WRITTEN BY ZANNE HANNA
OFFICE MANAGER, BOOM BOX POST

Data management in audio post-production can impact productivity and is a vital skill for many reasons. Most of the materials we accept and send out can take up a lot of space on a hard drive. There are assets constantly coming in from multiple sources. Without a solid structure for organizing videos, sound effects edit sessions, music exports, mixes, and deliverables, wading through data can turn from a tide pool into a tidal wave. Whether working as a freelancer, editing or mixing in post-production, or at a company like Boom Box Post, here are some data management tips to consider.

Follow An Embedded Structure

Embedding folders in your filing system is a great start to keeping organized because it encourages you to store like items together. Because we need to keep track of multiple shows with different seasons and many episodes, it’s important that each layer of the directory is specific and structured in a patterned way so that we know where to look when we need to find the same item for two different shows. For example, if I need to find a dialogue edit session for any show, the length of the file path and the structure of the folders, stored by the show name, season number, and episode number, is always the same and very easy to find.

If you’re having trouble determining an efficient filing system, think about how to organize in terms of overall topics, like shows, episodes, music, or videos. Also visualize your timeline; keeping files that might be near each other in the post-production process, like spots and previews, or pre-dub sessions and mixing sessions will make it easy to grab when you are ready to take the next step forward or need to retrace steps in your workflow.

If you’re working with macOS, another helpful visualization is understanding how to access the file-path in the terminal window. This is a more complicated way of searching through directories without the helpful user interface of the mac finder window, but it gives you a chance to see the bare bones of your system. If your filing system is too complicated or has weird symbols, it will make searching with the terminal window even more complicated. Seeing your organization this way can help you sort out what works best for you.

Listing directories in the terminal window with MacOS.

Listing directories in the terminal window with MacOS.

Have An Archive Plan

Having a thorough method for archiving materials is just as important as remembering to back them up to multiple locations. There are a few things to keep in mind once a mix is finished and a client has received their deliverables. It’s important to keep deliverable assets accessible for any needed re-delivery or to share with new editors for referencing when cutting future episodes. Having a concise archive folder for a specific project that contains the deliverable, the latest version of the mix, and the latest version of the picture or any media will make it easier to correct any mistakes or share as a model.

Another step to consider is keeping a physical check-list during this process. Since I have to back up a lot of materials throughout the week, I like to keep track of my backups for each day in my daily planner, because I know I’m going to check there anyway, and the physical action of crossing something off a list makes it easier to remember. Here is the planner I like to use because I can prepare for important back ups in the “priorities” section, and I can keep a short list for each day as new backups get prioritized. Keeping my archive check list with my to-do list ensures that I don’t miss important tasks.

One more thing to note with archiving is clearing out trash and keeping it cleared. With files that take up more space like large-scale mixes and videos in post-production, having a cleared out recycling bin actually makes a difference in the computer’s speed because it will make files easier to locate. While it can be scary to delete things permanently from the computer’s trash, it forces you to prioritize disk space and evaluate what assets are important for each project.

My weekly planner with ample space for check-listing archives and back-ups.

Color Code Libraries

At Boom Box Post, we internally maintain an original sound effects library. The sounds are collected by our studio manager and then added to the official library at regular intervals. The library folders can get busy and messy very easily, with multiple editors contributing new builds on a regular basis. To keep things organized, we use the color tags in the finder window, marking new and old audio files before adding them to the sound library. This can be as basic as a red marker for “old” files that have already been uploaded and a green marker for “new” files which have yet to be added to the library. The tags make files easy to see and keep new and old files grouped together. Furthermore, this added measure helps us avoid adding duplicates or unnecessary files to an already extensive library.

How to access tags in Finder.

A lot of these tips can seem like simple actions to take, so what makes them effective is following them diligently. For example, only color coding every once in a while or not having a routine schedule to archive materials can render these tips useless. Setting daily and weekly calendar reminders to complete these tasks can help develop them into habits so that your data management is always thorough.

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