I use the "--delay-updates" option to make "atomic" updates in a remote host. This way the big files (mp4 videos) are hidden until the whole changes have been transmitted. This works fine, but these big files are located in several folders and this folders are created in the remote host at the beginin of the rsync start and are shown as empty because the files are not visible until the transfer is completed. I think that these folder should also be hidden until the whole transfer is completed.
This is not a bug, but maybe it should be an enhancement request. --delay-updates works at the level of individual non-directory files; directory creation is not delayed. In fact, the apparently empty directories contain the staged files in a hidden subdirectory named ".~tmp~". Also look into the "atomic-rsync" script distributed with rsync for a more comprehensive atomic-update solution.
Changed severity to "enhancement" as proposed by Matt McCutchen in comment #1. This feature can improve the atomic updates of this great utility.