How to organize audio files for import

[AndreasOberg]

Hi guys
I'm wondering if I could get some pointers on how to organise audio for import in FCPX.
Often we have 2 recorders with 2-4 channels each meaning I can in total have 8 channels. These files are laying in different folders created by the recorder.
Now I'm wondering
- Should I rename the files in any way
- Should I take them out of their folders (so its not a folder for each recording)
- Any tips for naming standards? Should I write if its LAV, Booms, Ambient etc?
- Where would you do the renaming, FCPX has good renaming tools, I also got some batch renaming tools
- Have you guys ever collapsed the individual audio files into 1 files. For example if I got 4 channels each with its own file, what about merging it into 1 wav file that has all 4 channels. Good/bad?

Any pointers or tutorials on the net would be great. I'm sure there is no need to reinvent the wheel
Thanks a bunch as always!
/Andreas

 

[Christopher Mills]

this program is well thought of:

http://www.bwfwidget.com/

(I am not affiliated with anyone at this company)

It is used to organize, rename tracks, etc audio files for post in the pro environment.

Going forward, many of the recorders have extensive options for entering metadata as you record. (sound devices and zaxcom do, at least), and the mixer is asked to use them when recording). Sound Devices will let you rename tracks on the recorder after the track is recorded, Zax will not.

 

[AndreasOberg]

Thanks Mills, that looks cool. A pity its only PC though since I mostly work on Mac these days. But dual boot could solve this I guess.
/Andreas

 

[Christopher Mills]

Also, while not really about FCPx.. here are some answers to other questions:


On many projects for television and studios here, we do label each track (trying to do so as we record).
we try to label them "boom", and then ideally by the character name in the script for the iso lavs. failing that, we label the lavs as "iso lav #1," Iso lav #2," any mixdown tracks should be so labelled as well..

on many recorders, we have several tracks of isos, and then at least one mix track

Re: collapsing files.. this is more post dept territory, and perhaps Marc W can address this and other points

 

[AndreasOberg]

Thanks that is really useful Christopher.

I managed to find some ways.
A program called NameChanger that can batch rename files. With this tool I managed to rename the files so they are called
Chr_Lin_01_LAV.WAV and Chr_Lin_01_Amb_XY.WAV and Chr_Lin_01_Boom.WAV
Instead of the nondescript name it had before

Also I found a really cool programmed by Sound Devices called Wave Agent. It lets me split and collapse channels. It can also change the time code (only one file at a time though).
The boom was on a stereo track so I deleted the empty track. I'm just about to split the LAV which is now in stereo to 2 mono tracks called Linus_01_Lav.WAV and Christoffer_01_LAV.WAV.

I just have a feeling that the more organize the material comming into FCPX the more happy we will all be. Do you have any other tips for good names for the files or good habits?
Labeling while you record seems like a good idea, will take to my sound guy about that.
Thanks again!
/Andreas

 

[AndreasOberg]

Just a quick question. What is an iso?
/Andreas

 

[Christopher Mills]

isolated track... frequently a fixed setting of gain on a lav sent from a prefader direct out form mixer to a record track.

the signal from same source that is ridden up and down (post fader) is part of the mix track