Cutsio Blog

ARRICORE Cloud Dailies for Alexa 35 Xtreme: What Changes in the Post Pipeline

Learn how ARRICORE changes the dailies pipeline for Alexa 35 Xtreme productions. Upload native ARRICORE and ARRIRAW files, generate cloud review assets with Visual Intelligence, and keep originals attached for conform.

What is ARRICORE and how does it change the dailies pipeline for Alexa 35 Xtreme?

ARRICORE is ARRI's next-generation RGB codec introduced with the Alexa 35 Xtreme in 2025. ARRI describes it as 18-bit linear ALEV4 sensor data stored in a 13-bit RGB logarithmic file called Sensor Log, with a reduced data rate compared with ARRIRAW and flexible post adjustments for exposure index, white balance, and tint. For the dailies pipeline, this means smaller uploads, faster cloud turnaround, and lower storage pressure while keeping familiar ARRI metadata, MXF wrapping, ARRI Look File 4, ARRI Textures, and audio handling.

The Alexa 35 Xtreme replaces the standard Alexa 35 as ARRI's flagship production camera. It introduces frame rates up to 330 fps in regular mode and up to 660 fps in Sensor Overdrive mode. ARRI specifies full 17-stop dynamic range up to 330 fps, while Sensor Overdrive trades dynamic range for the highest frame rates. Those higher frame rates produce significantly more data per shoot day, which makes ARRICORE's lower data rate a practical workflow advantage rather than just a nice-to-have.

Cutsio offers ARRICORE and ARRIRAW ingestion as an enterprise add-on service for qualified production accounts. Once enabled, you upload the native camera files — .mxf ARRICORE files or .ari/.mxf/.arx ARRIRAW files — directly to the platform. Cutsio generates streamable review assets on the backend, indexes every frame with Visual Intelligence, and retains the original camera files as separate downloadable attachments for conform and finishing.

What exactly is ARRICORE and how is it different from ARRIRAW?

ARRICORE is not ARRIRAW. It is an RGB codec that records processed sensor data as a 13-bit logarithmic RGB file instead of unprocessed Bayer sensor data. This is the fundamental workflow difference from ARRIRAW, which records raw sensor data that must be debayered in post.

| Property | ARRICORE | ARRIRAW |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Recording type | RGB codec with Sensor Log encoding | Raw sensor data (Bayer pattern) |

| File size vs ARRIRAW | ~50% smaller | Baseline |

| Post flexibility | Exposure index, WB, and tint remain adjustable | Full raw parameter control |

| Color science | REVEAL / LogC4 | LogC or LogC4 (Alexa 35) |

| Container | MXF (.mxf) | .ari, .mxf, .arx |

| Camera support | Alexa 35 Xtreme only | Alexa 35, Alexa Mini LF, Alexa LF, Alexa 65, Alexa Classic |

| Debayer required | No ARRIRAW debayer step in post | Yes (in NLE or SDK) |

| Look file support | ALF4, ARRI Textures | ALF2, ALF4, ARRI Textures |

The practical implication for dailies: ARRICORE files are roughly half the size of equivalent ARRIRAW files at the same resolution and frame rate. A day of shooting at 4.6K Open Gate with ARRICORE might consume 1.5 TB instead of 3 TB with ARRIRAW. This translates to faster card offloads, smaller storage media budgets, and quicker cloud uploads for remote review.

ARRICORE retains flexible control over exposure index, white balance, and color tint in post. That gives colorists some of the operational flexibility they expect from camera-original workflows, but ARRICORE should still be described as an RGB codec rather than raw.

Does ARRICORE work with existing dailies and review tools?

ARRICORE uses the same MXF container family and carries the ARRI Look File 4 (ALF4), ARRI Textures, metadata, and audio handling that post teams already know from current Alexa 35 workflows. ARRI distributes ARRICORE support through the ARRI Image SDK within its partner program, so third-party tool support depends on each application's SDK integration and release schedule.

For cloud dailies, this compatibility is significant. The MXF-based workflow and ARRI metadata model mean the information post teams depend on — camera model, lens data where present, look file references, timecode, scene and take information — can stay attached to the camera originals instead of being flattened into a generic proxy-only pipeline.

Cutsio supports ARRICORE ingestion through its enterprise camera-original ingestion add-on. The native .mxf camera files are uploaded directly, the backend generates review assets, and the original ARRICORE files remain attached for download, conform, and finishing.

What does the ARRICORE dailies pipeline look like on an Alexa 35 Xtreme shoot?

The operational pipeline for ARRICORE dailies follows the same sequence as ARRIRAW dailies but with shorter upload times and lower storage requirements due to the smaller file sizes.

| Phase | Task | ARRICORE Impact |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| On-set | Card offload from Compact Drive | 50% less data per card vs ARRIRAW = faster transfers |

| On-set | Verify and backup | Same verification workflow (Codex Device Manager or Hedge) |

| Upload | Transfer to cloud dailies platform | Smaller files = shorter upload window, lower bandwidth requirement |

| Transcode | Cloud generates review stream | Less data to process = faster review asset availability |

| Review | Director/DP/editor access dailies | Identical experience — same player, same Visual Intelligence |

| Conform | Download originals for finishing | Same MXF-based conform workflow as ARRIRAW |

A practical example: a 10-hour Alexa 35 Xtreme shoot day at 4.6K Open Gate, 24 fps, with a 4:1 shooting ratio, generates approximately 40 minutes of recorded footage. If ARRICORE is roughly half the data rate of the comparable ARRIRAW recording mode, the upload window can be materially shorter on the same internet connection. Actual data volume depends on resolution, frame rate, codec mode, and shooting ratio.

