Remote Editing with Frame.io: A Complete Setup and Workflow Guide

What Frame.io Actually Is

Frame.io is a video review and collaboration platform. It is not a NAS, not a video editing application, and not a replacement for your local storage infrastructure. Understanding what it is helps you understand where it fits in your workflow and where it doesn't.

What Frame.io does: provides a browser-based video player with frame-accurate timecoded commenting, version stacking for multiple cuts of the same deliverable, team permission management, client review without requiring client software installation, and integrations with Adobe Premiere, After Effects, and DaVinci Resolve.

What Frame.io doesn't do: replace local or NAS-based storage for editing, provide the editing performance of a local drive, or serve as a long-term archive solution.

The Camera to Cloud Workflow

One of Frame.io's most powerful recent features is Camera to Cloud: a system that allows footage recorded on compatible cameras (Sony Venice, ARRI Alexa with a compatible wireless transmitter, and others) to automatically upload to Frame.io in real time during the shoot.

This means a producer watching remotely can review footage minutes after it's recorded. A director who had to leave set early can watch takes from wherever they are. The editorial team can begin assembly before the shoot wraps.

Camera to Cloud requires: a compatible camera (or a compatible wireless recorder), internet connectivity on set (portable router, cell hotspot), and a Frame.io subscription that supports Camera to Cloud. Footage uploads as H.264 proxy for review purposes while the original camera files are recorded to the card normally.

Setting Up a Project for Client Review

A well-structured Frame.io project reduces the confusion that makes client review processes inefficient.

Folder structure: Create one top-level folder per deliverable type (Brand Film, Social Cuts, BTS), not one folder per date or per editor. Clients navigate by what they need to review, not by when you made it.

Version stacking: When uploading a revised cut, use Frame.io's version stack to add it as a new version of the same asset rather than uploading as a separate file with "v2" in the name. Version stacks show clients the revision history cleanly and prevent confusion about which version is current.

Comment threading: Frame.io's timecoded comments thread by timecode. This means all feedback on a specific moment in the video is grouped together. When uploading a new version, existing comments carry forward as resolved or unresolved, making it easy to verify that all feedback was addressed.

Adobe Premiere and After Effects Integration

The Frame.io panel in Adobe Premiere (installed via Creative Cloud) allows editors to:

The workflow: finish an edit, open the Frame.io panel, select the sequence, click upload. Frame.io renders a review version in the background while you continue working. When complete, share the link with the client. When the client leaves comments, they appear as colored markers in your timeline at the exact timecode.

The "Approved" status in Frame.io can be set by the client, giving the editor a clear signal that a version is picture locked without an email chain.

DaVinci Resolve Integration

DaVinci Resolve's Frame.io integration works somewhat differently than the Premiere integration. Resolve connects to Frame.io through the collaboration panel in the Deliver page.

From Resolve, you can upload completed renders to Frame.io and receive comments back in the Cut or Edit page as markers. The integration is functional but less deeply embedded in the editing workflow than the Premiere panel. Colorists using Resolve primarily for grading (rather than editing) often find the Frame.io integration meets their needs for client review without needing the deep editorial integration.

Client Experience: Browser-Based, No Account Required

One of Frame.io's most important workflow advantages: clients don't need to create an account or install software to review content. A shared review link opens directly in any modern web browser.

Clients can leave timecoded comments by pausing the video, clicking on the timeline, and typing. They can annotate frames by drawing directly on the video. They can mark clips as approved or request changes. All of this works without any software installation.

For clients who are less technically sophisticated, this frictionless review experience is significant. Getting feedback becomes as simple as sharing a link and asking them to watch and comment.

Managing Versions and Approvals

The most common client confusion in video review workflows is version management: "Which one is the current cut? Did you address my note from last week?"

Frame.io's version stacking eliminates this if used correctly. Never upload revised cuts as separate assets. Always add them to the version stack of the original asset. The client sees the current version by default, with previous versions accessible through the version dropdown.

Set clear expectations about the approval workflow upfront: "When you're happy with a version, please click Approved in Frame.io. That tells me the cut is locked and I can proceed to color and sound."

Team Permissions and External Client Access

Frame.io's permission model has three relevant tiers for most studio workflows:

Team members (full access): your editors, producers, and internal collaborators who need to see all assets, leave all comments, and manage the project structure.

Collaborators (limited access): clients, directors, or external stakeholders who should be able to review and comment on specific assets but not see your full project structure or other clients' work.

Review links (public, no account required): share-only access to a specific asset or folder with no account requirement. Appropriate for single-round reviews with clients or for press screenings.

Separate each client into their own project or a clearly delineated section of a project. Never give one client access to another client's assets.

Upload Bandwidth Requirements

For a usable Frame.io experience, the upload speed requirement scales with the resolution and frequency of uploads.

Uploading a 1080p H.264 review cut (typically 1-5 GB) over a 100 Mbps connection takes 1-7 minutes. Uploading a 4K ProRes review cut (10-50 GB) over the same connection takes 13-67 minutes.

For studios that upload multiple review cuts daily, a business fiber connection with 500 Mbps+ upload speed provides a substantially better working experience. If overnight upload is acceptable, most broadband connections are sufficient.

Final Delivery Through Frame.io

Frame.io supports final delivery of approved deliverables directly through the platform. Clients can download final files from Frame.io with appropriate download permissions.

For large deliverables (multi-GB masters, DCP files), direct download from Frame.io may not be the most reliable delivery method, particularly for clients with slower connections. In these cases, a dedicated file transfer service (Aspera, WeTransfer Pro) or a shared cloud storage folder provides better reliability for large final deliverable transfers.