File transfer for video production teams
Video production moves the largest files of any creative discipline, and it moves them repeatedly between editors, colourists, sound, clients, and finally distribution. The workflow needs high transfer limits and a shared place where the current version lives.
Where the volume comes from
Review cuts fit within the free 20 GB limit. Masters and raw footage require Pro at 250 GB per transfer or Enterprise, which removes the limit.
| Material | Typical size |
|---|---|
| Client review cut, compressed | 1 to 5 GB |
| Finished commercial, high bitrate | 5 to 30 GB |
| Full episode master | 30 to 150 GB |
| Day of raw camera footage | 200 GB and above |
A workflow that survives revisions
- Create a folder for the production, with subfolders for footage, cuts, audio, and deliverables.
- Give the internal team read and write access.
- Give the client read access to the review folder only.
- Replace the cut in place when a new version is ready, instead of sending another link.
- Let notifications tell reviewers that a new version is available.
- Deliver final masters as a transfer with an expiration that matches the contract.
Why versioning by email fails
- reviewers comment on an old cut they downloaded last week
- nobody is sure which file is final
- links expire before a client with a slow approval chain gets to them
- large files fill up mailboxes on both sides
Distribution and archive
Once a production is finished, the deliverables still have to reach broadcasters, festivals, and clients, sometimes months later.
Keeping masters in storage rather than in expiring transfers means those requests take minutes instead of restoring from a local drive that may no longer be connected. Enterprise storage is unlimited and geo-redundant.
FAQ
How do production teams send video masters?
Through transfers with high limits: 250 GB per transfer on Pro and unlimited on Enterprise, or from shared storage when the material is delivered repeatedly.
How do we handle client review rounds?
Share a review folder and replace the cut in place, so reviewers always open the current version instead of an old download.
Where do we keep finished masters?
In storage rather than in expiring transfers, so later requests from broadcasters or festivals can be served immediately.
Summary
Video production needs both extremes: very large one-off transfers for masters and raw footage, and a shared folder where the current cut always lives. Replacing files in place removes the version confusion that email-based review rounds create.