To delete or not to delete?

[Shinobi]

Hey when you guys finish with a short or a video for a client do you delete them?

If you don't delete them, do you just keep buying external hard drives?

If you do delete them, what do you delete? Do you delete them completely?

Just wondering and I guess I am looking for tips to save space.

thanks!

 

[Luis Caffesse]

Depends on the client.
Most of the time I wind up condensing the project (in FCP, using Media Manager - but every NLE has an equivalent of the same).

But for some clients i do keep all the raw footage - all dependent on how likely I am to work with/for that client again.

And yes, I just keep buying external drives.

 

[DivotDan]

I mostly shoot weddings, and I always keep everything.

I used to only keep the tape, but the first time someone comes back and ask for something "special" later you will always be glad you have the files already captured.

All of the files that I have for a wedding usually equal about 100-125 gigs per event. Some more some less. I have found I come out to about $20-$25 per event for backup to a HDD. Much better than the time of recompiling everything.

I just use a USB to IDE/SATA converter. The one I got came with a rubber boot for internal drives, so I can just buy the usually cheaper internal drives and connect them w/out cracking open my case or risk of shorting one out.

Of course I always keep a DVD master too, because you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket. That way I have 3 different ways to backup if need be.