-
Professional standard video editing practices
I’m just a beginner in the post-production field.
I feel like a lot of things I do, the way I work is something a common man who knows to operate a computer would do but not a ‘post-production professional’ would do. I mean I’m aware of using keyboard shortcuts and being faster,efficient,etc . These might sound really silly but I thought I should clarify- the path I take to achieve it may be different,but the end result is usually the same.1) For example , how do you guys log/name your footage ? The method I mean :
I would click on each video file in my Windows Explorer ,see what the clips contents are and re-name them accordingly ,eg: Peter Angry ECU ,etc. Then I will open PPro – and import the files into separate bins ( Audio, Video, Gfx,etc) or you can import all of them first and then play each video and rename then in Ppro itself.
Is it any different from how you would approach it ?
2) Saving/backing up footage /transferring :
I would :
– When I open a new project I ‘save’ the file in a folder in my external Hard drive– If I want to back up/make a copy of that file ..I would go to the source of the saved project file ( in my external ) ..Click Copy and then paste them in my new location ( another hard drive or whatever)
Is this how you guys do it too ? Or use the option in Ppro which says ‘Save a copy’ ?
3) How do you add ‘metadata’ /details to each video clip ?
Is it just by re-naming each clip in your project panel ?
Or using the metadata editor panel and adding more info ?
or by adding stuff in the info/notes column in the bin the video clips are in ?I want to see a pro-editor work. Not hear him talk. but like a screen-grab of him editing a project,the decisions he makes -every movement of his mouse/keyboard,etc.
That would really help me understand and evaluate myself. -
4 Replies
-
Regarding #1, renaming of clips, for any kind of footage coming from a media card such as AVCHD, DSLR, or XDCAM, do NOT rename them!
Best practice is to copy the entire contents of memory card straight to hard drive, then use Media Browser in Premiere for the import. There is metadata in various folders that is critical to Premiere being able to properly interpret and handle your footage. Renaming files breaks that system.
Thanks
Jeff Pulera
Safe Harbor Computers -
[Shravan Ram] “1) For example , how do you guys log/name your footage ?”
As Jeff says, do NOT get in the habit of renaming files in Explorer. This will break many camera formats which have rigid naming and organizing standards.
Instead, consider looking into Adobe Prelude as a logging tool. Check out the quick overview here:
https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/tutorials/videos/what-is-prelude-cc.html?product=prelude&path=get-started[Shravan Ram] “2) Saving/backing up footage /transferring”
Copying files from the OS is fine for this. You may even choose to automate this.
Personally, in addition to implementing a regular backup policy, I keep my project files on Dropbox; with a business Dropbox for Teams account (or with the Packrat option for personal Dropboxes), you also get version snapshots.
[Shravan Ram] “3) How do you add ‘metadata’ /details to each video clip ?”
As you say, you can do this directly in the Premiere Pro project panel, but you can also do this in Prelude before you even start editing. (See above link.)
[Shravan Ram] “I want to see a pro-editor work. Not hear him talk. but like a screen-grab of him editing a project,the decisions he makes -every movement of his mouse/keyboard,etc. That would really help me understand and evaluate myself.”
Everyone has their own way of working, but I think the most important thing a pro can do is continuously organize their work as they work. Never, ever, ever take an organization shortcut now and tell yourself you’ll clean it up later — because you won’t, and it’ll make your project that much harder for you to come back to or for someone else to pick up. Name your subclips, markers and layers immediately, copy new assets into the project folder instead of onto your desktop, put imported items into the appropriate bin immediately instead of letting them hang out in the project root.
Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive | RenderBreak [blog] | Profile [LinkedIn] -
I’ve had some HUGE messes come in which were daisy chained from 3 or 4 separate external USB2 drives.
Which all had to be connected to work and re-link media to.What a nightmare.
Don’t be “that guy” 😉
-
Walter nailed it (as always). The two absolutes based on your questions are do NOT rename your files in explorer, and it is absolutely ok to copy and paste a project file in explorer if that’s how you like to back up. But for the most part, every editor works differently. You might benefit to a small degree and be fascinated to watch a pro editor work, but ultimately his/her workflow might not be good for you. Everybody has their slight differences, the key is just to find what works for you and organize EVERYTHING in some sort of consistent way
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up