# Review a product video

Use this on the actual rendered version at its intended player size. Record what the reviewer observed and the change, if any, that the film needs. Mark each check Ready, Needs changes, or Not applicable, with
a reason. Keep product defects, comprehension problems and taste preferences
distinguishable.

## Review record

- Film and purpose: [fill in]
- Version / file / export date: [fill in]
- Intended audience and viewing context: [fill in]
- Reviewer and review date: [fill in]
- Product version and evidence set: [fill in]
- Agreed deliverables and acceptance criteria: [fill in]

## First-viewer pass

Watch once without pausing or receiving an explanation in advance. Then answer:

- What problem was the person trying to solve?
- What action changed the situation?
- What did the final state prove?
- What would you do next, if anything?
- Where did you lose the thread or need to guess?

Compare the answers with the brief. If a viewer remembers the visual effects but
cannot explain the product's change, investigate the story before polishing the
effects.

## Review passes

| Area            | Check                                                                           | Decision and evidence |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- |
| Story           | The opening establishes a concrete question, and the ending answers it.         | [fill in]             |
| Causality       | The viewer can connect the action to the result without guessing.               | [fill in]             |
| Product truth   | Controls, hosts, permissions, relationships and results match current evidence. | [fill in]             |
| Continuity      | Example identities and values persist, or resets are explicit.                  | [fill in]             |
| Framing         | Important changes and labels are legible at the intended display size.          | [fill in]             |
| Motion          | Movement directs attention without obscuring the event being explained.         | [fill in]             |
| Narration       | Each line refers to visible evidence and adds useful explanation.               | [fill in]             |
| Synchronization | Important phrases and their visual events land together in playback.            | [fill in]             |
| Reading time    | A viewer can identify context and inspect results before they disappear.        | [fill in]             |
| Audio           | Speech is intelligible and edits, music and levels are appropriate.             | [fill in]             |
| Captions        | Wording, product terms, timing, placement and reading order are correct.        | [fill in]             |
| Delivery        | Reviewed files match the agreed formats, versions and accompanying assets.      | [fill in]             |

## A useful review note

DispatchDesk is a fictional support-routing product. This is an illustrative
review note, not a report about a client film.

```text
Version: dispatchdesk-review-02
Timestamp: 00:12 to 00:15
Observed: The camera leaves the ticket before Team changes to Payments.
Viewer consequence: I hear the destination but cannot verify the assignment.
Required understanding: The same urgent checkout ticket reaches Payments.
Suggested repair: Keep the team and priority fields in frame through the change,
then give the viewer time to inspect the result before moving away.
Decision: Needs changes before release.
Verification: Watch the revised export with the final narration; check the
neighboring transition as well as this timestamp.
```

Avoid prescribing an exact repair when you only know the symptom. “I cannot read
the result before the cut” gives the editor room to solve the actual problem.
“Add two seconds everywhere” can slow scenes that were already working.

## Release decision

- Unresolved factual or comprehension blockers: [list, or none]
- Open taste choices and decision owner: [fill in]
- Revised export watched in full: [version, reviewer, date]
- Required formats and caption files checked: [fill in]
- Decision: [Ready / Needs changes]
- Approver and exact approved version: [fill in]

A successful render confirms that the files exported. The reviewer approves
the actual cut after comparing it with the brief and agreed criteria. Preserve a short note
about why an accepted cut works so the next production has a usable reference.

[Read the full guide](https://20cuts.com/how-to-review-an-explainer-video).