rethinking the concept is usually a new request. Agree on this upfront to avoid awkward conversations.
Common feedback mistakes
- Vague adjectives: "make it pop", "more dynamic", "more premium". Say what you actually mean.
- Re-briefing during revisions: new ideas that weren't in the original brief.
- Feedback by phone call only: nothing written means things get forgotten.
- Waiting days, then needing it urgently: slow feedback compresses the editor's time.
- Fixing symptoms, not causes: if every video needs the same note, update the style guide.
Turn repeated notes into a style guide
If you've given the same note twice, it belongs in your style guide. "Never use red in captions." "Keep intros under ten seconds." "Always show the product by the second sentence." Over time, the style guide gets longer and the revision lists get shorter.
A simple feedback template
- Overall: one or two sentences on how the edit feels.
- What's working: keep these.
- Must change: timestamped, with reasons.
- Suggestions: timestamped, optional.
- Questions: anything you're unsure about.
Giving feedback to an agency vs a freelancer
With a freelancer, your notes go straight to the person editing, which is quick but means they absorb every bit of your tone. With an agency, a project manager may translate and organise notes, and a QA step may catch issues before you even see them. Either way, the same principles apply: specific, consolidated, explained.
When the edit is just wrong
Sometimes the first cut misses the mark entirely. Don't try to fix it with fifty small notes. Step back, explain what's missing at a high level, share a reference, and ask for a rethink. Then look at whether the brief was clear enough; usually that's where the gap started. Our guide on briefing an editor helps here.
Timing your feedback
Agree when feedback will arrive, and stick to it. If drafts land on Wednesday and notes come back Thursday, everyone can plan around that. Late feedback squeezes the editor's time for the final version and makes rushed mistakes more likely.
Related guides
Part of our working with editors series. See also sending footage to your editor, how long editing takes and running a test edit. See our work or get in touch.