The slowest way to work a review round is with the comment panel on one screen and the timeline on another, re-reading notes and hunting for each moment. The fast way is mechanical: convert every comment into a timeline marker first, then work the timeline in marker order with the comment panel closed. Five minutes of marker setup buys you a single pass through the notes instead of thirty context switches.
The method
- Triage the round's comments into edit-needed vs reply-only (the reply-only ones get answered on the thread, never become markers - consolidating the notes first makes this pass fast).
- Drop a marker at each comment's timecode, labeled with a compressed version of the note. A priority prefix keeps the order honest: "P1: pacing drags," "P2: logo swap."
- Work markers in order - P1s first, or timeline order if the notes are light. One pass, no re-reading.
- Export, upload as the next version, and the round closes with the same structure it started with (the review checklist is the frame; the comment templates keep the notes marker-friendly in the first place).
Final Cut Pro: to-do markers are built in
FCP has native task markers, and they are exactly the right shape for review notes (Apple's markers guide). Add a marker with M (standard, blue) or Option-M to add-and-modify in one step; in the marker controls, switch the type to To Do. Apple's marker types: standard markers are blue, to-do items are red, chapter markers are orange. When you have made the fix, open the marker and click Done - the red to-do becomes a completed item, and every marker is listed in the timeline index, which doubles as your round punch list. The FCP review loop itself (FCPXML, no live panel) is in the FCP client-review workflow, and timecode burn-ins for the next export are in the FCP timecode tip.
Premiere Pro: markers plus the Markers panel
Add a marker with M at the playhead, and open Window > Markers for the list view - every marker with its timecode, color, and comment in one ordered panel. Put the compressed note in the marker's comment field as you go; work the list top to bottom, recoloring or deleting markers as you clear them. The Premiere-side loop (with the Frooty panel putting review comments directly beside the timeline, so this step is half-done for you) is in the Premiere review workflow.
DaVinci Resolve: markers on the edit page
Same pattern on the edit page: marker at the playhead via the Markers menu or M, note in the marker, marker colors as your priority scheme (red for must-fix, yellow for should-fix) until you clear or recolor them. Resolve's round loop, including the plugin that puts review comments next to the cut, is in the Resolve review workflow.
The honest limit
No review tool auto-imports comments as NLE markers - the conversion step above is manual, and that is the current honest state of the category. What the tools do instead is put the timecoded comments close enough to the timeline that the conversion is minutes, not an archaeology project: the Premiere panel and Resolve plugin surface comments beside the cut, and FCP works from FCPXML handoffs. If a vendor claims comment-to-marker import, verify it against your actual round before believing the demo.
FAQ
Clip markers or timeline markers?
Timeline markers for round work - they survive across the round's edits, show up in the index/list view, and are not tied to a clip that might get replaced. Clip markers belong to the media; round notes belong to the cut.
What labeling convention should markers use?
A priority prefix plus a compressed note: "P1: pacing drags," "P2: swap logo," "P3: consider alternate ending." The prefix gives you the work order; the compression keeps markers readable at timeline zoom.
How do I mark a note as done outside FCP?
FCP has the literal Done button on to-do markers. In Premiere and Resolve, recolor the marker (green, for example) or delete it when the fix lands - the convention matters more than the mechanism, as long as the whole team reads it the same way.
What about comments that need no edit?
They should not become markers at all. Reply on the comment thread - "kept as-is because..." - and resolve it. A marker for a non-edit note is how punch lists fill with noise.
Do review tools export comments as markers automatically?
Not generally - the comment-to-marker step is manual today. The panels and plugins shorten it by putting timecoded comments beside the timeline, but the honest workflow is: read the comments, place the markers, then edit. Verify any import claim against a real round.