Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about ReelStorage — from getting started to advanced workflows for production teams.
General
- What is ReelStorage?
- ReelStorage is a digital asset management (DAM) platform built for the entertainment industry. It replaces fragmented workflows — cloud storage, review platforms, email chains — with a single platform for secure upload, AI-powered organization, mobile-friendly talent photo approvals, watermarked distribution, and chain-of-custody tracking.
- Who is ReelStorage designed for?
- ReelStorage is built for unit still photographers, production coordinators, studio publicity teams, PR and entertainment agencies, and talent representatives working in film, TV, and entertainment.
- How is ReelStorage different from Google Drive or Dropbox?
- Consumer cloud storage lacks entertainment-specific features like IPTC metadata management, talent approval workflows, automatic watermarking, face recognition, kill right enforcement, and audit trails. ReelStorage handles the complete production photography lifecycle from set to distribution.
- Can I try ReelStorage before committing to a paid plan?
- Yes. ReelStorage offers a free tier so you can explore the platform, create a project, upload assets, and test the full workflow before upgrading.
- What file formats does ReelStorage support?
- ReelStorage supports all major image formats (JPEG, PNG, TIFF, RAW, HEIC, WebP) and video formats (MP4, MOV, ProRes, DNxHD). Video transcoding is available for multi-format delivery.
- Is ReelStorage available on mobile devices?
- The platform is fully responsive and works on any mobile browser. The talent approval portal is specifically designed for mobile review — talent can approve or reject photos from their phone without downloading an app.
Pricing & Plans
- How does ReelStorage pricing work?
- Pricing is storage-based. All features are included at every tier — you never pay extra for talent approvals, face recognition, or any other capability. You choose a plan based on the storage you need.
- Are there per-user or per-seat charges?
- No. ReelStorage does not charge per user or per seat. You can invite unlimited team members at any plan level. Pricing is based solely on storage.
- Can I upgrade or downgrade my plan at any time?
- Yes. You can change your plan at any time from the billing settings page. Upgrades take effect immediately, and downgrades apply at the next billing cycle.
- What happens if I exceed my storage limit?
- You will be notified before reaching your storage limit. If you exceed it, you can upgrade your plan or free up space by archiving or removing assets. Existing assets remain accessible.
Security & Compliance
- How does ReelStorage protect my photos?
- All files are encrypted in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest (AES-256). Access is controlled through role-based permissions with 65+ granular permission settings. Every action is logged in an immutable audit trail for compliance.
- Does ReelStorage support two-factor authentication?
- Yes. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is available for all accounts. You can enable it from your account security settings using an authenticator app.
- Can I control who downloads original files?
- Yes. ReelStorage supports role-based download permissions, watermarked preview copies, expiring download links, and passcode-protected shares. You control exactly who can access originals.
- Is there an audit trail for compliance?
- Yes. The activity log tracks every action — uploads, downloads, approvals, metadata edits, permission changes, and sharing events. Logs are retained for at least one year and cannot be modified or deleted.
- Where is my data stored?
- Files are stored on AWS S3 with server-side encryption. Data is served through a global CDN for fast access. All infrastructure runs in SOC 2-compliant data centers.
- Does ReelStorage scan uploads for viruses?
- Yes. Every uploaded file is automatically scanned for malware and viruses before it becomes available in your project.
Talent Approvals
- How do talent photo approvals work?
- You create an approval batch, assign photos, and generate a unique access code for the talent or their representative. The talent reviews photos on a mobile-friendly portal — no account required — and approves or rejects each image. You track progress with real-time statistics.
- Do talent or their reps need a ReelStorage account to review photos?
- No. Talent reviews photos using a secure access code on the talent portal. No account creation, no app download, no login required. They enter the code and start reviewing immediately.
- What are kill rights and how does ReelStorage enforce them?
- Kill rights give talent the ability to reject specific photos. When talent rejects a photo, it is flagged as killed across the entire project. Killed photos cannot be downloaded or distributed, and the kill status is visible in the asset viewer and metadata.
