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What to include on a drive for EX files?
I just bought an EX-3 and I am planning out my workflow and I want to hear what the experts would want? At the end of each shoot I plan on loading the footage to a laptop, then to a hard drive for the producer to take. I want to have a folder on that hard drive that has all the updates or software for any edit system (ie. Avid, FCP, Premier) so the editor doesn’t have to go searching on the internet for the right updates to be able the import and use the footage. What should I put on this drive? I’m assuming Transfer Tool but what else? Also, should the hard drive be formatted for a Mac or PC? I just want to make the lives of any editor who sees my footage as easy as possible. Help me, help you. Thanks.
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3 Replies
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I’d put software such as the Transfer Tool, Clip Browser 2.0, and the Log & Transfer Plugins for the respective NLEs…basically anything available from Sony.
I don’t know if there’s a workaround, but Mac doesn’t like to write to NTFS drive partitions. That would limit you to smaller FAT32 partitions, if I remember correctly. You’d need to do your homework on that one.
Cf
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Hi John,
As Clint has stated, the important thing to find out from your client first is whether they’re using a Windows or Mac work station. That will determine whether you need to format your hard drive in Mac OS Extended or FAT32, the disc formatting read by both Mac and Windows machines. I’m not sure what you’re using for a lap top but if you have a lot of both Windows and Mac clients it may be in your best interest to have a Mac and and Windows lap top available depending on the client you’re shooting for on any given day. The extra cost would probably pay for itself in peace of mind and convenience.
There’s two ways of looking at what you need to provide the client with as far as the clips themselves and any companion software. If the client hired you because you’re shooting with an EX then they’re most likely already set up to edit EX material. You could then simply provide the client with the BPAV folders on a hard drive formatted in Mac OS Extended or in FAT32 binary if it’s for a Windows platform. Keep in mind that FAT32 is also the formatting of the SxS Pro memory cards so copying a BPAV folder to the client’s hard drive should be a simple procedure.
If the client hired you to shoot something and it’s your choice to use an EX for the job then you really have to do your homework with the client and find out exactly what they use to edit with and provide everything they’ll need to make the job as easy as possible for them.
On my last job I got off easy. We are a Mac/FCP house and so was the client. I checked to make sure they had the minimum requirements to edit EX footage then simply gave them the Mac .mov versions of the footage on a Mac formatted hard drive and Fedex took care of the rest.
– Don
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Don and Clint,
Thanks for the quick response. I was afraid that having a PC and Mac option was the answer, but what can you do. You guys are the best.
John
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