How to send a video draft to a client for review

Sending a draft is easy. Getting useful notes back is the hard part, and the way you send the file decides a lot of it. A client who has to download a 3 GB file before they can watch will watch later. A client who can only reply by email will write "the middle feels slow".

So the question isn't "how do I get the file to them?" It's "what can the client do with it once it arrives?"

Here are the common options, compared on exactly that.

What to compare

For each way of sending a draft, ask:

1. Can they watch it straight away, on whatever device they have, without downloading?

2. Do they need an account? Clients don't want to sign up for anything.

3. Can they leave a note on a specific moment?

4. What happens with the next version? Does the client know which one is current?

5. Can you control the file? Expiry, password, downloads on or off, revoking access.

Option 1: Email attachment

Watch straight away: only if the file is tiny. Most mail providers cap attachments at around 20 to 25 MB, so a real export won't fit.

Notes: a reply email with whatever timecodes the client remembers.

Next version: a new email, a new attachment, a new thread.

Verdict: fine for a 15-second social clip. Not workable for anything longer.

Option 2: WeTransfer and other transfer services

Watch straight away: the client usually downloads first. Some plans offer a preview, but it's built for delivery, not review.

Account: not needed to download.

Notes: none in the tool. Feedback goes back by email or chat.

Next version: a new transfer link. The old one expires on its own schedule, sometimes before the client has opened it.

Verdict: good for delivering the final master or raw files. Poor for review.

Option 3: Google Drive

Watch straight away: yes, once Drive has processed the video, which can take a while for long or high-resolution files.

Account: a Google account helps. Clients on work accounts that block outside sharing often hit "request access".

Notes: Drive comments attach to the whole file, not a moment in it. Clients have to type timecodes by hand.

Next version: usually a new file, which is where final_v3_REAL.mp4 comes from.

Verdict: free and familiar, and fine for a single round. Here's where it breaks down after that.

Option 4: Dropbox

Watch straight away: yes, Dropbox previews video in the browser.

Account: not needed to view a shared link.

Notes: Dropbox file comments can be tied to a moment in a video, which is better than Drive. Dropbox Replay, a paid add-on, is a proper review tool.

Next version: new files, unless you use Replay.

Verdict: a step up from Drive, especially if the client already uses Dropbox. Replay is worth a look if your team lives in Dropbox.

Option 5: A video review tool

Watch straight away: yes. Review tools convert the video for streaming, so it plays smoothly on a phone or laptop.

Account: not needed on most tools. The client opens a link.

Notes: pinned to the exact frame the client paused on. Clicking a note jumps the player back there.

Next version: sits in the same project as the last one, with its own notes. Old notes stay with the old version, so nothing gets mixed up.

Control: passwords, expiry dates, downloads on or off, revoking a link.

Verdict: the best option once a client gives more than one round of notes. Here are seven of them compared.

How to send a draft from Seamlift without the client signing up

We make Seamlift, so here's the flow there.

1. Upload the cut. Drag it into a project, or import it from Google Drive. Uploads resume if your connection drops.

2. Create a share link. From the video, make a link and turn on guest comments. Leave downloads off for a draft. Add a password or an expiry date if it's unreleased sponsor work.

3. Send the link with one line of instructions. "Pause wherever something should change and type your note, it sticks to that moment. No sign-up needed."

4. Read the notes as they come in. They appear live, each pinned to its frame. Guests can mark a note as a change request or a question, and reply in a thread when you ask a follow-up.

5. Mark each note done as you fix it, then upload v2 to the same project and send a link to it. Revoke the v1 link so the client can't review the old cut by mistake.

6. Revoke the last link when the project is over, if you want.

Members of your team who have a Seamlift account can do more: draw on the frame, attach files and @mention each other. Adding members costs nothing; you pay only for storage, and 10 GB is free.

A few habits that get better notes

• Send the draft with a deadline for notes. "Notes by Thursday" gets notes by Thursday. No deadline gets notes on the day you were going to deliver.

• Ask for one batch. One set of notes per version, not a message every time something occurs to them.

• Ask them to watch it all once before commenting. They'll judge the story first, then the details.

• Say what stage it is. "Rough cut, no colour or music yet" saves you ten notes about colour and music.

For what good notes look like, here are 30 examples, vague vs specific.

FAQ

What's the best way to send a video draft to a client for review?

A video review tool. The client opens a link, watches without downloading, and leaves notes pinned to exact frames, and every version of the cut sits in one project with its own notes. Email and transfer services are fine for delivering finished files but don't collect feedback.

How can I share a video for review without the client making an account?

Use a review tool with guest comments. In Seamlift, create a share link on the video and turn on guest comments. Anyone with the link can watch in a browser and leave timestamped notes, with no account or app.

Can I stop the client downloading the draft?

Yes. Seamlift share links have downloads off by default. You can also add a password, set an expiry date, or revoke the link at any time.

How do I send the client a new version?

Upload it to the same project and create a share link for it. Each share link is for one version, so notes from earlier versions stay with those versions. Revoke the old link when the new one goes out, so the client always lands on the current cut.