-
How are you Archiving your Media and then being able to find it in a Tape Library? Need help ASAP!!
Hi,
My company needs help ASAP. We have hundreds of tapes in our library that contain lots of B-Roll types of shots. The problem is that lots of time is wasted scanning through tapes to find a particular shot when needed. The only way to save time is to find our Videographer and ask him which tape a particular shot is on, and sometimes not even he can remember. This is slowing our shop down drastically and we need a solution fast!!!
We don’t have money to go out and buy huge drives to keep our Media on so that we can keep the footage digitized and instantly grab a clip when we need it. This wont ever happen with our budget.
We need a simple solution that requires only data entry software or something similar that can lead us to the correct tape in order to get the shot we need. A program that we can enter data into that includes the tape name, timecodes and related shot names, etc.
Our theory is that we can Come up with a unique naming structure for all Tapes that are shot in the field and stop naming tapes with words. for example…instead of naming a tape “Verizon Shoot,” we could name it “VZ10312006001” where VZ is the shoot name, 10312006 is the date, and 001 is the tape number.
(Any tips on a better naming structure would be appreciated.)
Then we could enter that tape name into a software program, and along with it enter timecodes and shots that pertain to that timecode, like 01:05:06:28 “Pan L to R of Verizon Building.”
Then be able to search within this database in order to find a shot. SO if i am looking for shots of the verizon, “buidling”i can enter that word into a search field and i can find every tape taht contains logged shots with the word “buidling” in it. And then be lead to the correct tape and have the timecode for the shot so i dont have to randomly scan through.
DOes this make sense? is there way to do what i want, or is there a simpler better way?
Any help is greatly appreciated!
-
8 Replies
-
Do you use workorder / job numbers? Might be simpler to use that number to name your tapes.
You are on the right track….
I use media log (an Avid software). I log the tapes, then keep the logs in paper form and on the computer. The advantage is being able to hook up a deck and capture timecode. When I need a shot (theortically) I import the bin, click on the shot(s) and do a batch digitize.
Unfortunately, I don’t keep up with the huge amount of b-roll we shoot, and you can’t keyword search in media log…
Unless you have massive amounts of money for a specific software, I’d use MS Access (or Filemaker Pro if you are so inclined) and build your library there. Unfortunatly, (unless there is a solution out there) you have to manually enter TC. What a pain…
Jon
“The Almighty tells me He can get me out of this mess. But He’s pretty sure you’re F%$#*D!”
-
what do you know about File Maker Pro or Access? How would i use them and are there templates available to make this easy? or do i have to come up with how to do this all myself??
-
MS Access is a database, and pretty easy once you get past the initial “what the…???!”
I think you need to determine what info you want , then build a database based on your needs. It’s really not that hard. Using a template might be easy, but you’ll forever be hamstrung by what someone else deems important.
Like I said, the down side is you have to manually input the TC – but if you don’t neeed / want TC, Access (or Filemaker Pro on the Mac side) may be your best bet..
Jon
“The Almighty tells me He can get me out of this mess. But He’s pretty sure you’re F%$#*D!”
-
We use MS Access to track all media production information, including billing (we do internal chargebacks), and the media library. It’s basically a relational database that starts with a single job record. Each job has a “production number” assigned automatically by Access. We’re up to #8633.
Under the basic information, title, client, address, etc., there may (sometimes not) be 1 to 100s of media elements, tapes, discs, reels, etc. Each media element gets a simple, unique serial number, officially called the “Vault number.” There’s no need in my opinion for any complicated naming structure. We’re up to #10245. This number is the “tape name” during editing and shows up in EDLs, asset lists, and anything else that refers to source media. We don’t necessarily keep detailed logs of each reel, but we could if we had the staff to do it. However, each record for each element has both a keyword and a synopsis field that describes in general what’s on the tape. “Interview with Betty Boop about stroke. Camera roll 1 of 4” is usually sufficient to find what we need.
There are many resources about designing relational databases. You can use some of the templates that come with database programs to get you going, or you can hire a programmer to save some time. Sorry for the length. I hope this is helpful.Mike Brown
Video/Film Producer
American Heart Association -
We use a system called Xytech, I think the company is called Xytech Enterprise. It will allow you to search tapes by several criteria: tape numbers, job number, work order number, bar code, etc. if you use such naming devices. It also can keep your editing schedule, billing, inventory, client info., etc. It’s not easy to use, but once it’s set up and you decide which parts fit your work situation, it can save you hours of tape scanning. There is even an online data base you can subscribe to that allows you to enter any description of a tape, i.e. “cu house pan left at sunset” and it will do a word search for it. It’s huge, cumbersome at first and probably pretty expensive (I don’t know, the company pays for it.) but it can be great to type in “sunset” and get a list of all the tapes with sunset shots. Of course someone has to enter the data originally! Do a search for Xytech. They are usually at NAB.
-
It was real helpful. Thanks for taking the time to help me out.
-
I’ve worked on a few season of the bachelor and this is the system we used.
TB0723B05-6
TB = The Bachelor
0723 = the day it was shot
B = camera
05 = the load
6 = the seasonThis numbering is a HUGE help because it allows anyone to look at the tape and know EXACTLY when the tape was shot without having look at any cross references. I highly recommend it for that reason alone. In addition the load number probably gives you a rough idea of when during the day the tape was shot and thus a hint to the type of b-roll it might have. A camera load of 01 probably isn’t going to have sunsets on it. Always using time of day timecode will assist in this as well.
We make a VHS dub of the camera masters and we have in house loggers log every single tape from the field into a searchable filemaker pro database. They are asked to include things beyond just the names of cast members. Things like, blue dress, rocking boat, verizon building, are all the types of things that go in there. Of course these logs are only as good as the people hired to create them, but its better to have a $900 a week logger spend a little extra time on it than it is to have a $3000 a week editor sifting through the material.
I’ve seen the upfront expense of a great production and post process make some line producers and execs in charge get a little throw up in their mouth, but I’ve never once heard a complaint about the above system that wasn’t due to sloppy manpower. It has always worked for us but requires everyone from the camera assist labeling the tapes all the way to the loggers and avid assists to understand why consistency is important.
McG
-
Quite simply DATABASE SOFTWARE, wether it be Access on PC or FileMaker Pro on MAC, we register every tape as a R0000 number on entering the building. This number is kept all the time, when somebody has time i.e. runner…he LOGS the tape into sections…i.e. windfarm…..car ride….bus ride……etc.When the program is finished, it becomes a MASTER thus earning a M0000 number and a seperate database is the set up for MASTERS.
then just do a search for material required.
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up