Wondering how to organize video files for editing? There are lots of different methods, but here’s what I’ve found works best.
Make a new folder on your external drive for each new video topic. Inside this “project folder” is a “footage” folder that contains a-roll and b-roll subfolders. You’ll also have an “assets” folder that contains music, logos, and other effects. The editing program project file (like Adobe Premiere) can be saved within the main project file. Make sure to also export the final edited video to the project folder. You can save time by setting up an empty template folder structure that can be duplicated and renamed for each project.
Read on to learn all about how to organize video files for editing!
Introduction to organizing video files for editing
There are a lot of video files on your computer, and it can be tough to keep them all organized. If you’re looking for a way to organize your video files for editing, then look no further! This guide will show you how to keep your files neat and tidy so that you can easily find what you need when it’s time to start editing.
Setting up an external drive
Video files are huge! Get started by creating a dedicated hard drive for your editing files. This will keep your computer’s main hard drive from filling up and slowing down. Solid-state hard drives are the best, but they can be expensive if you need a lot of storage.
Making main project folders
Once you have your external drive set up, it’s time to start creating project folders. Create a new folder for each video topic that you plan to edit. For example, if you’re editing a wedding video, then create one main project folder for the wedding.
This main folder should contain all of the files related to that project, including the footage, music, and other assets. These files will be further organized inside the main project folder.
Creating a footage folder
Within each project folder, create a “footage” folder. This is where you will store all of the video footage for that project. Most editors like to separate out a-roll and b-roll, especially if there are lots of separate files.
If you have a lot of footage, you can further organize it by creating subfolders for each scene or location. For example, if you’re editing a wedding video, you might have subfolders for the ceremony, reception, and interviews.
Creating an assets folder
The assets folder is where you will store all of the non-video files needed for your project. This includes music, logos, and other effects. Keeping these files separate from your video footage will make it easier to find what you need when you’re ready to start editing.
Saving your editing project file
Once you have all of your files organized, it’s time to save your editing project file. This is the file that contains all of the information about your project, including the footage, assets, and other settings. Most editing programs (like Adobe Premiere) will allow you to save this file inside the main project folder.
Exporting the final video
When you are finished editing, be sure to export the final video to the main project folder. Filing it in the main folder will ensure that you have a copy of the edited video in the same place as all your other project files.
Additional cuts
Sometimes it makes sense to produce many different versions of a video. For instance, in our wedding example, you may do a 45-second vertical video for social media, a 2-minute highlights reel for YouTube, and a 15-minute full video for the wedding couple. You can either place all three final videos in the main folder or create a “final edits” folder and file the three videos inside it.
Final thoughts on video file and editing asset organization
Organizing your video files for editing doesn’t have to be complicated. Following these simple steps, you can keep your files tidy and organized to quickly find what you need when it’s time to start editing.