Original files question - who keeps them? who packs them?

jaymay22

Member Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia. Joined: Aug 27, 2009 07:18 Messages: 143 Offline

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Apr 02, 2014 04:08

Loving my Cyberlink which is helping make my 1963 standard 8mm films into beautiful movies.

I have tons of original files. Not only my own home movies, but the original video - recording the 8mm film as it projects. This is precious, it probably won't be able to be projected again. Of course all footage is precious.

My question is - I used to ( 3 years ago) keep my original footage in a special file. A while ago you clever guys told me about exporting the project, packing the project files, which I do now every time I've finished.

Does that qualify as keeping the original footage? or is there something I don't know about the Pack Project Materials, that would make the original footage 'not as good' for some reason, as if I kept it simply in it's original state right out of the camera?

I wanted to know who of you keeps your original footage as is, and who packs the project materials...and deletes the original footage off the camera.
I can't stand to think my footage isn't safe. I MUST have it, just incase I re-do another project with it in a few years with Powerdirector 21 or something !!!

So, to simply pack project materials? or keep original footage too?
Thanks for your advise.
Jenny Jenny

CubbyHouseFilms

Senior Contributor Location: Melbourne, Australia Joined: Jul 14, 2009 04:23 Messages: 2208 Offline

Apr 02, 2014 04:27

Quote:
I wanted to know who of you keeps your original footage as is, and who packs the project materials...and deletes the original footage off the camera.
I can't stand to think my footage isn't safe. I MUST have it, just incase I re-do another project with it in a few years with Powerdirector 21 or something !!!

Hi Jenny

I converted all my 'old' Hi8 to 720x576 MPEG2 which is now on DVD and also stored as a media file on my external hard drive.

Now, as I have a camera that records to a memory card and internal hard drive here is what I do:

1. Produce my project as close to the original source files, in my case 1920x1080 AVCHD 24mbps and:

a. Store this produced file on my external hard drive

b. I also burn the project to DVD & BD and also Burn to Folder (as this saves the DVD menus and chapters) - this folder also gets saved to my external hard drive in case I need to burn the project again.

Only then do I delete all source files.

I personally do not pack the project as I use the Burn to Folder and all the above other methods of retaining the original source file quality.

Happy editing

Happing editing

Best Regards

Neil
CubbyHouseFilms
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ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Online

Apr 02, 2014 16:32

Hi Jenny -

Everything I shoot (that's worthwhile) I store in its original state on external hard drives. I pack ONLY projects I expect to need in the future.

Exporting Project Materials (i.e. packing the project) stores copies of the original files used in the project. There's no reason there'd be any difference in quality compared to "straight off the camera".

So - for me it's not one option or the other. I always store the original files (videos & photos). and sometimes pack the project as well. Yes - that means, in some cases, there's a double copy of files. Drives are cheap.

Cheers - Tony

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Apr 02. 2014 16:33

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James Dotson

Senior Contributor Location: Tennessee Joined: Aug 24, 2009 20:40 Messages: 3066 Offline

Apr 02, 2014 22:36

Much of my newer footage is filmed for a specific purpose ans deleted once the project is produced. Unreplacable film like you are talking about I store on external hard drine, amd when poasible alao burn to dvd. I almost never save a project,.packed or otherwise. __________________________________
CORNBLOSSOM

jaymay22

Member Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia. Joined: Aug 27, 2009 07:18 Messages: 143 Offline

Apr 03, 2014 02:50

Great Responses, great information and just the sort of thing I wanted so I can make my choice.
I think I will save original files on my (many and varied) External Hard Drives, and keep only select projects as Tony does. It's what I've been doing..except I've kept ALL of them. I'll be more select with the projects.
I have a dedicated EHD for original files, another for packed projects, and another for produced movies.
I have a fourth for a 'working' EHD that I sometimes use - it's got bucket loads of photos on it, and nice backgrounds etc I found on the web, nice music...etc etc...
Of course I'm so pedantic about the original files, they have to be stored twice...
CubbyHouseFilms has an excellent point about a 'burn to folder' , I never gave that much thought. I'll do that in future when I have a movie that requires multiple burns.

Thanks Guys! Jenny