Frame.io is an amazing cloud-based collaboration platform that keeps you and your team on the same page. It boasts an incredibly fast upload speed that is about 5x the speed of Dropbox. It has great features, such as:
- frame-by-frame media viewing
- side-by-side video comparison with stacking of multiple edits
- a strong commenting feature with the ability to draw directly on the clip in question
In this tutorial, we’ll cover Frame.io’s features, so you can better decide if the program is right for your collaborations.
Using Frame.io to Collaborate
The biggest hurdle when collaborating on a project is being able to communicate clearly and effectively. Files are large, and although a client may know exactly what they want changed, they often don’t possess the lexicon to able to communicate their ideas easily. Frame.io solves for this by offering a wonderful interface, with tools for both editors and other members of the team.
As an editor, you can quickly receive and manage dailies, as well as submitting full cuts that are ready for feedback. It should be noted that you aren’t limited to just video assets. You can upload PDFs, audio, and stills, and when it comes to videos, you aren’t limited by file size or a specific codex. All this is a huge thing, even if you were to use the software as just a file-sharing tool.
When it comes to getting feedback, it’s a simple click of a button and adding an email address. Once added, there are many different security levels you can apply to different folders, projects, or a single file, so that you can manage the access members of your team has.
The review process is definitely where Frame.io shines. Once you’ve sent out a review link to someone, they’ll have access to a media player and feedback section with the options to comment and use a pen tool to point out specific areas. All of the comments made are connected to a timecode, and these comments can be brought directly back into your editor (FCPX, Premiere, Resolve, and more).
The best thing about this is that once the comments are brought back into your NLE, they’re now connected to the individual clips rather than a stationary timecode, so that you can freely move your clips around without messing up the position of the comments. This is a tool that seems to be unique to Frame.io, and it is a huge bonus compared to its competitors.
If you are working with a team, you have the ability to view everyone else’s comments. This allows you to view the overall feedback from the team, and as an editor, you can go through the comments and check each one off as done or start a conversation around the given feedback.
Version Stacking and Approval
Frame.io is all about easy organization. Frame.io supports file versioning. This allows you to upload new versions on top of the original and then easily toggle through the versions so that everyone involved can see the progress and compare changes while leaving their own set of comments on a particular version.
When it comes to getting approval for videos, Frame.io allows the client to review and mark a version as approved. This is especially handy for not only the editor but also the client, who might be managing many different projects with deadlines and needs a way of keeping track of what’s ready to publish as well as marking which version they’re happy with.
Integration With FCPX, Adobe, and Resolve
For the editor, imagine not having to export your footage from your NLE and then once again uploading it for review. Frame.io is constantly working on releasing updates to make your workflow the best it can be. With downloadable integrations, you can go straight from editing to uploading for review.
If you are a Resolve user, you won’t need to download anything as Frame.io is built right into version 17. This integration shows its strength when it is set up to be directly linked with a sequence/timeline, which allows any feedback applied to be downloaded right back to your timeline automatically.
Wrapping Up
Frame.io is a wonderful tool that you can use to speed up your workflow, increase active communication amongst people on a team, and solve problems that more traditional methods of collaboration create. It comes with a few price points, as well as options for larger companies.
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