Blog
Articles on filmmaking technique, production planning, and industry knowledge.
Showing 10 of 10 posts
RAW vs. ProRes vs. H.265: The Storage Cost of Each Codec in Real Numbers
A line-item storage cost comparison for RAW, ProRes, and H.265 acquisition across a full feature film production, with real bitrate figures, drive counts, hardware costs, and the workflow implications that make cheaper codecs not always cheaper in total.
How Much Data Does a Documentary Actually Generate? A Real-World Breakdown by Shoot Day
A data-driven breakdown of how much storage a documentary generates per shoot day, organized by camera format and shooting style -- from solo BMPCC to multicam observational with Sony FX9 -- covering raw acquisition, proxy, and backup overhead.
Building a Data Management Workflow for a Small Crew: Who Backs Up What and When
A practical data management framework for productions without a dedicated DIT -- covering card offload sequences, checksumming, drive labelling, proxy creation, and how to structure responsibilities across a 2-3 person crew so nothing gets missed.
Dropbox vs. Frame.io vs. Google Drive for Film Production: What Each Is Actually Good For
A direct comparison of Dropbox, Frame.io, and Google Drive for film production workflows, covering remote review and approval, file delivery, collaborative editing, and the specific use cases where each platform outperforms the others.
ProRes vs. BRAW vs. ARRIRAW: Which Acquisition Format Is Right for Your Production?
A technical and practical comparison of ProRes, Blackmagic RAW, and ARRIRAW acquisition formats covering data rates, storage requirements, color grading latitude, NLE compatibility, and the real workflow implications for different production scales.
DaVinci Resolve vs. Premiere Pro for Indie Film: A Post Workflow Comparison
A direct comparison of DaVinci Resolve Studio and Adobe Premiere Pro for indie film post-production, covering color grading capability, BRAW and ARRIRAW support, audio tools, cost structure, and the real workflow implications for each.
Timecode in Film Production: How It Works and Why It Matters for Your Edit
Explains drop-frame vs. non-drop-frame timecode, LTC vs. MTC, jam sync, and why incorrect timecode causes expensive problems in post. Includes a frame rate and timecode compatibility reference table.
Post-Production Timeline: How Long Does It Really Take to Finish an Indie Feature?
A realistic timeline breakdown for no-budget, low-budget, and mid-budget indie features -- covering assembly, rough cut, picture lock, sound design, color, VFX, deliverables, and DCP creation with real benchmark ranges.
How Much Storage Does a Film Production Actually Need? A Data-Driven Guide
Uses real codec bitrates to calculate storage requirements for a range of shoot configurations -- from BRAW on BMPCC to ARRIRAW on ALEXA 35. Includes camera card backup strategy and RAID configuration recommendations.
Video Codecs Explained for Filmmakers: RAW vs. LOG vs. Compressed and When to Use Each
The definitive codec guide for filmmakers -- explains intraframe vs. interframe compression, chroma subsampling, bit depth, LOG gamma curves, RAW processing, and how to choose a codec based on camera, delivery target, and post infrastructure.