Frame.io C2C (Camera to Cloud) allows filmmakers to upload footage instantaneously from an on-set camera to anywhere in the world. The new workflow will let you share footage (and sound) with team members from the moment the director says cut.
This new product comes as the film industry begins to see massive shifts in workflows switching to the cloud, which affects all filmmaking stages, from pre-production, on-set processes to VFX and post-production workflows.
Below you can find out more about Frame.io C2C, how it can benefit your next production, and what to expect from the future of cloud-based technology.
Watch the Frame.io C2C Launch Event:
1. What Is a “Camera To Cloud” Workflow?
Just like the name suggests, Frame.io C2C allows you to upload footage from your camera straight to the cloud. It does this through a secure password-protected tunnel, meaning that you have complete control over who sees your footage. This transmission is instantaneous, so people who are off set can view and comment on your footage immediately after recording.
Furthermore, the proxy (low resolution) footage, which has the same timecodes and file names as your original data, can be sent immediately to your editor. As such, you can compile edits in nearly real time and then synchronize your files when you get the full quality originals at a later date. You can edit on Frame.io or use editing software such as Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere.
This new technology is not just for video – you can now send your sound files to your editor using a cloud-connected encoder box. This uploads WAV files straight to Frame.io after recording. So, as you can see, Frame.io C2C is an exciting adaptation to film set workflow.
2. How Can Frame.io C2C Benefit Your Production?
This new technology means that you can have fewer people on set and can seek feedback from people who are not on location. Last year, Michael Bay’s new movie Songbird put the technology to the test. Shot during the pandemic, C2C allowed for further social distancing. Producers who were not on-set (due to safety protocols) could watch the action and give feedback. This lets a film crew work faster, complete post-production quicker, and collaborate more effectively.
In particular is your editor’s ability to start work earlier, creating dailies instantly, and flagging up any mistakes on the day (saving you on expensive reshoots). You can watch the footage playback on iPhone or iPad device directly after you stop recording. It’s as simple as downloading an app, and you have complete control over who accesses the data.
To summarize, here are some of the benefits of the Camera to Cloud workflow:
- Quick and secure cloud upload
- Share footage easily with clients
- Instantly send footage to your editor
- Ability to synchronize proxy files to originals
- Ability to send sound recordings via the cloud
3. How To Use Frame.io C2C Technology?
Firstly, this is a new product, and you will need to check the current camera compatibility (RED, Panavision, Arri). Next, you will need to create a Frame.io account, which takes place as a monthly subscription per user. There is a free trial account for up to two users, then $15 a month for ten users, and $25 for twenty.
To use Frame.io on set, you will need to be connected to WiFi and have internet access. In situations where you can’t access the internet, the device will store the files locally and upload them once an internet connection becomes available. Filmmakers will also need a cloud-connected Teradek Cube 655 encoder box and the Sound Devices 8 series at launch. These will record, encode and send the encrypted proxy files directly to the Frame.io cloud. However, in the future, more devices and cameras will be compatible.
4. The Future of Film Set Technology?
Some people predict that nearly everyone will be shooting from camera to cloud by the end of the decade. This opens up many possibilities – most notably, the post-production process will be a lot faster. This can help producers save money on reshoots with dailies edited on the day, mistakes can now get flagged earlier.
Later in 2021, Frame.io C2C intends to add the ability to live-stream footage to an authorized user’s computer, allowing customers to watch the production as it’s happening on any computer or mobile device. This capability could be advantageous under pandemic conditions, as it can reduce the number of people needed on set.
It will also be interesting to see how 5G technology and mobile devices continue to change the landscape of media production. Software startups such as FilmUStage are using Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to dramatically simplify the script breakdown process in pre-production. Other softwares, such as our very own call sheet tool SetHero, are also changing the name of the game when it comes to cloud-based workflows in film production. The idea of the “cloud-connected film set” is slowly, but steadily, becoming the inevitable direction of the future.
5. In Conclusion
If we had to place our money on something, we’re betting that you will hear a lot more about Frame.io and cloud-to-camera technology in the next few years. As new technology gravitates towards cloud-based automation and 5G and cellular devices become ubiquitous, it will no doubt reshape the way film productions are made, from pre-production and planning to shooting, post-production, and VFX. It will be interesting to see how film set workflow will change in the next decade!
Will you be using Camera to Cloud technology on your next project? How do you think cloud technology will impact the film industry in the future? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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Amy Clarke
Amy is a film blogger based in Liverpool UK. She worked on numerous productions, working her way up from independents to major budget feature films. Amy now works as a blogger writing about the film industry. You can follow her work at amyclarkefilms.com
