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Gone are the simple days of moving pictures and practical effects. These days, movies are more sophisticated, with computer-generated special effects and high-resolution images. However, each addition to a film or episode adds to the file size, which can make both downloading for at-home viewing and the process of creating the project more complicated than ever before.
While large movie files give directors, editors, and special effects artists more to work with, those same large files can complicate the process of sharing, sending, and even editing those files. But why are files so much larger these days, and how can you improve your video file transfers?
How Big is a Movie File?
Big. But the average movie file size depends on the video quality. A standard definition (SD) movie that you download to your device for streaming tends to be between 1 GB and 2 GBs, while high definition (HD) videos are twice that, ranging from 2 to 4 Gigabytes. And those sizes only encompass the final film. How big are the many movie files – multiple takes, effects, audio files, and more – that go into creating the final product?
The size of movie files is only increasing. While HD videos are large, a 4K video is about four times the resolution of standard HD and requires four times as much storage – just two to three minutes of uncompressed 4K film, or the length of a movie trailer, can be up to 500GB. And where 8K video files were once unimaginably large, 12K is now looming on the horizon, with emerging tools that capture footage with even more detail.
Common Video Sizes
HD movie file sizes can vary, but there are currently five standard resolutions used today.
| Common Name | Pixel Size | Also Known As | File Size for 1 hour of video |
|---|---|---|---|
| 720p | 1280 x 720 | HD or “HD Ready”* | 800 – 900MB |
| 1080p | 1920 x 1080 | FHD or “Full HD” | 1.2 – 1.4GB |
| 2K | 2048 x 1080 | Digital Cinema (DCI) | 2.8 – 3GB |
| 4K | 3840 x 2160 | UHDTV1 | 20 – 22GB |
| 8K | 7680 x 4320 | UHDTV2 | 36 – 38GB |
Video File Size Chart
*Video file size recommended by YouTube
What Makes Movie File Sizes So Large?
There are many factors that go into making video files supersized. These include:
- Video length: The shorter the movie duration, the smaller the video size is likely to be. Of course, a 20-minute vlog for YouTube is a smaller file than a feature-length film, but even an animated short film will be made of up larger files than, say, a mini documentary of the same length.
- Resolution: Also referred to as “pixel size,” resolution is technically the number of pixels per unit of area, but ultimately refers to “the number of pixels arranged horizontally and vertically on a monitor.” The number of pixels impacts video quality, which then impacts video file size. The higher your film quality, the more pixels make up the image – and the larger the file size. The video frame rate will also play a role in the resolution.
- Format: The format of a video plays the biggest role in its quality and eventual file size, and certain broadcasters or streaming services have different minimum standards for delivery. Formats range from consumer-friendly to professional-grade, with others geared towards content creators of all levels. For example, highly compressed mp4 or mkv file types are typically geared toward the end consumers of media. Format is made up of two components, both of which guide your file size:
- Codec: This portmanteau of “coder” and “decoder” refers to how your files are encoded (compression for storage or sending) and then decompressed (for playback and editing). It can be either a computer code or hardware, like your camera, that dictates the file’s digital format and how it’s compressed for editing, watching, storing, or transferring. The codec that is most-used on web is currently h.264.
- Containers: It may help to think of the container as the file type; for example .mov or .mp4. This is the complete bundle of all your files – audio, visual, etc. – together as one. The container will sometimes also include metadata, such as author, frame rate, dates, and overall file information. Other popular containers include ogg, mkv, and avi.
- Frame rate: Also called “frames per second” and usually shortened to FPS, this is the rate at which back-to-back images (called frames) appear in a display and form moving imagery. Video content that we consume daily isn’t actually moving; instead, all videos are made up of images that play one after the other. If a video is shot at 24fps, this means that 24 individual frames are played back in a second. While the standard for consumer video is 30ftps, the FPS standard rate varies across mediums depending on multiple other factors.
- Camera choice: Cameras capture different file sizes simply due to the quality, size, and detail included. A higher-res camera will output larger file sizes than a more basic camera.
- Innovations: Other innovations, such as Next Gen TV, offer even more in the way of enhanced experience. This emerging tech offers both 4K ultra-high definition and interactive features. The film and broadcast industries are constantly improving and evolving to remain competitive, which results in more features, higher resolution, and – ideally – a better watching experience.
Improve Your Video File Transfer Agility
There is no best way, just the best way for your particular project. Do you have more time than storage? More money than time? The key is production agility.
The continual growth in video file size parallels the growing concern about how to manage these extra-large files without losing quality or data. Large file sizes typically results in extra processing requirements, including more storage space on memory cards or hard drives, and longer processing times to save, copy, and transfer movie files.
