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How to organise project files?
This might be a daft question, but where is the best place to save the actual “project” file (i.e. the “.vf” file”) in relation to my source video files (“.mts”)?
I’m wanting to start editing footage taken using a digital camcorder. It’s just “home-movie” type stuff, so nothing fancy. This is the first time I’ve done anything like this, so I’ve downloaded the trial of Sony Movie Study Platinum 12.0 before buying it if I like it.
So far, I have grouped the files from each event into their own folder, e.g. “E:VideosHoliday 2012”. Should I put the “.vf” file in the same location? (Or is there a better way of organising them in general?)
I think there are 2 things that are particularly confusing me. Firstly, when I create a new project, one of the options is “Manage Project Files”. I’m not clear on exactly what this does. The other thing is that I feel I ought to keep the original files from the camcorder in their raw unedited state, that way, no matter what happens I can always go back and start again from scratch. Does anything in Movie Study actually change the original files? If so, then should I only ever work on a copy of them?
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5 Replies
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[Paul Walker] “So far, I have grouped the files from each event into their own folder, e.g. “E:VideosHoliday 2012”. Should I put the “.vf” file in the same location?”
Yes, I would.
I create a new folder for each project on my projects drive (E:\Video Projects\). Under that, I place all of the raw footage in a folder called “src”. I place all media like images, overlays, etc. in a folder called “media”. All of the music goes in a folder called… (you guessed it) “music”. and I make a “render” folder for all of my final renders. The project file itself goes in the top project folder. This means that I can backup or archive the entire project by just copying that one folder.
In the end I have:
E:\Video Projects\[project name]
E:\Video Projects\[project name]\src
E:\Video Projects\[project name]\images
E:\Video Projects\[project name]\music
E:\Video Projects\[project name]\renders~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com -
That makes sense, thanks.
The only other thing then is whether I should work on the original “.mts” files, or a copy? My concern with working on the original ones would be if my editing changed them in some way (especially with me being new to this, I don’t want to change my original source data). Does anything in Movie Studios actually change the “.mts” files themselves?
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[Paul Walker] “The only other thing then is whether I should work on the original “.mts” files, or a copy? My concern with working on the original ones would be if my editing changed them in some way (especially with me being new to this, I don’t want to change my original source data). Does anything in Movie Studios actually change the “.mts” files themselves?”
Sorry I forgot to answer that part of your question. Movie Studio and Vegas Pro and non-destructive editors. They do not modify your source footage in any way so there is no need to make a copy. They are just saving your edit decisions and then assemble a new video when you render leaving the originals intact.
~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com -
That’s what I was hoping. May thanks for your help.
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