Sanity check, naming/managing files during capture/edit?
 

While patiently awaiting my shiny new capture workflow, I have some questions about organizing files during capture and editing.

I’m capturing about 100 VHS tapes, not all SP, all home movies shot with decent equipment. Windows 10, 6TB of external storage (called “E:\” below). After capture we’d curate the material and remix the best parts into around a dozen “chapters” for distribution to a few family members. Maybe burn a disc. Ground-breaking stuff.

I’ve looked almost everywhere for guidance on how to organize, name, and tag clips as I create them, so I can use a clip in multiple chapters. It doesn’t look like tags (à la MP3) are practical to rely on, so any metadata I want will have to go into the path and/or file name.

A non-tech person will carry out most of the captures and edits, so tagging and search of clips needs to be as easy as possible. If some NLEs have this ability we might buy a copy of one, but I don’t see it in the tool I happen to have (Power Director).

So I’d appreciate any input you might have on the following steps. Thanks…

1. Physically label each tape T001, T002,…

2. Capture with VirtualDub
VHS Tape T001 => E:\Captures\T001.avi

3. Quick review/trim with NLE (CyberLink PowerDirector)
E:\Captures\T001.avi => E:\Work\T001 Middle School Concert 01.avi
E:\Captures\T001.avi will be left untouched

4. Cut Work files into Clips with NLE
E:\Work\T001 Middle School Concert 01.avi is cut into these pieces:
E:\Clips\T001 Middle School Concert Tammy Award.avi
E:\Clips\T001 Swim Class Timmy.avi
E:\Clips\T001 Fulbright Scholarship Tommy.avi

5. Combine Clips into a Chapter with NLE
E:\Chapters\Tammy Music.mpeg

You might take photos of the label(s) on each tape and archive them them with the original capture files, and more thoroughly document each clip, something like this.

Also archive the edited files before lossy compression, so that when a new lossy codec comes along you can compress without adding another generation of quality loss.

You might start each filename with the date in YYYY-MM-DD form or as much of the date as you know, or an approximate year like "1984ca" (circa). This makes it easy to sort all the videos by date.

You said you can't rely on tags, but if it helps at all, I found this: https://www.videohelp.com/software/abcAVI-Tag-Editor

The AVI format can have metadata tags in it. The linked program above can help edit said tags.

So I guess I'd save the original capture file, and all intermediate files, as AVI...? I have no idea if that makes sense or not.

But using avi as the standard type should make it easy to copy tags.

It looks like keywords would be just what we'd want.

It's called DAM (digital asset management). But you just need a system that makes sense to you.

I labeled my non-retail hobby tapes 1-800 (yes, I have that many). For capture, "LS 001.avi" (sometimes LS 001-1 and LS 001-2, etc, for partial captures). Those are edited down to folders like "Robotech" and "Smurfs". The files are given long file names (Robotech Ep01 Macross version.avi, Smurf Springtime Special WOC.avi, etc). After editing, the tape number usually does not matter, so it's left off. Only in some rare cases where I have multiple versions of something does I tail the filename -080 or -356.

Same for family stuff, which have different label system, though still number 1-75. And that is often done with date labeling, YYYY-MM (exact day not so important).

I hate metadata, time consuming PITA. That is the one aspect of studio work that I do not miss. I really, really hated it. I tried my best to offload that to somebody else (and with great success! :laugh:).

Both hobby and family stuff generally gets converted to 15mbps MPEG, often 4:2:2 profile. Lossless is jsut usedfor editing/restoration work. A lot gets captured as 15/20mbps via ATI MMC 4:2:0.

Wow, thanks ls; a great reply.

On compression, my plan is to keep it lossless until these "chapters" are assembled, then convert them to some yet undecided distribution format.

After your input on metadata, I'm envisioning naming conventions and checklists. I've always found Occam to be a pretty sharp guy.

I don't think I can quite describe my hatred of metadata.

Although I'm not a shooter (for video), I still consider myself to be on the creative side of the video equation. Same for audio. For photo, I've done everything from shoot to usage (layout/design). I've been around for 25+ years with digital photo/video/audio.

What I've learned over those years is that all metadata expires after several years. The method to do the metadata keeps changing. The preferred method/software is ever evolving (sometimes revolving). So you find yourself having to go back and redo the metadata. So as creative, I would find myself doing data entry. It was less interesting than mowing the grass. More tedious than curling up an extension cord or water hose (that never ended). That BS would sometimes take equally as long as the video work itself, and I'd literally put a pillow to my face and yell into it around 2011 or so.

Folders and filenames -- that makes sense. Easy sense.
Want to change it later? Just move the files. Maybe use a batch renamer if you really must alter the file names.

But to change metadata? (And in batches, you say. :laugh:) Welcome to video hell!