Obtuse Crypto-Fish? Organic Chemotaxonomist’s Federation? Obvious Chafing Factor?

In the filmmaking process and within Netflix’s globally distributed collaboration environments, “OCF” refers to Original Camera Files (or Original Capture Formats, depending on who you ask). Call them what you like, but their importance cannot be overstated. They contain the data captured by a camera sensor, and represent the digital equivalent of a negative in film-based workflows of yore. Post-production processes like review, editorial and visual effects cannot begin without OCF. This presentation will outline the unique challenges associated with managing digital camera files in the course of content creation and demonstrate how we bring joy to both our members and creative partners alike as we scale best practices of content production, leverage open standards like OpenTimelineIO and ACES, and implement new tools tailored to the specific needs of filmmakers. These solutions include fast and intelligent transfer of multi-terabyte camera cards, classification of shots and their relationships to the final cut, and media optimization for use throughout a complex production pipeline. Presented at Demuxed 2021.