Who needs clear communication and collaboration when you can just say “It’s not quite there yet” and call it a day? I mean we all love the challenge of reading minds and guessing others’ intentions, but we would certainly prefer more efficient and well… constructive feedback.
But first… how does the quality of your feedback impact your project? Easy. Providing good feedback can save you both time and money. With that said, it’s important to understand the difference between good feedback and bad feedback. Why? Because bad feedback can create confusion, lead to project delays, and/or create budget issues. Good feedback helps ensure your video project stays on time and on budget.
With that in mind, let’s dive into five tips to help you provide good feedback on your video:
1. Understand the Context
The first thing to remember before you set out to become black belts in feedback, is that you must understand the goals and objectives of the video. Think about the user’s experience: Where are they watching the video? What do they already know? This will help your video team create a video that aligns with your vision and ensure that there are no misunderstandings or surprises down the line.
2. Be Clear
Good feedback should provide clear direction, explicit reasons why a change needs to be made, and offer solutions. Avoid ambiguous comments such as “I’m not sure this shot works”. Instead, simply ask yourself “Why doesn’t that shot work?” Does the shot violate industry standards? Maybe it doesn’t show the right activity? Is the shot too slow? And be sure to keep in mind that your video team, specifically the Editor, might not be familiar with your industry, product, or process. That’s why it’s essential to provide context behind your comment. It guides the Editor’s decision-making process and provides context for them to offer a solution. Doing so helps avoid unnecessary back and forth in the edit – helping your team stay on schedule.
3. Be Honest
As you review your video make sure that the feedback you provide is honest. Transparent. Do not worry about offending anyone… well… to an extent. You’re the expert in your field and your video partner needs to remember that. They shouldn’t be offended by open and honest feedback. You know the content. You know the audience. They need to process your feedback with that understanding and then translate that into a successful video.
4. Get Early Buy In
The sooner you get key stakeholders to buy in the better. Do not wait to show leadership the video until the “Final” draft. If you’re that late in the process, they may notice something that doesn’t feel right, or be aware of a new process or policy that could impact the timing for the delivery of the video. That’s why it’s critical to get leadership buy-in early in the process, ideally in the concept development/approval phase, or the Rough Cut. Maybe you can wait for one round (wait until the Fine cut)… but that’s it – and only if absolutely necessary!
Aligning everyone with the same goals and objectives makes it easier to pinpoint specific areas for improvement early on. This can save time and money in case someone has an edit that could require a heavy edit in the late stages of the schedule. They might not like the voiceover, the music, the script, or the pacing. Any one of these alterations in the later stages of production may require time that may not exist and/or increase a budget that may already be stretched.
5. Streamline Communication
We’ve all been there. An email here, a phone call there. A Slack. Maybe a text for good measure. The reason feedback can be stressful is that there are dozens of forms of communication. This is why it’s critical to consolidate your feedback – ideally with a collaborative Feedback solution such as Frame.io. Tools like this streamline the feedback process. Provides frame-specific accuracy. Allows team members from around the globe to provide easily tracked and managed feedback. One stream of communication saves time and resources, ensures accuracy, and consistency, promotes effective collaboration, prevents conflicting feedback, and helps maintain focus on the goals and objectives of the project.
But don’t just rely on written feedback. Your video partner should schedule review calls for each round to ensure all feedback is understood, and provides the right direction for the next round!
Conclusion
Feedback is a two-way street. Your video partner may have reasons for certain creative choices they’ve made, so be sure to listen to their perspective and be open to their suggestions.
A good video producer will be able to explain their choices and provide alternative solutions that align with your goals and objectives. By being specific and constructive in your feedback, listening to your video producer’s perspective, and remaining open to collaboration and communication, you can ensure a positive and productive video production experience.
If you’re looking for a video production company that values your input and is dedicated to creating high-quality content that meets your needs, look no further than 522 Productions!