Getting the best quality possible can come with tradeoffs. Says Director of Pro Video Marketing Matt Feury, “there is no best way, just the best way for your particular project. Do you have more time than storage? More money than time? The key is projection agility.” But compromises can have negative returns too.
Related Reading: File Transfer for Live Events
One of the most common tools used to simplify data movement is file compression, but it’s not the end-all-be-all solution. Compressing videos adds complications, including data loss, which can result in lower-quality files to work with. The choice to compress video files needs to take the resolution, frame rate, and any visual preferences into account.
The goal is always to deliver the best possible final product that fits the budget and timeline. That’s where FileCatalyst for video file transfer comes in.
Related Reading: How FileCatalyst and Scale Logic Partner to Accelerate Media File Transfers
Using a fast file transfer solution like FileCatalyst can reduce the number of trade-offs you make as you film and edit your video files. Fast file transfer solutions are adept at transferring extremely large files over long distances, which means you can create longer films at higher resolutions without worrying how you’re going to get the data from A to B.
How to Send Media Files Faster: FileCatalyst
Media houses and broadcast companies rely on FileCatalyst to provide them with blazing fast file transfer speeds, reliability, and security for every file transfer in their workflow. Regardless of location or distance, FileCatalyst can successfully complete transfers that once took hours in minutes!
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2022-02-17T10:42:39-05:00January 26th, 2022|Categories: Blogs, Broadcast Media, Fast File Transfer, Live Sports|Tags: Data Storage, fast file sharing, HD, , Media Asset Management, movie file sizes, video file sizes, Video File Transfer Agility|
About the Author: John Tkaczewski
John Tkaczewski is a Senior Solutions Engineer at HelpSystems working with HelpSystems Managed File Transfer (MFT). As the co-founder of the company that created FileCatalyst suite of file transfer solutions, his focus is on accelerating, securing, and simplifying file transfers for organizations like yours.
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FAQs
How big is the average movie file? ›
But the average movie file size depends on the video quality. A standard definition (SD) movie that you download to your device for streaming tends to be between 1 GB and 2 GBs, while high definition (HD) videos are twice that, ranging from 2 to 4 Gigabytes. And those sizes only encompass the final film.
What is the average file size of a 2 hour movie? ›Streaming Movies or TV
(30 fps is the standard frame rate for most movies in the United States.) A 1080p HD 60 fps 2-hour movie averages 6 GB in file size. A 1080p HD 30 fps 2-hour movie averages 3 GB in file size. A 720p HD 2-hour movie averages 2 GB in file size.
This means you'll use around 2 GB to stream a two-hour SD movie, 6 GB to stream the HD version or 14 GB for the 4K stream. A half-hour TV show would be 500 MB for the SD version, 1.5 GB for the HD version or 3.5 GB for 4K.
What is the best size for movies? ›The 21:9 ratio is the best aspect ratio for cinematic videos. It provides an ultra-widescreen effect that adds depth to a scene and creates an immersive viewing experience, especially on larger displays.
How many GB is 1 movie size? ›Typically, downloaded standard definition Digital Movie files take up approximately 1-2 Gigabytes of space, and high definition files can take up to 2-4 GB.
What is the most common size of film? ›As we noted above, 35mm film is the most popular size – it's the cheapest type of film to shoot, the easiest to find, easiest to get developed, and there are significantly more 35mm film cameras available than any other type. 35mm film is also referred to as 135 film – we'll use both names going forward.
How big is a 1 minute video file? ›...
Understanding Video File Size.
| Video Resolution | Length of Recording | File Size (approximate) |
|---|---|---|
| VGA | 1 minute | 24.1mb |
| High Definition (HD) | 1 minute | 88.3mb |
| 1:1 | 1 minute | 110mb |
| Full High Definition (30FPS) | 1 minute | 124mb |
A 5 minute MP4 video of 'normal' quality uses around 8.7MB file space compared with a video saved as AVI that will use 30.4MB file space.
How many gigs is a 3 hour movie? ›Here's a quick breakdown of the numbers when it comes to streaming data usage: 1 GB per hour in standard definition (SD) 3 GB per hour in high definition (HD) 7 GB per hour in 4K Ultra HD (UHD)
How much data is a one hour movie? ›According to Netflix, you use about 1GB of data per hour for streaming a TV show or movie in standard definition and up to 3GB of data per hour when streaming HD video.
How many gigs is 1 hour of video? ›
Data consumption is about 1 GB of data per hour when streamed on a smartphone, and up to 3 GB per hour for each stream of HD video on tablet or connected device.
