Newbie - Data organization question

rpgrego · Post by **rpgrego** » Mon May 12, 2008 7:08 pm

I am a brand new user of Video Studio 11.5. I will be taking a cruise this summer and will be recording ~50Gb of various HD clips from 4-5 different venues. Because of the size of the files, I would like to make sure I get the clips organized correctly the first time.

Should all of these clips be organized into one project (e.g., "Alaskan Cruise"), or should each venue be its own project?

After recovering from your laughter regarding this sophomoric question, is there anything else anybody would like to share regarding data organization to help get me started down the right path?

westlight · Post by **westlight** » Mon May 12, 2008 7:30 pm

When you're asking about organizing the different venues are you referring to how to do so on your PC/MAC once you've transferred them or I'm guessing when you're editing the different clips in VS?

I shoot with a Canon HG-10. The software that came with it to transfer the video to my PC place them in separate folders by date shot. Within those folders are all the different "clips" for that particular date.

I shoot stills professionally. Before I head out on a trip I always create a set of folders on my PC of things I might be shooting. Penguins>Icebergs>Antarctica>Seals, etc... This make editing and finding things much easier.

As far as the actual projects when I get to editing the video. I recently spent 10 days photographing and taping polar bears. I worked out ahead of time how I would like to put the video together. Like... Day One, Bears Fighting, Bad weather, Mother and cubs, etc..

I did separate projects for each of the different "chapters" then later started a new project and inserted each of the previously created projects into the time-line. Much easier to edit things this way and takes less time to load the small project compared to loading on large one each time.

Have fun in Alaska!

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Mon May 12, 2008 7:39 pm

What I typically do is if I want my DVD broken down into different segments (titles) I will do separate projects (VSPs), render them to their own MPEG-2, then bring them into the burn module.

rpgrego · Post by **rpgrego** » Mon May 12, 2008 7:42 pm

Good question ...

I have a Canon HF10 and it also came with software to transfer to my hard drive. However, it seemed "better" to allow VS to perform the transfer from my camera to its library. Is this not true?

The organization to which I was referring in my original post was the organization within VS. Since I'm a newbie, I didn't want to create one large project (for example) only to find that it would have been *much* better to have created several small projects. However, I worry that if I create several smaller projects, I could not combine them into one movie (which will be a Blu-ray disc).

Am I concerned about things about which I shouldn't worry?

rguthrie · Post by **rguthrie** » Mon May 12, 2008 8:32 pm

rpgrego,

If you're going to make one DVD for your entire cruise, then I'd go with the one project approach. One thing I would do is organize your libraries in VS by using the Library Manager. The easiest way to get to it is by clicking on the Library Manager icon:

Create a library for your project, e.g. Alaskan Cruise. Also, once you have put items into your library, you can rename the thumbnail (not the file itself) for easier recognition. Also, if you decide that you don't want a clip in your library anymore, just highlight and press DEL; however, if you want to also delete the file that the thumbnail is liked to press SHIFT+DEL. You'll then be prompted as to whether you want to delete the file as well.

westlight · Post by **westlight** » Mon May 12, 2008 8:45 pm

If you decide to create different projects for the different venues you mentioned then you can easily combined them all together to make one full-length version.

You can import these .vsp (project) files either into your library or directly into your new project time line. File>Insert Media into Timeline or Library.

Doing it this way I know I can do transitions from one project to the other. I've not tried it the way Black Lab suggested via the burn module. Many ways to do the same thing depending on your preferences.

rguthrie is right about creating and organizing your libraries.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Mon May 12, 2008 10:01 pm

My own 2 cents worth is that if you are dealing with High Def video, particularly AVCHD which I think your Vixia uses, it is particularly demanding of computer resources. So my own inclination is go for individual projects of the various parts of your trip. For example, I have only recently returned home from a trip to Belgium, Germany, Spain, and Malaysia where I used my new Canon HV20 extensively (high def filmed on mini DV cassettes). I could do one project for each country. But instead have separate projects for Brussels, Antwerp, Berlin, Aachen, Madrid, Cordoba, Toledo etc. Each project is from 10 - 25 minutes in length. But I find dealing with lots of shorter projects is less demanding both on me and the computer (and I have a Core 2 Quad) than one much longer project. To give you an idea, it takes 1 minute 15 seconds just to open a single project file for a 25 minute project...!

rguthrie · Post by **rguthrie** » Mon May 12, 2008 11:06 pm

Wowzers! 1 min. 25 sec. just to open a project. I think I'll wait for my Cray computer to come in before I buy that new camera!

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Tue May 13, 2008 1:12 am

Please view:
How should I go about doing 6 tapes of editing?