Cutsio Blog

Film Dailies Workflow: From Camera to Cloud Review in 2026

The complete film dailies workflow from camera card offload to cloud review — covering ARRIRAW and RED R3D ingestion, color-accurate review streams, Visual Intelligence search, and conform-ready original file delivery.

What does a modern film dailies workflow look like from camera to cloud?

A modern film dailies workflow moves footage from the camera card to cloud review in three steps: offload native camera files to verified storage, upload the original files to a cloud platform that accepts raw formats, and generate streamable review assets with Visual Intelligence indexing. Cutsio's enterprise raw ingestion add-on handles all three steps — accepting native ARRIRAW, RED R3D, and Blackmagic RAW files without requiring manual transcoding, and retaining the original camera files as downloadable attachments for conform and finishing. This is the workflow that makes Cutsio a true PIX alternative for film and TV.

The traditional dailies pipeline required proxies, local render queues, and separate file management for review and finishing assets. The modern pipeline collapses those steps into a single upload process. The DIT verifies the cards, uploads the originals, and the cloud handles the rest.

This guide covers the end-to-end workflow for a feature film or television series using Cutsio's platform, from the DIT's offload station to the editor's conform timeline.

What happens at the DIT offload stage?

The DIT offloads camera cards to RAID storage using verification software that generates checksums for every file. The offload step is the same regardless of whether the production uses PIX or Cutsio for review.

| Task | Tool | Purpose |

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

| Card offload | Codex Device Manager, Silverstack, Hedge | Copy files from camera media to RAID storage |

| Checksum verification | Same tools | Confirm every bit was copied correctly |

| Metadata management | Same tools | Embed look files, verify scene/take data |

| Card formatting | Camera body or card reader | Prepare media for next shoot day |

After offload, the workflow diverges. With PIX, the DIT must render H.264 proxies from the raw files — spending 2-4 hours per shoot day on transcoding. With Cutsio, the DIT uploads the native camera files directly.

How does the upload step work with Cutsio?

The DIT uploads native camera files to Cutsio through the enterprise raw ingestion add-on. The supported formats are ARRIRAW (.ari, .mxf, .arx), RED R3D (.r3d), and Blackmagic RAW (.braw).

The upload process:

1. The DIT connects to the Cutsio upload interface from the offload workstation
2. Native camera files are selected from the verified RAID storage
3. Files are uploaded at their original size — no pre-transcoding, no splitting, no resolution reduction
4. Cutsio generates streamable review assets on the backend
5. The original camera files remain attached as downloadable assets

A 10-hour Alexa 35 shoot day producing ~3 TB of ARRIRAW takes approximately 3-4 hours to upload on a 200 Mbps connection — but the first clips are available for review within minutes of completing their individual upload, not hours after a transcode queue finishes.

What does the review stream show the director and DP?

The review stream displays the footage with the correct color space applied. ARRIRAW footage from Alexa 35 uses the LogC4-to-Rec.709 transform with any embedded ALF4 look metadata preserved. RED R3D footage uses the REDWideGamutRGB-to-Rec.709 transform with any .rlm look file metadata applied.

The director and DP can:

• View footage in the browser player at the correct frame rate
• Leave frame-accurate comments on specific frames
• Share links with password protection and expiration dates
• Compare versions side by side
• Review footage on mobile devices

Cutsio's Visual Intelligence indexes every frame by visual content. The director searches for "find the wide shot of the car from Day 3" and gets frame-exact results. MOS footage with no audio is fully searchable because the index is visual, not transcript-based.

How does the editorial team access selects for the offline edit?

The editorial team can browse the full library or use Collections organized by scene or shoot day. Visual Intelligence search helps assistant editors find specific shots without knowing exact filenames.

For the offline edit, the editorial team can:

• Export an XML or EDL for DaVinci Resolve conform
• Download original camera files for conform
• Reference the Cutsio review stream as a viewing proxy during editing
• Use Agentic Chat to find specific shots by describing what they need

The original camera files are identical to what was uploaded from set. Timecode, reel names, and metadata are preserved. The online editor downloads the originals and relinks in the NLE using standard conform workflows.

How does the conform step work with Cutsio?

When the picture is locked, the online editor downloads the original camera files from Cutsio. The download package contains the complete files with all metadata intact — timecode, reel names, ALF4 or .rlm look metadata, and folder structure.

For ARRIRAW conform:

1. Download original .mxf files from Cutsio
2. Import into DaVinci Resolve
3. Resolve reads the ARRIRAW metadata automatically
4. Relink to the offline timeline using timecode matching
5. Grade and finish using the native ARRIRAW files

For RED R3D conform:

1. Download original .r3d files with .rmd sidecars from Cutsio
2. Import into DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro
3. Resolve or Premiere reads the R3D metadata automatically
4. Verify that .rlm look metadata is present
5. Relink using timecode matching
6. Grade and finish using the native R3D files

The conform step does not require reassembling split clips, matching transcoded filenames, or sourcing originals from a separate storage system that was shipped from set.

FAQ

How long does it take to upload a full shoot day to Cutsio?

Upload time depends on file size and internet bandwidth. A 10-hour Alexa 35 day at 3 TB takes approximately 3-4 hours on a 200 Mbps connection. The first clips are available for review within minutes of completing their individual upload.

Can I use Cutsio if my production already creates ProRes proxies for editing?

Yes. The DIT uploads native camera files through the enterprise add-on. The existing ProRes proxies remain dedicated to the edit timeline. The review stream serves as the collaborative review copy without duplicating the proxy management workflow.

Does Cutsio support HDR review?

HDR preview is available in the review stream for supported formats and displays. The review stream preserves the intended color space from the original camera files.

Can I upload from a mobile hotspot on set?

Yes, though bandwidth determines upload speed. On slower connections, the DIT can start uploading after each card is verified rather than waiting for the full day's footage. Clips are available for review as each file completes upload.

What happens to the original files after conform?

The original files remain accessible in Cutsio for the duration of the production. Download them for archival storage when the project is complete. Cutsio's pay-per-minute pricing means you only pay for active processing, not long-term archival storage.