Video Backup

What is video backup?

Video backup is the practice of keeping extra, independent copies of footage and project files so that work can be restored after a drive failure, theft, corruption or accidental deletion. A backup only counts if it is separate from the original and can actually be recovered. Its job is protection against loss, not organization or delivery.

Why it matters

For a filmmaker, footage is often irreplaceable. You cannot reshoot a wedding, a live event or an interview with someone who is no longer available. Drives fail at the worst moments, cards get corrupted, and laptops get stolen from cars. A single missing backup can mean a refund, a damaged reputation, or in some cases a legal dispute. Backups are cheap insurance compared to any of those outcomes.

How it works

The most widely used framework is the 3-2-1 rule:

• 3 copies of your data: the working copy plus two backups.

• 2 different types of media or devices, for example an SSD and a hard drive, or a drive and a cloud service.

• 1 copy off-site, physically away from the others, so fire, flood or theft cannot take everything at once.

In practice, a video backup workflow often looks like this:

1. Offload on set to two drives at once, using software that verifies copies with checksums rather than a simple drag and drop.

2. Keep cards untouched until both copies are verified.

3. Back up the project as you edit, including project files, which are small but represent hours of work.

4. Send one copy off-site, either a drive at another location or an online backup service.

5. Test restores occasionally. A backup you have never restored from is an assumption, not a guarantee.

Backup vs sync vs delivery

These are easy to confuse. A sync service such as Dropbox or Google Drive mirrors a folder across devices. That is convenient, but if you delete or corrupt a file locally, the change can sync everywhere. Version history helps, but only within its time limits. A delivery link from WeTransfer, Vimeo or a client gallery puts files in front of a client; it is not designed to be your safety net, and links may expire. A true backup is an independent copy, ideally with versioning, kept specifically so you can recover. Many professionals use all three, each for its own purpose.

Backup also differs from archiving. An archive is where finished projects live long term; that archive itself still needs a backup.

Is a DLVRD gallery a backup?

No. DLVRD is a delivery platform, and it should not replace your own backups. It does store the original file you upload untouched, and clients download exactly that file, so a gallery is a reliable way to hand over masters. Keep your own independent copies following a rule like 3-2-1 regardless of where you deliver.