What size is high quality movie? ›| Resolution | Name | Pixel Size |
|---|---|---|
| SD (Standard Definition) | 480p | 640 x 480 |
| HD (High Definition) | 720p | 1280 x 720 |
| Full HD (FHD) | 1080p | 1920 x 1080 |
| 2K video (Quad HD) | 2k or 1440 | 2560 x 1440 |
264/MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC – commonly known as H. 264 – is the most widely used format. Blu-ray movies usually come in 16:9 widescreen resolutions of 1280 x 720 pixels, which is known as HD (High Definition) or 720p, or 1920 x 1080 pixels, which is Full HD or 1080p, where p stands for “progressive”.
What is the most size efficient video format? ›...
Other common video file types include:
- MOV (Apple Quicktime Movie)
- AVI (Audio Video Interleave – Microsoft)
- WMV (Windows Media Video – Microsoft)
- FLV (Flash Video Format)
As a rough guide, 1GB of data would let you do one of the following: Watch one hour and 20 minutes of video at Standard Definition. Stream roughly eight hours of high quality music (320kbps)
Is 16 GB enough for a movie? ›16GB is enough for editing 1080p projects or 4K files with minimum effects. However, with background tasks running, and multiple applications open, the computer might struggle to work efficiently.
Is 10 GB enough to watch a movie? ›...
How Long Does 10GB Of Data Last?
| Activity | 10GB data is equal to... |
|---|---|
| Downloading or streaming video (SD) | 20 hours |
| Downloading or streaming video (HD) | 5 hours |
- 35 mm format (Full Frame; FX)
- 24 mm format (DX) Advanced Photo System (APS)
- 35 mm film / 135 film / full frame.
- 16 mm film.
- 8 mm film.
- 1-inch digital (CX)
Film industry
Most digital cinema is displayed in 2K or 4K resolution; 2K is only a small amount more resolution than the consumer-oriented 1080p HD format.
35mm film (a 35mm wide film strip where image size was set at 24mm by 36mm) would later be adopted as a popular standard in still photography as well, thereby making it the staple size in the consumer film industry.
What is the average size of an MP4 file? ›
On average, MP4 files are usually uploaded somewhere between 1GB to 10GB. Of course, it depends on the length of the video and the quality, but generally speaking, you're looking at 4K video up to 20 minutes or 8K video up to 40 minutes.
How large is a 30 second video file? ›30 frames per second vs 15 fps. Depending on the aforementioned, a 30-second video could be anywhere from 1 to 30 megabytes.
How much space is 10 hours of video? ›STORAGE A client has 10 hours worth of video and they are encoding it for 28.8 and 56k, look at the chart above. A (1) hour video encoded for 28.8 takes up 9MB of storage. If you have (10) hours of total video then the calculation would be 9MB x 10 hours = 90MB for the 28.8 clips.
How large is a 24 hour video file? ›In this case, the total space occupied by this 24- hour video file is 263.67 GB. The most important factor in measuring the file size is the bit rate. The Bitrate is the measure of the amount of information transmitted every second. It is measured in Mbps or Kbps.
How much file size is a 1080p video 1 minute? ›One minute of video is approximately: 60 MB with 720p at 30 fps. 130 MB with 1080p at 30 fps. 175 MB with 1080p at 60fps.
Is 500 GB enough for a movie? ›On a 500GB SSD, you can save up to about 50 Full HD movies. That way, you'll always have a well-filled media library. In addition, 500GB of storage is also suitable for business use. Thanks to the difference in speed in comparison to an HDD, even your largest files start fast.
How many hours of Netflix is 100GB? ›With 100GB of data you could watch around 30 hours of high-quality streamed video. So that's enough for roughly 1 hour every day. But if you watch in normal or low quality then you can stream far, far more, with Netflix's low-quality setting allowing for around 600 hours of streaming with 100GB of data.
What is the file size difference between 1080p and 4K? ›You can see the difference between these resolutions in the diagram: 4K video is four times the resolution of 1080p video (double the width x double the height), resulting in a file size that's four times bigger overall.
How long is a 500 MB video? ›...
How Long Does 500MB Of Data Last?
| Activity | 500MB data is equal to... |
|---|---|
| Downloading or streaming video (SD) | 1 hour |
| Downloading or streaming video (HD) | 15 minutes |
| Resolution | Bitrate | 1 minute |
|---|---|---|
| 4K (UHD) | 20 Mbps | 84MB |
| 1080p (FHD) | 5 Mbps | 20MB |
| 720p (HD) | 1 Mbps | 5MB |
| 480p (SD) | 500 Kbps | 2MB |
What is Netflix maximum data? ›
Maximum Data: Highest possible quality for your device and the TV show or movie you're watching. Can use 1 GB per 20 minutes or more, depending on your device and network speed. Recommended only if you have an unlimited data plan.
