Cutsio Blog

How to Organize Camera Originals for a Feature Film: ARRI, RED, ProRes, and Selects

Learn the professional system for organizing camera originals across a feature film — ARRI RAW, RED R3D, ProRes, and selects — using Cutsio's Collections, Visual Search, and original file retention.

How do you organize camera originals for a feature film?

Organize camera originals for a feature film by establishing a consistent naming and folder convention at wrap, uploading all native camera files — ARRI RAW (.ari, .mxf, .arx), RED R3D, and ProRes — to Cutsio, grouping them into Collections by scene and shoot day, and using Visual Search to find and curate selects without disrupting the original folder structure.

A feature film generates a massive volume of camera originals. A 40-day narrative feature shooting on ALEXA 35 ARRIRAW with a RED V-RAPTOR B-cam can easily exceed 60 TB of raw media. Without a rigorous organization system, the editorial team wastes hours navigating folder hierarchies, hunting for specific takes, and reconciling mismatched file names.

The industry standard for decades has been a folder-based hierarchy managed by the DIT and assistant editor. While this system works, it is fragile — one renamed folder breaks the entire NLE timeline. Cutsio replaces folder dependency with Collections, which organize footage visually without relying on folder paths, while retaining the original file structure for the conform.

Working with raw camera footage? Check out How to Build a Searchable Library From ARRIRAW, RED R3D, and ProRes Footage.

What is the professional folder convention for feature film camera originals?

The professional folder convention for feature film camera originals follows a standardized hierarchy that maps directly to the Cutsio Collections structure. This convention is used by DITs on virtually every professional production.

Production_Title/
├── Camera_Originals/
│   ├── A_Cam_ARRI_ALEXA35/
│   │   ├── Day_01/
│   │   │   ├── Scene_01_Take_01/
│   │   │   │   ├── A001C001_240101_001.ari
│   │   │   │   └── A001C001_240101_002.ari
│   │   │   └── Scene_01_Take_02/
│   │   ├── Day_02/
│   │   └── Day_03/
│   ├── B_Cam_RED_VRAPTOR/
│   │   ├── Day_01/
│   │   │   ├── Scene_01_Take_01/
│   │   │   │   └── B001_240101_001.R3D
│   │   │   └── Scene_01_Take_02/
│   │   └── Day_02/
│   └── C_Cam_Drone_ProRes/
│       ├── Day_01/
│       └── Day_02/
├── Selects/
│   ├── Director_Favs/
│   └── VFX_Plates/
└── Masters/
└── Final_Scenes/

Naming convention best practices

File names should include as much identifying information as possible while remaining human-readable:

• Camera identifier: A001 = A-Cam, first card; B002 = B-Cam, second card
• Camera model code: ARRI = ALEXA 35; RED = V-RAPTOR; DRONE = ProRes
• Date: YYMMDD format for chronological sorting
• Scene and take: Scene_24_Take_03
• File extension: .ari, .mxf, .arx, .r3d, .mov

Example: A001_ARRI_240101_Scene24_Take03.ari

How do you translate the folder structure into Cutsio Collections?

The folder structure maps directly to Cutsio Collections, creating a visual representation of the same organizational logic — but with search, streaming, and collaboration capabilities that folders alone cannot provide.

| Folder Structure | Cutsio Collection Equivalent | Benefit |

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

| A_Cam_ARRI_ALEXA35/Day_01/ | Collection: "A-Cam — Day 01" | All A-cam clips in one visual hub |

| Scene_24_Take_03/ | Clip metadata: Scene 24, Take 3 | Searchable by scene and take number |

| Selects/Director_Favs/ | Collection: "Director's Favorites" | Shared review link for the director |

| C_Cam_Drone_ProRes/ | Collection: "Drone — All Days" | Cross-day drone footage in one view |

The upload process preserves the folder hierarchy. When the DIT uploads A_Cam_ARRI_ALEXA35/Day_01/, Cutsio creates a corresponding Collection structure automatically. The original files remain in their folder on the RAID for the NLE conform, while the Collections in Cutsio become the working interface for review, search, and selects curation.

How do you handle selects without disrupting the original folder structure?

Selects in Cutsio are created through Collections and Visual Search, not by moving or copying files. The original camera originals remain untouched in their folder hierarchy — the selects exist as references within Cutsio.

