E
Elliot M
Please make it possible for invited guests / Page viewers to be able to highlight transcript text in their web browser, as well just being able to comment on it, and for those highlights and comments to then show up on the original composition.
This is for when we don't want to give people editing access, or require them to download the app, or even see / hear the original footage - we just want to let people highlight choice quotes from the text in their browser, as they would say with Google Docs.
That way, after a client/colleague has selected which soundbites they've found interesting, we can automatically copy and paste all highlights at once into a new Composition - rather than having to manually scroll through each of their comments in the Page, then create each individual highlight ourselves within the original Composition, before being able to copy and paste all at once.
It would save so much time, and be a huge game-changer, particularly for video production companies and research agencies where clients want to be part of the editing / analysis process.
The current options are not favourable because:
  • either we're asking the client / colleague to download the app, which can be difficult if they're not tech savvy, or if they're just busy with other things
  • if they do use the app they'll also be able to see and hear all the raw footage, which is not something we want clients who are unfamiliar with the editing process to be able to do; as all clients tend to notice / focus on how rubbish unedited raw footage can look / sound, and how awkward some moments of filming can be. Plus if given editing access to a project, they'd be able to see existing Compositions, which again, will be works in progress that we'd often prefer clients not to see until the edits are in a presentable state.
  • alternatively, whilst we can ask a client to add 'comments' to the text within their web browser, that's a bit of a faff for them (involving multiple clicks, plus typing), and it still means we then have to manually convert all the comments into highlights with the original Composition, before copying and pasting into a new Composition.
Currently we're sharing a Word Doc of the transcript, that clients are then highlighting and sending back, for us to match up / replicate the highlights in Descript.
So essentially we're doubling the work needed. If a client could simply highlight the transcript on Descript in their web browser, without needing to download any Word Docs, then we can just 'copy highlights' and be done in an instant - literally saving hours.
Thanks!
November 13, 2020