File naming

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davedwyervideo

Member
I've had my AF100 for less than 24 hours and I'm undergoing a major learning curve because I have a wedding shoot with it tomorrow!

Just wondering, how do I set a naming convention for the files? I've noticed that the default file names are 0001, 0002 etc, then when I format the card, the same file names are used. This would be a hassle if I was copying newly recorded files into the same project folder.

Help?
 
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davedwyervideo said:
This would be a hassle if I was copying newly recorded files into the same project folder.
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This would imply you're copying only the MTS files off the card and discarding the rest, and you don't want to do that. You want to copy the entire card over, full folder structure intact.
 
David Jimerson said:
This would imply you're copying only the MTS files off the card and discarding the rest, and you don't want to do that. You want to copy the entire card over, full folder structure intact.
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exactly - some NLE's can't cope without that structure. I label each card - 8a, 16f etc and copy the entire card using shotput pro the file names may be the same but each is in the correct subdirectory - I edit with EDIUS which doesn't need the structure but do it just the same - I then use a bulk rename utility to rename the files 8a-001, 8a-002 etc so when they're all in the bin I have and idea of what's what

PS - there's no way I would be shooting a wedding with a new camera - not until I knew it back to front - good luck!
 
ZazaCast said:
You can create custom user clip names but you have to create a meta data file on your computer, save it onto an SD card and use the card read function to get it into the camera. (see your manual... or better yet, get Barry's AF100 book!)

Page 53....
http://www.american.edu/soc/resources/upload/AG-HMC150_OI.pdf
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There's two problems with this method.
1. It is a CRAZY CONVOLUTED process
2. It doesn't actually modify any file names. They are still 0001, 0002 etc. It only modifies a field in the metadata called "clip name". So the problem the OP is having will not be solved this way.

It seems like such a simple thing to solve, a menu item to allow you to append roll numbers to the front of the clip names would be perfect. Even the p2 method of crazy names that never (or rarely) repeat was better than this 0001 silliness. Oh well, we can hope for the next camera...

In the mean time, i use the custom naming function inside of log and transfer in FCP.
 
The best thing that you can do for yourself is to make sure when you offload cards make certain to give them a unique name . By doing this you avoid have a bunch of. "cam sd " card volumes with containing clips that all begin with clip .0000.

Once the card volume has a unique name you are ok workflow wise at least inside fcp. Once inside fcp you can rename clips as you log and transfer if you so desire.

Shot put pro is my favorite utility for renaming card volumes when offloading and it will also rename the SD card volume after you offload if you so choose.
 
+1 on shotput pro. That is a fantastic bit of software. It's extra awesome at the end of a long day with multiple cameras. You can que up all your cards, start the transfer and go to sleep.
 
David Jimerson said:
This would imply you're copying only the MTS files off the card and discarding the rest, and you don't want to do that. You want to copy the entire card over, full folder structure intact.
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I'm only copying the AVCHD folder across (which is found in the PRIVATE folder on the card). I place the AVCHD folder into my project directory then simply import the (.mts) video clips directly into Adobe Premiere Pro using the media browser. This is of course unless I also captured some stills during the shoot, in which case I would copy across the DCIM folder too.
 
tired said:
PS - there's no way I would be shooting a wedding with a new camera - not until I knew it back to front - good luck!
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Well I took a punt and actually shot two weddings with it last weekend. It was perhaps a little easier to use than I had expected. I've had a brief look at the footage I shot and it looks good. I love how I can change the white balance in increments using the Function stick, but I do not like the accuracy of the LCD screen when it comes to colour. I have found the LCD (at least on the camera I have) to be a lot warmer than what is actually being recorded. I also can see that I will need to use Zebra's pretty much all the time when I'm shooting. And as for focus, a red peaking in a black and white EVF worked best for me.
 
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davedwyervideo said:
I'm only copying the AVCHD folder across (which is found in the PRIVATE folder on the card). I place the AVCHD folder into my project directory then simply import the (.mts) video clips directly into Adobe Premiere Pro using the media browser. This is of course unless I also captured some stills during the shoot, in which case I would copy across the DCIM folder too.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't do that. I'd copy everything. You may be shooting yourself in the foot for later.
 
davedwyervideo said:
I'm only copying the AVCHD folder across (which is found in the PRIVATE folder on the card). I place the AVCHD folder into my project directory then simply import the (.mts) video clips directly into Adobe Premiere Pro using the media browser. This is of course unless I also captured some stills during the shoot, in which case I would copy across the DCIM folder too.
Click to expand...

I recommend you read Adobe's document on AVCHD workflow. This topic has been covered extensively over the past 4 years or so.
 
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