How do Alexa 35 Xtreme frame rates affect the dailies pipeline?

The Alexa 35 Xtreme records up to 330 fps in regular mode with the camera's full 17 stops of dynamic range, and up to 660 fps in Sensor Overdrive mode with reduced dynamic range. These high frame rates produce substantially more data per shoot day, even with ARRICORE's smaller file footprint.

| Recording Mode | Resolution | Max FPS | Data Rate (ARRICORE) | Impact on Dailies |

| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Open Gate | 4.6K 3:2 | Up to 165 fps depending on mode | Higher than standard-speed capture | More data per recorded minute |

| 4K 16:9 | 4K | Up to 210 fps depending on mode | Higher than standard-speed capture | More data per card, longer uploads |

| HD S16 | 2K | Up to 660 fps in Sensor Overdrive | Very high frame count per second | Very high data volume for slow-motion days |

| Standard speed | Any | 24-30 fps | Baseline | Standard dailies pipeline |

Exact maximum frame rates vary by sensor mode, recording resolution, and whether Sensor Overdrive is enabled.

For dailies, high-frame-rate days require attention to upload planning. A single 660 fps slow-motion take can generate multiple gigabytes in seconds. The DIT should prioritize uploading standard-speed coverage first so the editor can begin work, then upload high-speed clips in the background.

Cutsio's review pipeline is designed for mixed frame-rate libraries. A library containing 24 fps interview clips and high-speed slow-motion shots can be indexed uniformly, searchable by Visual Intelligence, and available for review through the same share links.

What changes for DITs moving from ARRIRAW to ARRICORE?

Very little changes operationally. ARRICORE recordings use the same Alexa 35 Xtreme media workflow and the same category of copy and verification tools that DITs already use for ARRI camera originals. The important change is not the offload ritual; it is the amount of data that has to move, verify, upload, and archive.

The main difference is storage budgeting. At roughly 50% lower data rate than comparable ARRIRAW modes, the same media capacity can hold substantially more recording time. The exact number depends on the selected recording format, frame rate, and sensor mode, but the production impact is straightforward: fewer terabytes to offload, verify, upload, and archive.

For DITs using Cutsio's enterprise add-on, the upload process is intentionally similar whether the camera originals are ARRICORE or ARRIRAW. The native .mxf files are uploaded through the same interface, and Cutsio handles review-asset generation on the backend once the relevant camera-original support is enabled.

How does Visual Intelligence index ARRICORE footage?

Cutsio's Visual Intelligence indexes every frame of the uploaded ARRICORE footage alongside the audio track, creating a unified search index regardless of the acquisition format. The editor searches by visual content — "show me the close-up where the actor enters frame left" — or by spoken content — "find the take where the director says cut" — and gets frame-exact results from the ARRICORE library.

Because ARRICORE uses the same metadata structure as ARRIRAW, Visual Intelligence can read and index camera metadata — lens data, look file references, timecode, scene and take information — alongside the visual and audio content. This means search results can be filtered by camera settings, not just visual content.

FAQ

Is ARRICORE supported in DaVinci Resolve and other NLEs?

ARRICORE support depends on each application's ARRI Image SDK integration and software version. ARRI provides full support through the ARRI Image SDK within its partner program, but productions should confirm the exact DaVinci Resolve, Baselight, Avid, Premiere Pro, or transcoding-tool version before the shoot.

Does Cutsio support ARRICORE through the standard upload or the enterprise add-on?

ARRICORE ingestion is available through the enterprise raw ingestion add-on, the same service that handles ARRIRAW and RED R3D files. Contact the Cutsio sales team to enable raw format support for your production.

Can ARRICORE and ARRIRAW footage be mixed in the same Cutsio library?

Yes. ARRICORE and ARRIRAW clips from the same production — or from different cameras on a multicam shoot — can be uploaded to the same Cutsio library. Visual Intelligence indexes both formats uniformly, and share links include clips regardless of acquisition format.

How does the ARRICORE color pipeline compare to ARRIRAW in the review stream?

Both formats belong to the Alexa 35 / Alexa 35 Xtreme REVEAL color pipeline, but ARRICORE and ARRIRAW are not the same acquisition format. Cutsio's goal is a consistent review image from camera originals while preserving the original files for conform and finishing.

Does ARRICORE require different storage hardware than ARRIRAW?

No. ARRICORE uses the same Codex Compact Drive hardware and the same Compact Drive readers. The storage media does not change. The only difference is that each Compact Drive holds approximately twice as much recording time due to the 50% smaller file size.

For more ARRI RAW and RED workflow guides, see the ARRIRAW container guide, the cloud dailies for ALEXA 35 and RED V-RAPTOR, and the conform workflow.