Cutsio Blog

Stop Transcoding Before Upload: Review Native ARRIRAW, R3D, and BRAW Footage in the Cloud

PIX and most review platforms require H.264 transcoding before upload. Learn how Cutsio's enterprise raw ingestion lets you upload native ARRIRAW, RED R3D, and Blackmagic RAW files directly — no manual pre-transcode needed.

What is the fastest way to get camera raw footage into cloud review without transcoding first?

Upload native ARRIRAW, RED R3D, or Blackmagic RAW files directly to Cutsio through the enterprise raw ingestion add-on. Cutsio transcodes them into streamable review assets on the backend, indexes every frame with Visual Intelligence, and keeps the original camera files attached for download and conform. No manual pre-transcode to H.264 or ProRes is required before upload. This is the defining advantage of the best PIX alternative for film and TV.

PIX, Frame.io, Dropbox Replay, and Vimeo Review all require manual transcoding before upload. The workflow is the same across all of them: render H.264 proxies locally, organize the transcoded files to match the camera originals, upload the H.264 files, then manage the relink for conform. This adds hours of render time per shoot day and creates separate proxy file management alongside the review workflow.

This post breaks down the exact time cost of the pre-transcode step and shows how Cutsio eliminates it.

How much time does manual transcoding actually add per shoot day?

The time cost varies by camera format, resolution, and hardware. These are real-world estimates based on common production configurations.

| Camera Format | Data Per 10-Hour Day (3:1 ratio) | Transcode Target | Transcode Time (M3 Max) |

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

| Alexa 35 ARRIRAW 4.6K Open Gate | ~4.9 TB | H.264 1080p ProRes Proxy | ~3.5 hours |

| Alexa 35 ARRICORE 4.6K Open Gate | ~2.4 TB | H.264 1080p ProRes Proxy | ~1.8 hours |

| RED V-RAPTOR 8K VV 8:1 | ~2.2 TB | H.264 1080p ProRes Proxy | ~2 hours |

| RED KOMODO-X 6K 8:1 | ~1.4 TB | H.264 1080p ProRes Proxy | ~1.3 hours |

| Blackmagic RAW 6K 5:1 | ~1.5 TB | H.264 1080p ProRes Proxy | ~1 hour |

| Sony FX6 XAVC-I 4K | ~650 GB | H.264 1080p Proxy | ~30 minutes |

For a 30-day feature shooting Alexa 35 ARRIRAW, the DIT spends approximately 105 hours — nearly three full work weeks — rendering H.264 proxies for cloud review. That is time spent managing transcode queues instead of verifying cards, managing metadata, supporting the set, or sleeping between shoot days.

The transcode queue also delays the first review. With PIX, the first frame cannot be reviewed until the entire day's footage is transcoded and uploaded. For an Alexa 35 day, that is 3.5 hours of transcoding plus upload time — the director watches dailies the next morning instead of the same evening.

With Cutsio's enterprise raw ingestion, the DIT uploads native ARRIRAW files directly. The cloud handles the transcode on the backend. The first clip is available for review within minutes of upload completion, not hours after the transcode queue finishes.

What is the actual workflow difference between PIX and Cutsio for raw footage?

The six-step PIX workflow versus the three-step Cutsio workflow represents a fundamental difference in how dailies reach the review team.

PIX workflow:

1. DIT offloads camera cards to RAID storage
2. DIT renders H.264 ProRes Proxy files from ARRIRAW or R3D source using DaVinci Resolve or Adobe Media Encoder (2-4 hours per shoot day)
3. DIT organizes transcoded H.264 files to match camera file naming and folder structure
4. DIT uploads H.264 files to PIX (upload time varies by bandwidth)
5. DIT sends review links to director, DP, producers
6. Post team manages separate conform relink between PIX's H.264 files and camera originals on local storage

Cutsio workflow:

