Dropbox is constantly changing parts of the file headers to track whether it needs to sync them or not. Those changes screw up Pr's link to the files, which is only based on that metadata.
So ... do not USE Dropbox as file storage for active projects, it simply won't work.
The only such service that I know of that does reliably work is using the LucidLink transfer service. Which does cost some. Coupled with online storage.
Why the difference?
Dropbox is a file transfer service, built on the 'understanding' that files are like documents & spreadsheets ... where it doesn't make any difference which bits get sent first. And Dropbox/Wetransfer & similar services seem to grab random bits, whatever is easiest, and send in no particular order.
LucidLink was built to move video files ... with the awareness of what video apps like NLEs would need to see, packaged how, and in what order. And they don't muck with the file headers. All of which makes a huge difference in the process.
My partners and I use the LucidLink service, which yes does cost some. A partner is in Cape Town, I'm in Oregon. Our files are on an Amazon S3 server in London. He can WhatsApp me that he's uploading a folder.
Within seconds, that folder appears in my L-L virtual drive. A couple more seconds, I start seeing files in those folders. I can then go into Premiere, import the files, and start working with them on a sequence.
And they haven't even finished uploading from Cape Town to London yet! Seems magical, but it works. You need minimal 150Mbps, 200 is better, with very low latency. If you're doing some large-K files or many layers of tracks of files, you may need to 'pin' some files to your virtual drive ... which means L-L downloads them physically to store on your machine.
This system works because it's designed for video production.
Dropbox frequently doesn't work with video production because it's designed for documents and spreadsheets.
Neil
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