Overview
When a written description isn't enough to explain what you want changed, a screenshot with a visual annotation can make your feedback instantly clear. This article walks through a simple workflow for attaching images to your proofing room comments to give editors precise, visual direction.
Why This Matters
If you're pointing to a specific element on a busy screen — a graphic in the wrong spot, an unwanted person in frame, a transition you don't like — plain text can leave the editor guessing. Adding a screenshot that highlights exactly what you mean removes that ambiguity and gets you a more accurate revision the first time.
Method 1: Paste a Screenshot Directly into a Comment (Mac)
In the proofing room, navigate to the exact frame in the video that you want to reference.
On a Mac, press Command + Control + Shift + 4 to activate the screen grab tool. This copies your selection directly to your clipboard (it does not save a file).
Drag to select just the element or area you want to call out.
Click into the comment field in the proofing room at the correct timestamp and press Command + V to paste. The image will appear directly in the comment — no saving or uploading required.
Add a description alongside the image: "Please cover this person with a split screen starting at this point" or "This element needs to be removed."
Submit your comment.
On PC, the screenshot shortcut is different — search online for the equivalent clipboard screenshot shortcut for your version of Windows.
Method 2: Annotate a Full-Screen Screenshot (Mac)
Use this method when there's a lot happening on screen and you want to circle or highlight multiple elements.
At the relevant timestamp, press Command + Control + Shift + 4 and capture the full screen area you want to annotate.
Open Preview (Mac's built-in image tool), go to File > New from Clipboard.
Click the draw icon in Preview and select red for your annotation color.
Draw boxes or circles around the elements you want to highlight.
Save the annotated image to your downloads.
Back in the proofing room comment, click the attach image button and upload your saved screenshot.
Add a written note explaining the change, then submit.
Best Practices
Always make sure your comment is timestamped at the exact moment the issue appears — not at the start of the video.
Use screenshots when you're pointing to a specific visual element that's hard to describe in words, or when the same type of element appears multiple times and you need to be precise about which one.
You don't need to use this method for every single note — it's most useful for complex visual feedback or busy frames.
FAQs
Do I need special software to annotate screenshots?
No. On Mac, Preview is built in and works perfectly. On PC, the Paint app or Snipping Tool both work for adding simple annotations.
Can I paste images into comments on any browser?
Clipboard paste into the comment field works on most modern browsers. If it doesn't work, use the file attachment option instead.
Can I include multiple screenshots in one comment?
Yes — you can paste or attach multiple images to a single comment if you need to reference more than one element at the same timestamp.