1. DIT offloads camera cards to RAID storage
2. DIT uploads native ARRIRAW or R3D files to Cutsio through enterprise add-on
3. Cutsio generates streamable review assets, indexes with Visual Intelligence across every frame, retains originals

The cloud handles the transcode. The director and DP review footage while the DIT is still on set. The original camera files remain attached to each asset — no separate conform relink workflow is needed.

playback-id="IRBqKFllfQTZRgUpvF00DnjqMROLtyclqpWYRLQez6KQ"

title="Cutsio Visual Intelligence — search video by what the camera saw"

poster="https://image.mux.com/IRBqKFllfQTZRgUpvF00DnjqMROLtyclqpWYRLQez6KQ/thumbnail.jpg">

Does eliminating the pre-transcode affect review stream quality?

No. The review stream is generated from the original raw files using the correct color space and look metadata. For ARRIRAW, the stream is generated with the correct LogC-to-video transform. For RED R3D, the stream uses the REDWideGamutRGB-to-Rec.709 transform with any embedded .rlm look metadata applied.

The review stream quality is determined by the cloud transcode parameters, not by a manually created H.264 proxy. In most cases, the Cutsio review stream looks better than a manually transcoded H.264 proxy because the cloud transcode uses the correct color science from the source metadata.

The review stream is a viewing proxy, not a finishing master. The original camera files remain available for download, conform, and finishing in the NLE.

What about productions that already have a ProRes proxy workflow?

Many productions already generate ProRes proxies for offline editing in Avid Media Composer or DaVinci Resolve. If you already have ProRes proxies, you can upload those through Cutsio's standard upload pipeline. The enterprise add-on is only needed for native raw ingestion.

However, there is a case for using Cutsio's native raw ingestion even when ProRes proxies exist. The DIT uploads the native camera files directly, and the review stream serves as the offline review copy. The existing ProRes proxies can remain dedicated to the edit timeline without serving double duty as review copies. This eliminates the need to manage two separate proxy workflows — one for editing and one for review.

How does the DIT benefit from eliminating the pre-transcode?

For the DIT, eliminating the pre-transcode is the single biggest time savings in the daily workflow. The time saved on transcoding can be reinvested in:

• Verifying card offloads with checksums
• Managing metadata and look files for the color pipeline
• Supporting the DP with monitoring and look creation
• Preparing camera cards for the next shoot day
• Resting between long shoot days

The DIT's value on set is data management and technical support, not rendering H.264 proxies. Cutsio moves the transcode from the DIT's laptop to the cloud, where it happens automatically without consuming the DIT's time or compute resources.

FAQ

Does Cutsio support all camera raw formats?

Cutsio offers ARRIRAW (.ari, .mxf, .arx), RED R3D (.r3d), and Blackmagic RAW (.braw) ingestion through the enterprise add-on. Sony RAW is supported on a case-by-case basis. ProRes, H.264, and DNxHR are supported through standard upload.

Is the Cutsio review stream the same quality as a ProRes 4444 transcode?

The review stream is optimized for viewing, not for finishing. It is comparable to a high-bitrate H.264 proxy. For finishing, download the original camera files from Cutsio. The original files are identical to what was uploaded from set.

Can I delete the local camera files after uploading to Cutsio?

Cutsio retains the original camera files as downloadable attachments, but local backup is always recommended. Follow the standard 3-2-1 backup protocol: three copies, two media types, one off-site. Cutsio can serve as the off-site copy but should not be the only copy.

Does PIX offer any form of native raw ingestion?

No. PIX only accepts H.264 compressed video. All raw footage must be transcoded to H.264 before upload. This is a fundamental limitation of the platform.

How much upload bandwidth do I need for native raw files?

The upload requirement is the same for native raw files as for H.264 proxies — you are uploading the same total data either way. Native raw files are larger than H.264 proxies, but you eliminate the transcode step. For productions with limited upload bandwidth, HDE-compressed ARRIRAW or higher REDCODE compression ratios reduce file sizes before upload.