The selects workflow:

1. The director reviews dailies through a share link and marks preferred takes as "Approved" or "Favorite."
2. The assistant editor uses Visual Search to find additional frames matching specific criteria — "close-up of actor delivering the line about the letter."
3. All matching clips are added to a "Selects — Scene 24" Collection.
4. The Collection is shared with the editor for review.
5. Once approved, the assistant editor exports a selects EDL referencing the original file names and timecodes.
6. The EDL is imported into the NLE and linked to the original files on the local RAID.

The original folder structure is never modified. The selects are purely organizational references within Cutsio. This means the conform is always against the original camera files, not against copies or renamed versions.

How does Visual Search help organize a feature film library?

Visual Search helps organize a feature film library by making every frame findable through natural language descriptions — so the assistant editor can locate specific takes, shots, and moments without knowing the folder path or file name.

For a feature film with 60+ TB of camera originals, the assistant editor needs to find:

• "All the close-ups of the lead actress from Scene 24."
• "The master shot where the car enters frame from the right."
• "Any take where the boom mic is visible at the top of the frame."
• "The golden hour establishing exteriors from Day 7."

In a folder-based system, each of these requires the assistant editor to know which camera shot which scene, which day the scene was shot, and which file name contains the relevant take. Visual Search eliminates the need for this institutional knowledge. The assistant editor types the description and gets the matching frames.

How do you organize mixed-format feature films with Collections?

Mixed-format feature films — ARRI RAW A-cam, RED R3D B-cam, ProRes drone and gimbal footage — require an organization system that keeps formats separate for technical reference while enabling cross-format search for creative reference.

Recommended Collection structure for mixed-format features:

Production: "The Long Night"
├── Dailies by Day
│   ├── Day 01 — All Cameras
│   ├── Day 02 — All Cameras
│   └── Day 03 — All Cameras
├── By Camera
│   ├── A-Cam ALEXA 35 (ARRI RAW)
│   ├── B-Cam RED V-RAPTOR (R3D)
│   ├── C-Cam Drone (ProRes)
│   └── Gimbal Inserts (ProRes)
├── By Scene
│   ├── Scene 24 — Restaurant Argument
│   ├── Scene 25 — Car Chase
│   └── Scene 26 — Final Confrontation
└── Selects
├── Director's Favorites
├── VFX Plates
└── Sound Design Candidates

This structure serves two purposes. The "By Camera" Collections help the DIT and assistant editor verify that all media from each camera has been ingested correctly. The "By Scene" and "Selects" Collections help the creative team find the best takes without worrying about which camera or format produced them.

How do you export organized selects for the NLE conform?

Once the feature film's camera originals are organized in Cutsio and selects are curated, the assistant editor exports a selects EDL or FCPXML for the NLE conform.

1. Open the "Selects — Scene 24" Collection containing the approved takes.
2. Click "Export" and select EDL or FCPXML format.
3. The export references each clip by its original file name, timecode, and reel name.
4. Import the EDL into DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, or Avid Media Composer.
5. Link the EDL to the original camera originals on the local RAID.
6. Begin the conform.

The original folder structure on the RAID is never touched. The EDL simply tells the NLE where to find each file by its original path and name. Because the files were never moved or renamed, the link is always successful.

FAQ

Should I rename my camera original files before uploading to Cutsio?

No. Keep the original file names from the camera. The original file names contain the reel and timecode information that the NLE needs for the conform. Cutsio reads and preserves this metadata.

Can I upload the same camera original to multiple Collections?

Yes. Collections are organizational references, not file locations. The same clip can appear in multiple Collections without duplicating the file.

How does Cutsio handle scene and take metadata from ARRI and RED files?

When available in the file headers or sidecar data, Cutsio reads and indexes scene, take, and shot metadata. This metadata is searchable alongside Visual Search results.

What happens to my Collections after the production wraps?

Your Collections remain in your Cutsio library for as long as your account is active. If you need to revisit the project for additional edits, the search index and selects are ready to use immediately.

Can I share a Collection with the producer who needs to review selects?

Yes. Collections can be shared as single links with password protection, expiration dates, and view tracking. The producer opens one link and sees all the curated selects.