Michael Murphy - Photography, Fitness, & Synthesis

Here’s my workflow as Media Manager on the Christmas with the Dead film crew. The Media Manager keeps files from the cameras (in this case our 5D Mark II’s and the B-Camera 7D), organizes and renames them by day, scene, shot, and take. Back-up, sync, Pro-Res, etc. Here we go.


1. Camera/Mixer card is full
2. Operator switches cards/formats the new card
(IMPORTANT! Format each new card before use to preserve the file numbering system in-camera)
3. Media Manager loads card, downloads footage/audio to external hard drive. A-Camera footage in one folder, B-Camera in its own, Audio in its own folder.
4. Go through footage from A-Camera, labeling each file (originally MVI_XXXX) with a more descriptive file name: A/B_[MM/DD/YYYY]_(SCENE-SHOT-TAKE)
5. Go through audio files, naming each one similarly: SM_A/B_[MM/DD/YYYY]_(SCENE-SHOT-TAKE) or A/B_[MM/DD/YYYY]_(SCENE-CUTAWAY-DESCRIPTION). Make sure the 2nd AC coordinates with Continuity and the Audio Mixer. On the slate, the 2nd AC should indicate the current sound file from the mixer as well as the current video file from the camera. Likewise, Continuity should ensure that they also record audio/video filenames for future reference. If it’s a cutaway/ambient/color check/etc, they should mark accordingly.
6. Once files are renamed and placed in their proper locations, copy them to a secondary drive.
7. From there, compress all of the original (H.264) files to ProRes 422. This will ensure maximum compatibility with your editing software.
8. Synchronize the video file with the double system sound, setting the in-point of each clip as the marker clap.
9. Merge clips.
10. Remove the original onboard camera audio.
11. Export the files into a new folder, such as “Sync”.
12. Deliver the “A Camera”, “B Camera”, “Audio”, and “Sync” folders to the editor for dailies.