11. Backup and media management

Good media management is key to everything that follows after filming.

It’s important to understand that a backup method is a double process.

Be sure to backup the recorded footage as soon as possible after filming. You need to make two copies in order to have a backup that works. If one fails, you still have the second to restore the first. If you only have one option and it fails, you lose everything. 

When making the second backup, do this from the original camera cards. Sometimes there can be an error in the copying of the files from the card to the hard drives. By taking each backup directly from the camera cards, you avoid the chance of having corrupted files. 

Check if all files work and show no errors. If a corrupt file exists on the camera card, then it’s best to inform everyone involved as soon as possible. You can contact a specialised firm to recover the file. If it’s not recoverable, find out if the action can be rerecorded. 

Being organised will help you to find recordings fast and will make the post-production a pleasant experience.

Organise your files after each filming day in separate directories and mention the date and some info in the name of the directory. Make subdirectories for your separate audio and different camera files. Being consistent with this will help make large projects manageable.