3.4 | Peer Review & Revision

Once the first draft of your edit (the “Rough Cut”) is finished, it’s time to step back and see it through the eyes of others. —

1. Prepare for the Screening

The “Rough Cut”: Ensure your video is exported or ready to play smoothly. It doesn’t have to be perfect—placeholders for missing graphics or music are okay!
The Plus/Delta Chart: Create a simple T-chart on a piece of paper or a digital document:
- Plus (+): What is working well? (Strengths, cool edits, clear storytelling).
- Delta (Δ): What should be changed or improved? (The Greek symbol for “change”).

Silent Viewing: Watch the video all the way through once without speaking. This allows the reviewer to experience the “flow” of the report.
Second Pass: Watch it again, but this time, the reviewer should jot down specific notes in the Plus and Delta columns.
The Golden Rule: Feedack should be Specific, Objective, and Kind.
- Bad: “I didn’t like the ending.”
- Good: “The ending felt abrupt because the music cut off before the reporter finished speaking.”

Identify the “Pluses”: Start with what is successful. Is the audio clear? Is the B-roll relevant?
Suggest the “Deltas”: Instead of just pointing out a mistake, offer a solution.
- Example: “The transition at 0:45 is a bit slow; maybe try a simple cut instead of a dissolve.”

Listen Without Defending: It’s tempting to explain why you made a choice, but for now, just listen and take notes. If a peer is confused, a general audience likely will be too.
Ask Clarifying Questions: If a note is vague, ask: “Can you show me the exact timestamp where the audio got too loud?”

After the session, look at your Delta column and prioritize your edits:

Level 1 (Critical): Technical errors (missing audio, black frames, typos).
Level 2 (Story): Pacing issues or confusing sequences.
Level 3 (Polishing): Color correction tweaks, fancy transitions, or extra sound effects.