Sending p2 files via DVDs

malcolm man

malcolm man

Active member
So, I've got a client that would like me to send him all of the p2 files from an entire day of shooting. All of the files add up to a bout 54GB. He wants me to send them to him on DVDs (he lives out of state).

So, even if I burn all of these files onto dual layer disks, I can only burn 8.5GB at a time. I don't know what system he's editing on, but Avid likes all of the files together in one folder, numerically numbered.

I'm just not sure how to separate the files out. I mean, it could get real hairy trying to assemble all of these files back together so that they actually work on your editing system.

I wanted to just send him a small 60GB external hd, but he insisted on DVDs.

Anyone deal with this? How would you separate all the files out?
 
I concur.

The price and time it would take to burn that much data onto DL DVDs is silly

You can buy a 60 GB USB2 bus-powered drive for about $75.
 
Does he want to watch the dailies? Or get the raw files?

If he wants to watch the dailies, it'll take much, much longer. The only rational way to do that would be to buy a DVD recorder and just play the footage live into the DVD recorder.

If he wants the raw files, hard disk is the only rational way to go. :)
 
Tell him you cant burn him DL dvd's. Tell him you are sending him a drive and thats how you are delivering the footage. Be nice, but be stern. That many DVD's is crazy and not a good idea. If you really want to do what he wants, bill him by the hour for it at your editing rate.
 
yeah, no dailies. Just the raw files. But still; it's a lot more time consuming. A lot more room for error.

I don't even have to buy a drive. I've already got a little 80GB external drive.

He said that he wanted DVDs so that he had a back up of the files. He could just burn them himself once he had the drive or put them on a separate storage drive.

I'll see if I can persuade him.

Thanks for the input.
 
hi,
I'm not sure if this can be a solution for u but if you r on PC, you could pack all your files, including their directory structure, with winrar(It's a nice file archiver app for PC). U can tell the program to split the packed archive into smaller pieces, and even u can make the packed archive a self extracting executable, so there will be no need to have any program to extract it. When u finish the packing u can burn the packed files in to simple DVDs and send them to him. He'll have to copy all the contents of the DVDs in a folder and execute the packed exe file once, to extract them.
This method is quite secure 4 file transfers bcz u can check the packed files 4 CRC errors. Also, since most of ur original files will be already compressed in this case, u can select the winrar to just store ur files inside the packed archive without trying to compress them, this way the packing process will be fast.
 
hell, for the time you'd squander burning dvd's you could buy two (or twelve) small hard drives, then he'd have all the backups he'd ever need. and still probably come out ahead on a dollar vs. time spent basis
 
kind of stupid way but best way to split it across the DVDs is to put the entire thing in a rar archive thats split into 4.7gb files. Then he'd have to extract it all on his end to a harddrive.
 
Why not have him backup the DVDs from the HDD.

Or better: tell him the charge for backing up per DL DVD is your normal edit hourly rate.
 
I have run into the same problem. I use Toast and drag all the files there. That will keep everything together in one folder (Toast will rebuild the folder once he has dumped all the dvd's onto his computer) Its annoying as hell since DL DVD's take so long to burn and verify. I too would recommend the USB HD route.
 
As mentioned, when a client insists on doing something I'd rather not do, I NEVER SAY NO.
I simply tell him what it will cost to do it his way and give him an offer of a cheaper way. Then if he NEEDS DVD's, you'll be happy making bank doing all those DVD's. :)
To meet his concern, I would keep the files backed up at your location and send him a drive with the files until he confirms the files have arrived and are OK. You can't blame him for wanting protection.
Either way you'll be a hero. That's always the proper way to leave a project!
 
Which leads to the next question: how much do I charge?

For example, what does everybody charge with respect to burning, and labeling DVDs?

Hourly - project - set fee?
 
if im doing something so wasteful of time such as this. i bill at full production hourly rate. if they want time wasted - they have to pay for it
 
David S. said:
Which leads to the next question: how much do I charge?

For example, what does everybody charge with respect to burning, and labeling DVDs?

Hourly - project - set fee?
Click to expand...

Hi,

Ted said it right, do what the customer wants, silly as it sounds. If he wants it on DVD, give it him no matter what he's willing to pay. :Drogar-Love(DBG):

But never at set fee. That'll kill you. One needs to bill at their hourly rate and the customer needs to know that up front. If burning DVDs is going to cost $150 an hour - ouch - and the he was given a low cost alternative (explained clearly in plain language) but picked DVDs, God bless him, we're making the mortgage payment this month!
 
I don't think this is stupid at all as harddrives fail and it happened to me way back in the beginning. At the end of every job, I back it up to DVD and just consider it part of the job.. and I have duplicates.. one on DVD and one on a drive. I find that to be some level of comfort and come on people. It would take him maybe an hour or so to do this.. and charge a full hourly rate.


I typically don't try and nickle and dime for this stuff, but you should be making it worth your time. Either a set fee to archive and if it goes over that amount additional prices for each. If you also put it on the better DVD media it should last 50 years or more
 
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