As a Senior Production Support Specialist at Frame.io, I’ve spent a lot of time working with creatives to help streamline their workflows—especially when it comes to Camera to Cloud (C2C). Recently, I had the chance to support The Outbound Life (Kyler and Kody McCormick) on a vibrant, nostalgia-packed music video shoot in Nashville for Ben Rector’s “Praying for Me” featuring Mat Kearney.
Nashville felt like the perfect backdrop for this project—a city where music history lives on every corner, from the legendary studios of Music Row to the honky-tonks of Broadway. It’s only fitting that a song celebrating friendship and life’s journey would be filmed in Music City, where countless artists have come to chase their dreams and tell their stories.
This shoot excited me because it marked my first time supporting a production using Canon’s new native Camera to Cloud integration with the EOS C400 and C80. The project’s tight production and post schedule was achievable because C2C let them work with a remote post team in real-time, which kept them collaborative and creatively present.
The vision behind the shoot
The team built the concept for “Praying for Me” around a stylized road trip between friends was shot entirely on a white cyc stage at Studio 615 in Nashville. To create the illusion of movement, the team used immersive projector backdrops like mountains, cities, and beaches, paired with practical props, set pieces, and a Chevy S10 parked center stage. The McCormick brothers intentionally broke the fourth wall with wide shots that exposed the stagecraft, embracing the charm of in-camera visuals and physical props over digital polish.
The song has a personal connection for Mat Kearney. “When I moved to Nashville, I put the Chevy in the lyric there because that’s the truck we moved in.”
You can see their creative process in action in this fantastic behind-the-scenes video they captured during the shoot.
Camera builds
- A Cam: Canon C400 (studio build)
- B Cam: Canon C80 (studio/handheld build)
- C Cam: Canon C80 (gimbal build)
Lenses
Network and upload strategy
One of the biggest keys to success when using C2C is having fast and reliable internet connectivity. This isn’t just about download speeds. Upload speeds are crucial for getting shots uploaded in a timely manner. As the McCormick brothers noted in their planning, connectivity was actually “a deciding factor” on which location they chose for the shoot.
The location had excellent Wi-Fi coverage with several ceiling-mounted access points. There were also Ethernet drops available, and I brought a Sclera cellular modem as backup. Having those redundancies is always smart when you’re betting the workflow on connectivity.
When working with Camera to Cloud, consistent Wi-Fi coverage can actually be more critical than raw speed—especially when uploading lightweight proxies. A camera moving around set with an intermittent signal will struggle to maintain uploads, even on a fast network. But with solid, consistent coverage throughout the shooting area, even a more modest connection can reliably handle 9 Mbps proxy uploads without interruption.
The team tested all available bitrates from 6 Mbps up to 35 Mbps. They landed on 9 Mbps as their sweet spot for balancing image quality with upload speed, as demonstrated in their technical walkthrough video. Each camera recorded these proxy files (lightweight versions of the full resolution footage) to the second SD card slot while continuing to capture full resolution to the hero media.
A workflow years in the making
Like many directors, Kody and Kyler have experienced the challenges of disorganized sets. As Kody explained, “Like many directors, we’ve been on our fair share of sets where we wish it were more organized. We implement tricks here or there, but I feel like utilizing Camera to Cloud functionality was a major leap forward. This is the workflow we’ve been looking for for years, but didn’t think was possible.”
The peace of mind factor was transformative. “First, it felt really good knowing we had a remote editor combing through our proxies as we were shooting them. Sure, small tweaks were found, but the value of knowing the footage was canned and shot right really brought peace of mind,” Kody noted.
This is the workflow we’ve been looking for for years, but didn’t think was possible.”
Remote editorial collaboration with Frame.io
Barrett Kaufman, the assistant editor working remotely from Chicago, was integrated into the process from the very first take. The BTS video shows him creating a Collection called “Need Review” and providing real-time feedback on specific technical elements like shadow detail while the crew was still on set. Collections are Frame.io’s smart organizational tool that automatically groups assets based on metadata, ratings, or custom criteria you define. Unlike traditional folders, collections update in real time as new content matching your criteria gets uploaded to the project.
This kind of instant technical feedback was invaluable. Barrett could start organizing selects, create Collections, and even share preliminary color grades during the shoot. This gave the directors confidence they were capturing what they needed—and gave post a valuable head start.
Transforming director-talent collaboration
What really excited me was hearing how C2C changed the McCormick brothers’ approach to working with talent. The real-time review capabilities were game changing.
As Kody McCormick explained, “I underestimated how much it would enhance our ability to collaborate with the artists. When Ben or Mat asked about a shot or a take, instead of trying to explain it, I’d get my iPhone out and show them exactly how something played on screen. It brought many light bulb moments instantaneously. It eliminated guesswork. It allowed us to approach each take with greater precision, and everyone was able to stay on the same page every step of the way.”
