Using the calculator
Enter the finished runtime in minutes, the shooting ratio as a single number (12 for 12:1), and how many cameras roll at once. Pick a recording format to fill the data rate, or type the rate from your camera's manual. Choosing a format and then editing the rate switches the format to Custom. Shoot days is only used for the per-day figure.
Before you trust the storage number, compare the data rate field with the table below or with the manufacturer's figure for your exact resolution, frame rate, and codec. The rate is the one input that changes storage in direct proportion.
The formulas
- Footage per camera (minutes) = runtime × ratio
- Total recorded (minutes) = footage per camera × cameras
- Storage (GB) = total minutes × 60 × Mbps ÷ 8 ÷ 1,000
- Per shoot day = storage ÷ shoot days
Dividing by 8 turns megabits into megabytes, and dividing by 1,000 gives decimal gigabytes, the way drive makers label capacity. Results of 1,000 GB or more are shown in TB.
Worked example
The tool opens on a 95-minute feature at 12:1 with two cameras over 18 shoot days.
- Footage per camera: 95 × 12 = 1,140 minutes, shown as 19 h
- Total recorded: 1,140 × 2 = 2,280 minutes, shown as 38 h
For storage, use Apple's target rate for ProRes 422 HQ at 3840 x 2160 and 24p, which is 707 Mbps:
- 2,280 × 60 × 707 ÷ 8 ÷ 1,000 = 12,089.7 GB, so about 12.09 TB for one copy
- Per shoot day: 12,089.7 ÷ 18 = 672 GB
Apple's table also lists 318 GB per hour at that setting, and 38 hours × 318 GB = 12,084 GB, which agrees. With three copies the show needs about 36 TB of drives for camera originals before sound, proxies, or VFX pulls. The DIT would size daily shuttle drives off the 672 GB figure, with room for a heavy day.
Apple's published ProRes rates
From the target data rate tables in Apple's ProRes white paper (April 2022), for 24p:
| Format | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2160 (UHD) |
|---|---|---|
| ProRes 422 | 117 Mbps (53 GB/hr) | 471 Mbps (212 GB/hr) |
| ProRes 422 HQ | 176 Mbps (79 GB/hr) | 707 Mbps (318 GB/hr) |
| ProRes 4444 (no alpha) | 264 Mbps (119 GB/hr) | 1,061 Mbps (477 GB/hr) |
These are targets. Apple notes that actual rates vary with image content, and higher frame rates scale up: UHD ProRes 422 HQ at 30p is listed at 884 Mbps. Raw formats and camera-specific codecs aren't in Apple's table, so take those rates from the camera maker.
Storage the estimate misses
- Uneven camera use. Every camera is counted for the full ratio. If B camera rolls on about half the setups, enter 1.5 in the cameras field.
- Sound. Production audio is small next to UHD video, but multitrack WAV files still add up over 18 days.
- Proxy files, transcodes for dailies, and VFX plates, which add to the total.
- High-frame-rate and higher-resolution shots mixed into a show. Run those separately at their own rates.
- Binary capacity. Operating systems that count in binary units report a "12 TB" drive as about 10.9 TiB, so buy with headroom.
- Backups. The result is one copy. Multiply by the number of copies in your data management plan.
Where this fits
The shooting ratio mostly comes from how much coverage the director shoots. That's a conversation for prep, before anyone orders drives. The assistant editor and post supervisor will want the same numbers to plan ingest time, and the post-production workflow guide covers what happens to the footage after it leaves set.