Proxy Workflow Setup for Assistant Editors Who Work With Remote Colorists

The remote colorist relationship is one of the most technically sensitive handoffs in post production. The assistant editor is responsible for making sure the colorist is working from a clean set of media with correct metadata, and that the review process does not generate confusion about which version was approved or which notes apply to which pass. When that handoff is done over a proxy workflow, the stakes get higher: you are managing two parallel versions of the media (proxies for review, originals for conform), and any mismatch between them creates problems at the worst possible moment, usually right before online.

A proxy workflow setup for assistant editors working with remote colorists requires decisions in three areas: how the proxies are created and named, how they are shared for review, and how notes from the review connect back to the original media for the conform. Here is a practical setup that works.

Why Proxies Matter for Remote Color Review

Full-resolution 4K or 6K camera originals are too large to share for review in most remote workflows. A colorist working remotely needs to view their grades in the highest quality they can render and upload, but a director or producer reviewing from home does not need a 10GB file to evaluate whether a scene is too cold or too warm.

Proxies solve this by giving you a smaller, screener-quality version of the graded output that reviewers can watch without bandwidth issues. The key is making sure those proxies are clearly labeled, version-controlled, and tied back to the colorist's session so that any notes from the review can be acted on precisely.

Setting Up Proxy Naming From Day One

The proxy naming convention should be agreed between the assistant editor and the colorist before any media is handed over. My recommendation:

[PROJECT CODE]_[REEL OR SEQUENCE]_[COLORIST INITIALS]_GRADE_v[VERSION]_PROXY_[DATE].mp4

For example: NGT_R1_JB_GRADE_v03_PROXY_20240318.mp4

This tells anyone who encounters the file exactly what project, which reel, which colorist, which grade version, and when it was exported. The PROXY label is critical. It prevents the proxy from ever being confused with a deliverable or a deliverable-quality export.

Store proxies in a folder structure that mirrors the delivery structure:

/NGT/
 /Color_Review/
 /Reel_1/
 NGT_R1_JB_GRADE_v01_PROXY_20240310.mp4
 NGT_R1_JB_GRADE_v02_PROXY_20240315.mp4
 NGT_R1_JB_GRADE_v03_PROXY_20240318.mp4
 /Reel_2/

The colorist works from originals and exports proxies to a shared location (shared drive, frame.io folder, or cloud storage bucket). The assistant editor then takes those proxies and uploads them to the review platform for director and producer review.

Running the Review in PlayPause

For proxy review, PlayPause is where the actual feedback gets collected. The assistant editor uploads each reel's proxy as a separate version within the project. The director and DP can watch the grade and leave frame-accurate comments at specific timecodes. The colorist, if included in the review link, can see feedback directly without the assistant editor having to transcribe notes.

This is one of the biggest time savings in the remote colorist workflow: eliminating the step where the assistant editor has to translate a note from a client into a note for the colorist. When the director leaves a comment at 00:42:18 that says "this is too cyan, needs to feel warmer, like the scene before," the colorist sees that note directly and can respond in context.

Separating DP Review From Director Review

On many productions, the DP has a distinct review pass from the director. If you want to understand what the DP is actually evaluating, the guide on how a DP reviews color dailies remotely and stays frame-accurate is useful context. The DP is looking at technical color accuracy, lens characteristics, and whether the grade preserves or enhances the look they shot. The director is looking at emotional tone and storytelling.

These should be separate review passes, ideally in that order (DP first, director second), to prevent the notes from conflicting in confusing ways. In PlayPause, you can create two separate share links for the same version: one for the DP, one for the director. Each reviewer sees only their own notes, and the assistant editor sees both sets.

When the DP's notes come in first, the assistant editor can flag any major technical issues to the colorist before the director's pass. This means the director is not watching a grade that has a known technical problem that is already being fixed.

Keeping Notes Connected to the Right Version

The biggest risk in a proxy review workflow is notes getting applied to the wrong version of the grade. The colorist fixes a note from version 2, exports version 3, the director leaves a new note on version 3, and someone accidentally sends the version 2 note back to the colorist as a reminder.

Version control in the review platform prevents this. In PlayPause, each uploaded proxy version has its own note thread. Notes left on version 2 are permanently attached to version 2. When version 3 is uploaded, it starts a fresh note thread. The assistant editor can see both, but they do not merge.

This matters especially for the conform process. When the colorist is ready to do the final conform and you need to verify that all notes have been addressed, you can trace back through each version's note thread and confirm which notes were resolved in which pass.

Preparing for the Online Conform

Once the grade is approved across all reels, the assistant editor's job is to prepare for the online conform. The notes from the review process serve as the record of what was approved and what was addressed in each pass.

Export a final note report from PlayPause showing all approved versions across all reels. This document travels with the media to the online facility. If there is any question at the finishing house about which grade was approved for which reel, the note report with its timestamps and reviewer attributions is the answer.

For a complete picture of the conform handoff process, look at the online edit conform checklist before sending to a finishing house and the conform and online finishing handoff process guide.

• Agree on proxy naming conventions with colorist before any media exchange
• Set up shared cloud folder for proxy exports
• Upload proxies to PlayPause under clear version labels
• Run DP review before director review
• Export timecoded note reports after each review pass
• Archive approved version records before online conform

For teams also comparing multiple grade versions before locking, the side-by-side color grade comparison guide for client approvals covers how to structure that review without rendering twice.

A clean proxy review workflow is the difference between a smooth color approval process and a chaotic final week before delivery. Start a PlayPause workspace for free and put every colorist pass through a version-controlled review with frame-accurate notes from your very first day of color.