Channels are organisational containers that bundle Programs together in RePro Stream. They provide a powerful way to group video streams and control access for different teams, departments, or viewing scenarios within your project.
What is a Channel?
A Channel is a collection of one or more Programs (video streams) that you want to present together. Channels sit between Programs and Groups in RePro's content hierarchy, allowing you to organise your streams logically and control which users can access which feeds.
Content Flow: Programs → Channels → Groups → Users
Use Cases for Channels
Channels are as flexible as you need them to be. Here are some common ways productions use Channels:
Film & TV Production
Main Unit Channel: All cameras from the primary shooting unit
Second Unit Channel: Cameras from the second unit or B-roll team
VFX Channel: Green screen feeds or plates for visual effects review
Live Events
Stage Cameras: All stage and audience cameras
Backstage Feed: Green room and backstage monitoring
Director's Mix: Program output and switched feed
Post-Production
Editorial Review: Edit bay outputs and reference material
Client Review: Approved material for client viewing
VFX Vendor Channel: Specific shots or sequences for external vendors
Geographic Distribution
Break up feeds by location (London office, New York office, Remote location)
Organise international production units
Separate local and remote viewing requirements
Creating a Channel
To create a new Channel:
Click Channels in the left menu of your Project manager.
You'll see your Project name at the top with '> project channels'.
Click Create Channel at the top right.
In the popup:
Choose a Channel colour for easy visual identification
Enter a Channel name (maximum 25 characters)
Click Add to create the Channel.
The Channel will appear in the Channels list after a confirmation popup.
Managing Channel Programs
After creating a Channel, you need to assign Programs to it:
Click the Channel's row to open the right side-panel.
Click Edit Channel Programs in the side-panel.
A new area appears showing all available Programs in your project.
Toggle on the Programs you want to include in this Channel.
Click Save at the bottom to confirm your changes.
You can return to edit Channel Programs at any time using the same process. Programs can be added or removed from Channels as your production needs change.
Note: A single Program can be assigned to multiple Channels if you need it to appear in different viewing contexts.
Assigning Channels to Groups
For users to access a Channel's Programs, the Channel must be assigned to at least one Group:
Navigate to the User Groups page.
Click the Group's row to open the right side-panel.
Click Edit User Group Channels.
Toggle on the Channels you want this Group to access.
Click Save to confirm.
Multiple Channels can be assigned to a single Group, and a single Channel can be assigned to multiple Groups, giving you complete flexibility in content distribution.
Visualising Channels
A simple project
A multi-unit project
See the Project Dashboard section in Understanding Programs, Channels, Groups, and Users for how Channels connect Programs to Groups visually.
Channel Settings and Options
Editing Channels Click the Edit button on a Channel's row to modify:
Channel name
Channel colour
Associated Programs
Deleting Channels Click the Delete Channel button to remove a Channel. You'll be asked to confirm deletion. Note that deleting a Channel doesn't delete the Programs — they remain in your project and can be assigned to other Channels.
Channel Status Channels display as online (green) or offline (grey/red) in the Dashboard based on whether their assigned Programs have active streams.
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Episodic Television Production
Scenario: TV series shooting two episodes simultaneously with separate directors, plus studio oversight.
Programs:
Episode 1: A-Cam, B-Cam, C-Cam
Episode 2: A-Cam, B-Cam, C-Cam
Video Village monitors (both episodes)
Channels Created:
"Episode 1 Production" - Ep1 A/B/C cams + Ep1 village
"Episode 2 Production" - Ep2 A/B/C cams + Ep2 village
"All Cameras" - Every camera feed from both episodes
"Village Feeds Only" - Both video village monitors
Groups:
Episode 1 Crew → Episode 1 Production Channel
Episode 2 Crew → Episode 2 Production Channel
Showrunner/Producers → All Cameras Channel
Post Supervisor → Village Feeds Only Channel
Benefit: Each unit stays focused on their episode while producers monitor everything. Post supervisor sees finished switched feeds without distraction from individual cameras.
Example 2: Multi-Venue Conference Streaming
Scenario: Tech conference across three venues (main hall, breakout rooms A & B) with different audience types.
