How do you organize your files?

M

marsupilami_4

Active member
Hi all,

I'm curious, how do you guys name, organize and keep track or your files and folders?

Right now I have a Tascam HD-P2 that allows me to create project folders with a custom name, so I basically create a new project/folder for each and every shot (takes me less than 10 secs to do). Then every time I hit record it creates a new take/file inside that folder. I end up with a file structure that basically looks like this:

SCEN_1
- Take_01.wav
- Take_02.wav
- Take_03.wav

SCEN_1A
- Take_01.wav
- Take_02.wav

SCEN_2
- Take_01.wav

etc...

The benefit is that the editor can find a file right away without having to look at the sound report. I've gotten very good feedback from post using this file structure.

The reason I'm asking is because I know not all recorders allow you to do that (for example I looked at the Tascam DR-680's manual and it doesn't seem to allow you to name project folders) and so I'm curious to know how you guys do it. Do you simply write down the corresponding project name / file number in the sound report? Or do you hang on to the files and rename/organize them before handing them out to post? What if none of the above is doable (run and gun shoot, files dumped with video files at the end of the day, etc.), do you just deliver a big chunk of files and let post deal with it?

Thanks,
Alexis
 
I use SD wave agent. At the end of the the day, or during breaks or MOS scenes, I'll dump what I have into my laptop, plug in headphones, and use Wave Agent to quickly play the beginning of each take where I can hear the slate call. I'll enter the scene and take info and alot enter whether it is the boom or lav(s). Once I'm done, I hit "rename" and all the files are renamed to scene, take, and boom/lav. Then I select them all and hit split, and what I end of with are mono files, named for scene/take and boom or lav 1/2.
 
I see, so I guess that means you always bring your laptop with you.
Is there a strategy that I haven't thought of that doesn't involve bringing a laptop along? I'd rather not have to carry another piece of equipment, and in the case of my laptop I use it primarily as a desktop replacement so it would involve unplugging/replugging everything all the time. What if you don't have a laptop?
 
Using a 788T

I have a Project folder - ACME
inside of that is a DAILY folder - 01/01/11
inside of each date folder there is a SCENE folder - (IE: S02)
inside of the scene are the files for that scene - (IE: S02T01.wav, S02T02.wav, S02T03.wav)


If I'm doing a job where its more interviews I'll name the scene the persons last name (IE:MILLER)
Then the files are called MILLERT01.wav, MILLERT02.wav, etc)
 
marsupilami_4 said:
Hi all,

I'm curious, how do you guys name, organize and keep track or your files and folders?
Click to expand...

I use an Edirol R4-Pro, and start with a clean hard disk every day. I offload to my laptop each day during lunch break and at the end of the day.

The R4-Pro generates a folder (directory) for each take consisting of the project name with a sequential take number appended. So, for a project I name "Acme", I get Acme_001, Acme_002, etc. Inside each folder are WAV files, one for each channel I configured on the recorder: 1.wav, 2.wav, etc.

After the production, if there's time before post, I rename each directory according to the scene and take number as called out during the slate. So, Acme_004 might be renamed to Sc_005_T003 for scene 5, take 3.

I then rename each file in the specific directory according to scene, take and character/performer name + mic source, as:

1.wav might become Sc_005_T003_boom.wav

and
2.wav might become Sc_005_T003_Marsha_lav.wav

Logged and renamed files are delivered on a data DVD with notes as needed. I keep archival copies of projects on data DVDs and it's come in handy when projects lose steam, then suddenly come back to life and somebody needs the audio, again.

Doing all that renaming is time-consuming, but it pays off in post production. I can always find the exact take and mic source for each scene. I would love to have something like a Deva or the SD 788T and sit at a sound cart, but I'm usually a one man band. This works pretty well with the gear I have and the scale of productions I'm usually on.

I get love letters from post about my audio notes and sound file organization, so, until I can afford the sound cart with the Zaxcom Deva and the Cooper mixer, this will be Ok.

Cheers,

Stephen H
http://sound.facesproject.org/
 
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