How many GB is a 90 minute movie? ›Using these figures, an average 90-minute HD film would use approximately 4.5GB of data. Binge-watch a 10-episode TV show in Ultra HD, with one-hour episodes, and that's a hefty 70GB of data.
Does streaming live TV use a lot of data? ›How much data does streaming live TV use? It depends on the app you're using, but a good rule of thumb is: 1 hour on low quality: 360 MB. 1 hour on medium quality: 540 MB.
How much is 100GB in video hours? ›US Video Streaming App Usage
Netflix has the most usage out of any of the premium platforms, with Amazon Prime Video in fourth place.
MP4. MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14) is the most common type of video file format. Apple's preferred format, MP4 can play on most other devices as well.
What file format do cinemas use? ›DCPs are audio, video, and metadata files (e.g. subtitles) configured for cinema servers. These servers connect to the digital projectors we mentioned earlier. Every single frame of a film is a separate folder within the DCP. A typical DCP includes XML files for metadata and MXF (Material Exchange Format) files.
What is the best video format without losing quality? ›MP4. MP4 is one of the most popular video file formats because of its universal compatibility. It is also capable of playing high-quality videos with a small file size. The file format uses a unique algorithm that identifies and removes redundant files.
Does video quality higher quality mean bigger file size? ›The higher the resolution, the clearer a video will be. Resolution also affects the file size of videos. Because of this, a High Definition video has a bigger file size compared to a Standard Definition video with the same duration.
How large of a file is a 4K movie? ›An average one-hour-long 4K video is approximately 14 GB. An hour and a half-long 4K movie is about 21 GB, while a two-hour 4K movie is 28 GB. However, other factors such as bit rate and compression also affect file size.
How many GB is a 3 hour movie download? ›
1 GB per hour in standard definition (SD) 3 GB per hour in high definition (HD)
How many GB is 1 hour of 4K video? ›We just mentioned that an hour of 4K video uses about 45GB of storage space.
How big is a 10 minute 1080p video? ›Recommended video resolution setting
At this setting, a 10-minute video will produce a file size of approximately 240 megabytes. Maximum resolution: The recommended maximum video resolution is High Definition (HD). At this setting, you can record a maximum of 5 minutes video before the file size becomes too large.
You will use about 6 GB to stream in HD or 14 GB for a two hour movie in 4K.
How much bigger file is 4K than 1080p? ›Because 1080p is four times smaller than 4K, in most cases the workflow is faster and far less time consuming.
How much data is a typical movie? ›The resolution you use also affects the amount of data you use. According to Netflix, you use about 1GB of data per hour for streaming a TV show or movie in standard definition and up to 3GB of data per hour when streaming HD video.
Is 32 GB enough to download movies? ›1-1 of 1 Answer
Yes. Although some of those services allow you to download the movies to watch offline. This will take a little more space. But for just streaming 32GB is more than enough.
With 100GB of data you could watch around 30 hours of high-quality streamed video. So that's enough for roughly 1 hour every day. But if you watch in normal or low quality then you can stream far, far more, with Netflix's low-quality setting allowing for around 600 hours of streaming with 100GB of data.
What is the highest quality of video? ›4K resolution (ultra HD)
Called 4K and marketed often as UHD (ultra-high-definition television), this resolution is technically 3840 x 2160 pixels.
For example, on 256GB, you can fit over 16 hours of 4K footage at a low bitrate of 35 Mbps or about one and a half hours of 4K footage recorded on a high-end camera at 400 Mbps.
How many GB is a video per hour? ›
Standard definition uses up to 0.3 GB per hour. High definition (720p) uses up to 1 GB per hour. Full HD (1080p) uses up to 3 GB per hour. UHD (4K) uses up to 7 GB per hour.
What is standard 1080p video size? ›Often referred to as “full HD,” 1080 (1920 x 1080 pixels) has become the industry standard for a crisp HD digital video that doesn't break your storage space.
How long is 1TB of 1080p video? ›A 1TB hard drive can hold up to 500 hours of high-definition 1080p video – that's just over 20 full days!
How large is a 2 hour video file at 1080p? ›With 60 frames a second, an uncompressed 1080p video will require about 1.3 terabytes per hour, but this can be reduced to 2.6 GB or less with very aggressive lossy compression.