Programs:
Main Hall: 3 cameras + program out
Breakout A: 2 cameras + program out
Breakout B: 2 cameras + program out
Lobby display feed
Channels Created:
"Main Hall Complete" - All main hall cameras + program out
"Breakout Rooms" - Both breakout room program outs only
"Technical Monitoring" - All cameras from all venues
"Attendee Experience" - All program outs + lobby display
Groups:
Main Hall Crew → Main Hall Complete
Breakout Crew → Breakout Rooms + Technical Monitoring (need both)
Technical Director → Technical Monitoring
Remote Attendees → Attendee Experience
Benefit: Crew sees raw cameras for technical quality, remote attendees only see polished switched feeds. Breakout crew can monitor both rooms without main hall noise.
Example 3: Distributed Post-Production Facility
Scenario: Post house with three edit bays serving different clients, plus centralised QC station.
Programs:
Color Bay 1 - Client A output
Color Bay 2 - Client B output
Edit Bay 1 - Client A sequence
Edit Bay 2 - Client B output
QC Station - Reference monitor
Channels Created:
"Client A - All Bays" - Color Bay 1 + Edit Bay 1
"Client B - All Bays" - Color Bay 2 + Edit Bay 2
"Facility QC View" - All bays + QC station
"Color Bays Only" - Color Bay 1 & 2 (for DI supervisor)
Groups:
Client A Team → Client A - All Bays
Client B Team → Client B - All Bays
Internal QC Team → Facility QC View
DI Supervisor → Color Bays Only
Benefit: Clients are completely isolated from each other's content. QC team monitors all work. DI supervisor focuses only on color bays without edit distraction.
Cards and Notices with Channels
Channels support the Cards & Notices feature, allowing you to display announcements or information to viewers of specific Channels. This is useful for:
Displaying offline notices when production hasn't started
Showing end-of-day messages
Providing viewing instructions or context
See Cards & Notices for details.
Understanding Permissions
Different user roles have different permissions for managing Channels:
Project Admins: Create, edit, delete Channels
Project Managers: Cannot create or delete Channels (can view only)
Standard Members: Cannot manage Channels
See Roles and Permissions for complete details.
Channel-Specific Best Practices
Design Channels Around Viewing Intent, Not Just Content Don't just group Programs by type ("all cameras"). Consider WHY someone would view them together:
Technical monitoring: Raw feeds for crew
Creative review: Processed outputs for decision-makers
Client presentation: Curated, polished content only
Use Channels to Enforce Information Boundaries
Separate channels prevent accidental information leakage
Client A never sees Client B content
Union crews don't see non-union crew feeds
Vendors only see material relevant to their work
Create Hierarchical Channel Access Layer channels for progressive access levels:
Tier 1: Public/client-facing channels (highly curated)
Tier 2: Production team channels (working material)
Tier 3: Technical/full access channels (all raw feeds)
Assign Groups to appropriate tiers only.
Leverage Channel Colours for Speed In multi-unit, high-pressure environments:
Red channels = Main unit (highest priority)
Blue channels = Second unit
Green channels = VFX/special use
Yellow channels = Client/review only
Crew can identify their channels at a glance in the viewer.
Don't Over-Fragment Avoid creating too many single-program channels. If you have:
10 cameras
10 channels (one program each)
10 groups (one channel each)
...you've created unnecessary complexity. Group programs into meaningful collections.
Plan Channels for Dynamic Production Changes Productions evolve. Design channels that accommodate:
Adding/removing units mid-production
Shifting crew between units
Temporary external collaborators
Changing client access requirements
Better to have "Unit Alpha" channel you can repurpose than "Episode 3 Tuesday Shoot" channel that's useless tomorrow.
Use Multiple Channels Per Program Strategically A single Program can be in multiple channels. Use this to:
Include key programs in both technical AND review channels
Give main camera to both unit-specific AND all-cameras channels
Share reference feeds across multiple client channels
Need Help?
For access or configuration issues, see Troubleshooting Access Issues.
For assistance with Channel configuration, contact us at [email protected] or use our support chat widget in the bottom right corner.