Covid-19: Delivering H264 Footage via Dropbox for VideoWorks

Due to the ongoing Covid situation we are now operating a 100% remote footage delivery system. The aim of this is to reduce the need to physically drop footage into our offices and to minimise face to face contact in as much as possible. We created this guide internally but are happy to share it publicly so other video production companies can benefit.

Below you will find a guide to compressing footage so as to to deliver via Dropbox using EditReady. This process is to be strictly used by all VideoWorks employees to deliver footage and guarantees contactless footage delivery. It involves downloading the Editready application for Mac and having a pro Dropbox account in order to be able to manage large amounts of footage.

It is important that EditReady is used as it is quick, maintains timecodes (so it can be re-linked to original rushes if needed) and also maintains the audio channel layouts prescribed by the camera operator. 

Step 1 – Download and install Editready on Mac.

https://www.divergentmedia.com/editready

Buy License Key

Step 2 – Open Editready and drag all footage into the application..

Step 3 – Select Preset “h264 Output” 

Step 4 – Select Destination folder. This should be a new dropbox folder that you create. Name the folder with the client name and the date of filming (EG. Coca Cola 250720)

Step 5 – Select – “Keep source-file name”

Step 6 – Additional Options . Click “Edit”. Scroll to “Encoder Advanced Options”. Set “Target Bit Rate” to 4.9 Mbps and set “Key frame rate” to 2.0 s

Step 7 – Return to Additional Options and check the box for “Remove Unused Audio Tracks”. Click OK.

Step 8 – “Click Convert All” and let all files convert into the designated dropbox folder.

Step 9 – Share the Dropbox folder with info@videoworks.ie