file and directory naming

[Rob Lohman]

I was thinking lately about how to name my directories
and files (especially files). For example, I usually have
several takes of a shot, also several shots (different angles
perhaps) and perhaps even different cameras. Is there
a "standard hollywood" way how to keep this information
all clear? For one short I used something like:

Scene 12\part 3 take 4.avi

Where part would be shot number. Scenes have numbers,
but does changing a camera angle have that too, or is
that a new take?

Any ideas, comments, suggestions?

[K. Forman]

I name the cameras A & B to start. This is how I seperate the angles. If you have different takes, call them scene1 take1. Then it it would go in either cam A or cam B folder, depending on the cam. Most of what I do is live, so I don't have several takes. I have to work with what I get.

It may not be Hollywood's way, but it works for simple ol' me :)

[Rob Lohman]

Okay... but what about the following. I have a scene where
my character steps out of the car, walks to a door and enters.
I shoot numerous takes and angles. Getting out of the car with
a stationary shot. Getting out of the car and panning with him.
Camera pointed at the glass door and shooting his reflection
as he approaches. Inside from the building when he enters.

This is all one scene (ie, exiting the car and going inside). But
I've used a lot of different camera position to cover it. Somethings
I filmed 3 times over (which ofcourse are takes). I'm pretty
okay with the takes and camera numbering. I'm just wondering
how I'm going to distinquish between all these different
"camera setups" that I've done, are these takes as well?

Any one? I'd especially like to hear from people in the industry
here, Ozzie?

[Shawn McBee]

Well, I'm not in the industry, but I would do it like this:
Scene 12\part 3 take 4a.avi
Scene 12\part 3 take 4b.avi
Scene 12\part 3 take 4c.avi....and so on.
That's the way you have it set up now, except that take 4a would be take 4 of your first angle, 4b would be the same take, but of a different angle. IE: all the shots that are of the reflection as he walks in would be assigned as Angle B, all the ones from insode when he enters would be Angle D, for example.

Or you could call each a new take and number them accordingly, having kept good notes on set so you don't get confused when it comes time to edit.

-Shawn

[Aaron Koolen]

I've never done anything like this, but from your example you want something that will easily tell you what camera (And camera position, or where it's pointing at) the shot was involving.
Maybe in the non digital age you'd write this on a bit of paper, but I'd just enter it into the directory structure


Scene1/Take 1/Reflection in Door.avi
Scene1/Take 1/Panning with actor.avi
Scene1/Take 1/Still. Exiting from Car.avi
Scene1/Take 1/Inside from building.avi

OR

Scene1/Take 1(Reflection in Door).avi
Scene1/Take 2(Panning with actor).avi
Scene1/Take 3(Still. Exiting from Car).avi
Scene1/Take 4(Inside from building).avi

Seems like that would be self explanatory.

[Rob Lohman]

Shawn,

I'll take a look into your thing. Sounds interesting.

Aaron,

I need the different takes in the same directory so that I can
easily compare without going through directory changing all
the time. I could split the different "sub-takes" into a directory...
I'll think some more about this!

Thanks for all the input I've gotten thus far!

[Guy Pringle]

The "professional" way is to slate each scene and take, ie; Scene 1/Take 1. When you change the shot you change the slate to read Scene 1A/Take 1. However, the "professionals" have a Continuity person who keeps a record of each Scene, including Scene number, angle, camera movement, sound, timecode in and out, camera A or B, etc.