IT for motion design and VFX boutiques.
Image sequences, linked footage and a client who wants a revision by morning. We set up storage that copes with that kind of work, remote access for freelancers and review that keeps client plates under control.
Quick answer
Motion design and VFX boutiques work with image sequences, linked footage and client plates that must stay protected. We set up shared storage tested with that kind of media, remote access for freelancers, review and approvals, and backups, on site in Los Angeles or remotely anywhere in the US.
What small motion and VFX teams deal with.
- 01
Image sequences stress the storage
A sequence of thousands of frames behaves differently from one large video file. A NAS that plays a ProRes file smoothly can feel slow with a sequence. We test with your own sequences before saying it will work.
- 02
Projects link to footage that moves
After Effects style projects point at media by path. Move the media, rename a folder or open the project on another machine and you get missing footage. One agreed location and naming scheme prevents most of it.
- 03
Machines that do not match
A plugin or font version on one workstation and not on another produces a different result. Writing down the baseline for every machine, including freelancers', saves hours of guessing.
- 04
Client plates have rules
Footage from a studio client often comes with limits on who can access it and where it can be stored. Access by project and a clear remote access method are easier to explain than a shared drive.
- 05
Revision rounds by link
Notes arrive by email, text and screenshot. A review tool with versions and comments in one place, and links that expire, keeps rounds from getting lost.
What we set up
For a motion design or VFX boutique.
Shared storage tested with your media
We try your actual sequences and linked projects on the storage and the network before you buy, and report what we saw rather than a spec sheet number.
Remote access for freelancers
Access to a project folder or a studio workstation over an encrypted connection with multi-factor sign in, so a freelancer can work without keeping a copy of the client plates.
Review and approvals
A review workflow with versions, comments, expiring links and watermarks where the tool supports them.
Backups and a machine baseline
Versioned backups of projects and source media with a restore test, plus a one-page baseline of app, plugin and font versions for every workstation.
Before you hire anyone
What to ask any IT provider.
Ask us the same questions. A good answer is specific and can be checked.
Will you test with our image sequences?
Yes, on the real hardware, and they share the result in writing.
How will freelancers get at client plates?
By project, over an encrypted connection, with the access removed when the job ends.
What happens when a workstation dies mid-job?
There is a documented way to restore a machine baseline and a backup of the project, and you know how long it took last time.
How do you keep review links from lingering?
Expiry dates, passwords and a periodic clean-up, where the review tool offers them.
What do you need from us before you start?
A short list: your apps, your storage, your connection and what is going wrong. Long questionnaires before a first conversation are a warning.
Questions people ask
Can a NAS handle image sequences?
Often, but behavior varies with the hardware, the network link and the number of files. That is why we test with a copy of your sequences before you commit.
Can freelancers work without downloading the client plates?
In many setups, yes, through remote access to a studio machine or to the storage. What is allowed also depends on your client's rules, so check them first.
Do you set up the review tool?
We help you pick and configure one for your team and your clients, covering links, passwords and expiry. Features depend on the plan, so we confirm what your plan includes.
Can you fix problems inside our compositing software?
We handle storage, network, access, backups and onboarding. If the issue is inside the application or a script, we will say so and help you narrow down what is causing it.
We are five people with a few freelancers. Is that the right size?
Yes. Studios of about 2 to 25 people are the target, and small teams with rotating freelancers get the most from a clean onboarding and offboarding routine.
Plug us in. Tell us what your studio runs on.
Tell us what you see on screen. A person on our production consulting team reads it and replies, usually with the first thing to check.
Keep reading
NAS, direct-attached and cloud storage compared for small creative teams, with the sizing arithmetic.
Review links, comments, versions and approvals for clients, without emailing downloads.
A checklist for adding and removing freelancers, accounts and devices without leaving access behind.
How editors reach studio storage and machines securely, and where a VPN helps and where it does not.
How to run remote review and approval for cuts, color and mix without losing control of unreleased footage: link settings, roles, version control and sign-off.
Basics for vendors sending cuts to clients: when watermarks are required, how secure screeners and review links work, and the settings to check before you send.
Describe your studio and we will take it from there.
A real person on our team reads every request and replies within one business day.