Send Atlas / Guide / Send large video files
For editors, colorists, DITs and motion designers
How to send large video files
ProRes masters, camera originals, turnovers, review cuts. This guide covers how big those files really are, how long they take to move, and how to get them to a client intact without paying per gigabyte for the privilege.
How big your files actually are
Most transfer problems start with underestimating size. These are Apple’s published target data rates for ProRes at 23.976 fps, converted into gigabytes per hour of footage.
| Codec | 1080p data rate | 1080p per hour | UHD data rate | UHD per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProRes 422 Proxy | 36 Mb/s | 16 GB | 145 Mb/s | 65 GB |
| ProRes 422 LT | 82 Mb/s | 37 GB | 328 Mb/s | 148 GB |
| ProRes 422 | 117 Mb/s | 53 GB | 471 Mb/s | 212 GB |
| ProRes 422 HQ | 176 Mb/s | 79 GB | 707 Mb/s | 318 GB |
| ProRes 4444 | 264 Mb/s | 119 GB | 1,061 Mb/s | 477 GB |
Target rates from Apple’s ProRes white paper. Real files vary with picture content, and 29.97 fps runs about 25% higher. Camera RAW formats vary widely by camera and setting.
How long uploads take
Your upload speed is the bottleneck, and on most connections it is a fraction of the download speed. These estimates assume you get about 80% of your line’s rated upload speed, which is realistic for a long transfer.
| Size | 50 Mb/s up | 100 Mb/s up | 500 Mb/s up | 1 Gb/s up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 GB | 2.8 hr | 1.4 hr | 17 min | 8 min |
| 250 GB | 13.9 hr | 6.9 hr | 1.4 hr | 42 min |
| 1 TB | 2.3 days | 27.8 hr | 5.6 hr | 2.8 hr |
| 4 TB | 9.3 days | 4.6 days | 22.2 hr | 11.1 hr |
This is also the honest answer to “should I just ship a drive?” Four terabytes of camera originals over a typical cable upload takes days, and an overnight courier wins. For anything under a few hundred gigabytes, or anything you send every week, a transfer wins.
Habits that save a re-send
Don’t zip video
ProRes, DNxHR and camera RAW are already compressed. Zipping them saves almost nothing and adds a step at each end. Re-encoding to shrink a file changes the picture, which is fine for a review link but not for a master.
Send the folder, not the files
Turnovers, conform packages and camera cards depend on their folder structure. Drag the whole folder in, so the person on the other end gets exactly what you had.
Keep your checksums
If you made MD5 or xxHash checksums at offload, send the checksum file with the media. The recipient can verify the copy against it, which matters most for camera originals.
Match the link to the schedule
A 24-hour link is useless for a producer who is on set until Friday. Set the expiry for when they will actually download, and add a password for anything unreleased.
The right tool for each kind of send
| What you’re sending | Typical size | What works |
|---|---|---|
| Review cut for notes | 1–10 GB | A review platform with frame-accurate comments, or a transfer link if the client just needs to watch it |
| Master or deliverable | 50–500 GB | A transfer service that sends the original file untouched, with a password and a receipt |
| Turnover to sound or color | 50 GB–1 TB | A transfer service that keeps the folder structure intact |
| Camera originals, multiple days | 2 TB and up | A shipped drive on a slow connection, or an accelerated enterprise tool if you do this daily |
Built for the middle of that table
Send Atlas is for the masters, deliverables and turnovers: files too big for WeTransfer’s free plan and sent too often for per-gigabyte billing to make sense. Pro is a flat $14.99 a month for transfers up to 1 TB. When a producer downloads the same cut three times, it costs you the same as once.
Original files, untouched
Nothing is re-encoded. What you upload is what they download, encrypted with AES-256 at rest and TLS 1.3 in transit.
Folders stay folders
Drop in a turnover folder and the structure comes with it.
Know when it landed Pro
Delivery receipts tell you when the client has downloaded, so you’re not chasing an email thread.
Links that fit a schedule
Pro links last up to 30 days and can be renewed, and every tier can add a password. Your files are never used for AI training.
To be straight about it: Send Atlas uses standard browser transfer. If you move terabytes between facilities every day and need accelerated transfer or TPN certification, look at Signiant or MASV.
Sending large video files FAQ
What is the best way to send large video files?
For anything over a few gigabytes, use a file transfer service rather than email or a chat app, and send the original files rather than a re-compressed copy. For multi-terabyte camera originals over a slow connection, shipping a drive can still be faster. The upload time table on this page shows where that crossover sits.
Should I zip or compress video before sending it?
Usually not. ProRes, DNxHR, H.264 and camera RAW formats are already compressed, so zipping them saves almost nothing and adds a step at each end. Re-encoding to make a file smaller changes the picture, which is fine for a review copy but not for a master or a turnover. Send the folder as it is.
How long does it take to upload 100 GB?
On a 100 Mb/s upload connection it takes roughly 2.8 hours at realistic efficiency, and on a 1 Gb/s fibre line it takes about 17 minutes. Upload speed is the limit on most connections, so check your upload figure rather than your download figure.
How big is an hour of 4K ProRes?
About 318 GB for UHD ProRes 422 HQ at 23.976 fps, based on Apple’s published target data rate. ProRes 422 is about 212 GB an hour and ProRes 4444 is about 477 GB.
Can I send a 1 TB file?
On Send Atlas Pro, yes: transfers can be up to 1 TB for a flat $14.99 a month. Free accounts can send up to 15 GB per transfer, and sends without an account are limited to 5 GB.
Is it cheaper to ship a hard drive?
Sometimes, for very large camera-original batches on slow upload connections. Four terabytes over a 100 Mb/s line takes several days. For anything you send regularly, and for anything under a few hundred gigabytes, a transfer is faster and you avoid courier risk.
Send the master. Skip the meter.
Flat $14.99/mo for transfers up to 1 TB, however many times it’s downloaded. Free up to 15 GB per transfer with an account.