How do you file yours?

[LJR]

How do you all file and label your tapes (or other camcorder media)? I label a tape based on the year and what tape number in the year it is, e.g. 0401 for the first tape of the year. I'm thinking of changing it though as I am not too happy with having any reference to the year (as a tape may start in one year and finish in another). Probably just move to a sequential numbering system.

Do you restrict a tape's content to a specific event? What do you do with part full tapes after the event? I record multiple events on a tape (basically to utilise each tape I have as best as possible)


Finally, where and how do you store your tapes. I have a really cheap and nasty, plasticy, miniDV filing cabinet that I would dearly love to replace with something better if I could find anything.

I also store my miniDiscs in the cabinet too.

[Alan Mills]

How do you all file and label your tapes ... I label a tape based on the year and what tape number in the year it is, e.g. 0401 for the first tape of the year. I'm thinking of changing it though

Just as well you're thinking of changing. That system will come to grief in about 95 years. You could well end up with twotapes both labelled 0101 for example.

Seriously though, At the moment, having only gone through a hadnful of MiniDV tapes I'm currently using a single tape per 'event' or project and labelling them as that with dates on them as well.

[Stephen]

is it safe ....(now where have I heard that before ?...

once the downloaded material is stored on the HDD as an avi file .... to immediately burn that to CD/DVD media?..... or do peeps here always keep the original footage on tape?

[Mike Thorpe]

Thrown in my camera bag.

Some with cases, some without. general nondescript labels with bizarre words written on.

I know, it will all end in tears

One of the cases also has a crudely biro-sketched phallus on it.

[Marc Peters]

You do, of course, realise that I am SHOUTING at you now...

[Mike Thorpe]

OK, ok, ok ok okokokok...

I'll nail them to the wall to keep them safe :-P

I do prefer to keep them in my 'corder bag anyway.

[Marc Peters]

Here's an insight into my system... oooh, the hypocrisy of the man.

[GillianG]

I've had the camera going on 3 years, and I have over 100 DV cassettes as we speak, 1 - 89 of them are numbered and catalogued, in Excel, the rest waiting for a spare moment. I always keep my original film, and the edited film goes back on tape, sometimes several versions of the edited film, before and after soundtrack, voiceover etc. Sometimes the edited film goes on the remains of a tape with raw film of the same subject/place, sometimes I have tapes just for 'final' versions. Some of the film goes back to 1997, as I have put my old analog film onto mini DV as well.

Some tapes are ongoing if I am filming a place round the year or whatever.

My desk looks very like Marc's

I am starting to save project files now, with the relevant avi files, onto DVD, if the raw film will fit. (2 DVDs per project?...3?...) Anything I think will be worth tweaking or reworking later.

Gillian

[bgarthp]

I film until the tape runs out, then carry on if I've remembered to put a spare in, I have learnt to remember after using this technique and missing some classic stuff.

Then I capture what I want, then chuck the tape in a plastic bag and forget about it until I need to re-capture something, then I have a go at labeling, but I generally do about three tapes then lose interest.

I do not recommend this method, and I will be changing it as soon as I get a mini-DV camera. I hope.

[Gwenny The Vegie]

Theyve got these cool neat things you mount on the wall and can slip more than 200 mini DV tapes into neatly. and in order. i forget who makes them though.