- Can I send approvals to multiple talent on the same project?
- Yes. You can create separate approval batches for each talent or representative, each with their own access code and set of photos. Each batch tracks approval progress independently.
- Is the talent approval portal SAG-AFTRA compliant?
- ReelStorage supports SAG-AFTRA talent approval requirements including individual talent review, kill right enforcement, and audit trails showing who approved or rejected each photo and when.
Organizing Assets
- How do I organize thousands of production photos?
- ReelStorage provides multiple organization tools: hierarchical folders (by shoot day, location, or custom grouping), smart collections with automated rules, custom tags for people/objects/locations, and full IPTC metadata support. AI-powered face recognition automatically clusters photos by cast and crew.
- What is IPTC metadata and why does it matter?
- IPTC is the industry standard for photo metadata used by wire services, publications, and archives. It includes fields for title, description, copyright, creator, location, and more. Proper IPTC metadata ensures your photos are correctly attributed and discoverable when distributed to press and publications.
- Can I edit metadata in bulk?
- Yes. ReelStorage supports bulk operations — select multiple assets and edit metadata fields, apply tags, or move to folders in a single action. This is essential when processing thousands of images per production day.
- How does face recognition work?
- When you upload photos, ReelStorage automatically detects faces and clusters them by person. You assign names once, and the system recognizes that person across all future uploads in the project. Accuracy exceeds 95% for consistent lighting conditions.
- Can I search photos by what is in them?
- Yes. ReelStorage offers full-text search across metadata fields, AI-generated tags, custom tags, and filenames. You can also search by face (find all photos of a specific person) and use advanced filters to narrow results by date, tag, approval status, folder, and more.
- What are smart collections?
- Smart collections are dynamic groups that automatically include assets matching rules you define — for example, all approved photos tagged with a specific actor, or all images from a particular shoot day. They update automatically as new assets are added or metadata changes.
Workflows
- What does a typical production photography workflow look like on ReelStorage?
- A typical workflow: (1) Photographer uploads images from set, (2) AI auto-tags faces and generates metadata, (3) Photos are organized into folders by shoot day, (4) Approval batches are sent to talent via access codes, (5) Talent reviews and approves/rejects on mobile, (6) Approved photos get IPTC metadata applied, (7) EPK packages are exported and shared with press via expiring links.
- Can multiple team members work on the same project simultaneously?
- Yes. ReelStorage supports real-time collaboration. Multiple team members can upload, tag, organize, and comment on assets concurrently. Activity feeds show what each team member is doing, and role-based permissions control who can do what.
- How do PR agencies manage multiple client photo libraries?
- Each client gets their own project with separate assets, team members, and permissions. Agency staff can switch between projects from the dashboard. Secure distribution features ensure client photos are shared only with authorized recipients via watermarked, expiring links.
- Can I automate any part of my workflow?
- Yes. Smart collections automatically group assets based on rules. Face recognition auto-tags talent. AI-powered smart tagging categorizes images. IPTC metadata templates can be applied in bulk. These automations save hours of manual work on high-volume productions.
Technical
- What browsers does ReelStorage support?
- ReelStorage supports the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge on desktop and mobile.
- Is there an API for integrating with other tools?
- ReelStorage provides API endpoints for common operations. Contact us for API documentation and integration support.
- How fast are uploads and downloads?
- Files are served through a global CDN (content delivery network) for fast downloads worldwide. Upload speeds depend on your connection, but ReelStorage supports concurrent multi-file uploads with progress tracking and automatic retry on failure.
- Can I export my data if I leave ReelStorage?
- Yes. You can export all your assets as ZIP files with full metadata preserved. ReelStorage does not lock you in — your photos and metadata remain yours.
- Does ReelStorage handle video files?
- Yes. ReelStorage supports video upload, preview, and transcoding. You can upload ProRes, DNxHD, MP4, MOV, and other formats. Video transcoding creates optimized versions for review and delivery.
Still have questions?
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