Chocolate instead of money

[Paul R Johnson]

Phone call this morning from a cruise ship singer - well known over here, spends her time all over the world as a featured artiste in lovely place. Discovered on one of those TV shows, and in 2012 I edited her promo and intro videos for her show - you know the kind of thing played on the big screens, then she walks out.

Known her for a long time - so her call this morning didn't surprise me. The video on a USB stick, and she left it on a ship, and needs a new version today. My edit software is now Adobe CC, but it found after a hunt loads of the files, and I think I have what she wants on an old backup drive. It's now rendering from all the various sources - about 20 minutes it says. Payment today will be a box of choices. I'm not complaining, I've known her a long time and she deserves what she has struggled for.

If this was one of my normal clients, that's a half days work, and of course after 6 years, even still being able to find the material would have taken a fair while?

My question - and it's just a thought really. How many people do keep all the source material when a project is closed out. My usual work style is to keep buying external drives, and then when full, they go on the shelf. I rarely need the contents - but am interested in how many years you guys keep your stuff? 5 years have passed, and it doesn't actually feel that long - I guessed 3.

In looking for the files I discovered loads of long dead material I'd forgotten. Will make a nice archive in another few years I guess.

[Roger Gunkel]

Hi Paul,

I was watching one of her programmes last night, seems a very genuine lady and totally unaffected by her success. I'm sure she'll appreciate your efforts.

I don't keep raw footage beyond a few weeks unless an agreed part of the contract, but archive an exact copy of everything that the clients get. That covers every job I have filmed over 32 years.

Roger

[Paul R Johnson]

Just finished - part of the problem is total lack of computer savvy - as in she brought her MacBook and has multiple file versions with all the same name, just in different folder. Luckily I had the edit = with a different ending, so I trimmed the end off, added 10 seconds of black and then saved in in multiple versions with different frame rates and sizes, as things have changed since 2012. I found a different edit from 2013, and she couldn't remember even what that one was for!

Pleasant morning really - chocolate on the way, as she flies out again tomorrow.

[Mike Watson]

Since the advent of file-based storage, I keep everything forever. Before file based storage I kept original tapes forever and master (edit) tapes forever but other stuff (work tapes) was lost to the ether.

I do the stuff you're talking about at no cost. About 90% of the time I pop a drive in and find it in no time flat. The remaining 10% it's more of your experience where it's a dive down the rabbit hole. If it takes 5 minutes I wouldn't charge anything. If it takes several hours, I just eat the cost in the name of good business.

When a company changes a logo and 3 years later calls me and asks if I can swap it out, I find it builds a lot of good will to do it quickly and at no charge. Just my $0.02.

[Steven Digges]

+1 on what Mike said. I do exactly the same thing.

On my get to it someday (never happen) list, I have old footage I say I am going to make some kind of demo out of to show work over the period. Nice thought, but I don't use demo reels, ha. My work comes from direct referrals. Every time that slows down I think about why I am NOT marketing and even the old stuff comes to mind. I really need to get it together.

Also, my edit suite has become a combination of "systems" at this point. The older stuff includes, a Sony SVO 2000 S-VHS deck, DSR 20 DVCAM deck, and a combination VHS/DVD deck. Of course most of it sits turned off. But just last year a client called and had me digitize four old VHS tapes. That is not even a service I make known I can do. But when my clients call and say "can you do this????", my answer is always yes.

Kind Regards,

Steve

[Mike Watson]

^^ What Steven said. His VHS tape story made me think of me swearing off burning DVDs. It's just so antiquated, when we can deliver mp4s, or YouTube, or online. And every year I declare we'll never do it again. And then a client comes along and says "pretty please", and I'm digging the DVD burner and the blank DVDs out of the garage...

[James Manford]

There was a point I was backing raw files on to BDRs. Now I just buy hard drives during boxing day sales etc in bulk. Once full, straight on the shelf and they remain untouched.