Finding work again.
WHAT MAKES MEDIA DIFFERENT
Files are large There are many versions Originals cannot be recreated Value increases with reuse
WHAT A FOLDER STRUCTURE SHOULD REFLECT
How you actually search: by client, project, date, or type.
WHAT TO DECIDE ONCE
The structure, then apply it without exception.
WHAT NAMING SHOULD INCLUDE
Date, in a format that sorts Project or client A short description Version, where relevant
WHY DATE FIRST
It sorts chronologically without any system.
WHAT TO AVOID IN NAMES
Spaces and unusual characters Final, and final-v2, and final-actual Names meaningful only to you
WHAT TO SEPARATE
Originals, never edited Working files Exported deliverables
WHY
Originals must survive any mistake.
WHAT TO BACK UP
Everything, in more than one place, with one copy elsewhere.
WHY ELSEWHERE
Theft, fire and flood take everything in one location.
WHAT TO TEST
Restoring a file, occasionally.
WHAT ARCHIVING MEANS
Moving completed projects to cheaper storage.
WHAT TO KEEP FOREVER
Originals of anything that could be needed again Final deliverables Licences and releases
WHAT TO DISCARD
Intermediate renders and duplicates.