Kyler McCormick was surprised by the collaborative impact:
“Typically, there’s a degree of separation between what is captured and what is understood. Talent will give take after take, but there’s usually a level of mystery about how things are panning out. This eliminated that mystery. We were able to direct and communicate with a higher level of precision in real time. They say ‘show, don’t tell.’ That absolutely applies to directing, as well. We could immediately show talent how a shot was framed, and they might ask to be framed slightly tighter, or to move the camera to capture their ‘good side.’ When directing, our first priority is to make talent feel a sense of ease, allowing them to put forth their best work. I’ve honestly never come across another tool that allowed us to do that so easily.“
We were able to direct and communicate with a higher level of precision in real-time…I’ve honestly never come across another tool that allowed us to do that so easily.“
Technical setup
For readers interested in replicating this workflow, the McCormick brothers created an excellent technical walkthrough video.
The key steps include:
Step 1: Update Your Firmware
The C400 and C80 cameras need the latest firmware to unlock native C2C support.
Step 2: Test Upload Speeds
Test your location’s upload speeds, not just download. This was actually a deciding factor for choosing the location on this shoot. You can also run Ethernet directly to the camera for the fastest, most reliable connection if needed.
Step 3: Set Proxy Bitrate Based on Network
The C400 & C80 C2C cameras can record from 6 Mbps to 35 Mbps. Higher bitrates give more detail but upload more slowly. The video demonstrates how upload time correlates directly with bitrate and available bandwidth.
Step 4: Pairing to Frame.io
Set the proxy record, choose your codec and resolution, then run the connection wizard to pair with Frame.io using a six-digit code.
Step 5: Enable Real-Time Collaboration
Set auto upload to “on” and pause uploading to “off” unless you want to queue uploads for later. This ensures immediate availability for remote review.
Common mistakes to avoid
Based on this shoot and my experience supporting productions across the country, here are some key things to watch out for:
- Powering down the camera before uploads finish. Let them complete before shutting off.
- Using locations with poor internet or unreliable Wi-Fi. Always test your connection beforehand.
- Not testing upload speeds ahead of time. Know your bandwidth limitations.
- Failing to select the correct file types or proxy bitrates for your workflow. Test different settings during prep.
- Forgetting to enable auto-upload or confirm uploads are working at the start of the shoot. Make this part of your camera check routine.
Key takeaways for filmmakers
From a technical standpoint, Canon’s native C2C integration performed flawlessly. Native proxy uploads, reliable metadata transfer, and resumable uploads on cut all worked exactly as expected. But the real revelation was the creative impact.
For filmmakers considering C2C for the first time, Kyler McCormick’s advice is clear: “Time is money. If you want a tool that can instantly put your cast and crew on the same page, eliminate guesswork, and save time on set, good news. That tool has arrived. And it’s called Camera to Cloud.”
And regarding the technical barrier to entry, Kody McCormick offered reassurance: “For anyone curious about trying the workflow, it’s really not that complicated. As long as you have decent Wi-Fi, it’s plug-and-play.”
“Time is money. If you want a tool that can instantly put your cast and crew on the same page, eliminate guesswork, and save time on set, good news. That tool has arrived. And it’s called Camera to Cloud.”
The bigger picture
Camera to Cloud isn’t just about speed—it’s about access, visibility, and confidence. On smaller shoots like this one, that access helps everyone stay aligned. Talent can review takes, editors can start working remotely, and directors can make faster decisions without delay.
Breaking down traditional barriers
What we witnessed with The Outbound Life represents a shift that’s happening across the industry. Camera to Cloud eliminates the traditional bottlenecks between production and post-production that have existed for over a century. No more waiting for drives to ship, no more runners carrying cards across town, no more wondering if you got the shot until hours or days later.
On major motion pictures, multi-unit productions are using Camera to Cloud for real-time collaboration between teams shooting in completely different locations. On smaller indie shoots, it’s acting like a distributed video village where everyone from script supervisors to hair and makeup can access footage on their phones instead of crowding around a video village.
For live events and sports, the transformation is even more dramatic. Production teams can publish fully packaged, branded content to social media within minutes of an event happening. The speed of modern storytelling demands this kind of real-time capability.
Beyond video, Frame.io becomes a central hub for the production. The BTS video shows how the team used Frame.io early in the process to collect input on driving plates and projector assets, and throughout the shoot to accelerate review and provide real-time feedback. Call sheets, camera reports, BTS photos, and even pre-vis can all live alongside your footage in one secure place.
When tools like Camera to Cloud just work, they fade into the background. That’s when the magic happens. You move faster, collaborate more easily, and spend less time waiting around.
Getting started is easier than you think
Many creators hesitate because Camera to Cloud seems complex or requires networking knowledge they don’t have. But the barrier to entry has never been lower. You can experience this workflow today with just your iPhone or iPad using the Mavis Camera app, which connects directly to Frame.io for just $14.99. Using built-in cellular or Wi-Fi makes for quick and simple connectivity.
From there, you can scale up to professional cameras with native integrations, external encoders, or complete production workflows. But it all starts with that first moment when you see your footage appear in the cloud seconds after you hit “cut,” and realize you’ll never want to go back to the old way of working.
Links and further reading
Closing thoughts
If you already use Frame.io but haven’t tried Camera to Cloud yet, this shoot is a great example of why it’s worth it. When everything’s set up right, the tech fades into the background and you’re just left with a connected, fast-moving crew that can stay creative under pressure.
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Oh, and I definitely made sure to grab some proper Nashville hot chicken before my flight back to Los Angeles.
