CFast media discipline: a card is not safe because the copy finished

Preserve structure

KOMODO R3D media is organised in RED’s camera folder structure. A professional offload should preserve the complete camera-original structure rather than cherry-picking visible .R3D clips into a new folder. Structure helps software, metadata and relinking behave predictably.

The safe turn-around sequence

1. Identify the card/roll before removing it from camera control.
2. Offload the complete card to destination A.
3. Offload or clone to a physically separate destination B.
4. Verify the copies using a checksum-capable process in the data tool your production has chosen.
5. Log destinations and verification status.
6. Only after the responsible person signs off should the card be released for reformat/reuse.

Two copies is a minimum operational mindset

Two verified copies protect the shoot day from a single-drive failure, but they are not the same thing as a mature archive. As soon as practical, separate one copy physically from the production kit and define what will survive after wrap: R3D originals, sound, project files, graphics, masters and any checksum manifests.

Do not let speed erase traceability

Fast productions often fail because people rename folders, split cards, duplicate filenames into random project bins or format source media before the second copy is confirmed. A simple media log and roll naming convention prevents most of this.