Yeah...what Yair said. DO NOT IMPORT INTO THE EDITING APP DIRECTLY FROM THE CARDS! You need to have a different protocol...you need to be ARCHIVING on the set, not even using the NLE until the cards are backed up.
1) When a card is full, it needs to be handed to someone in charge of archiving that footage...a job typically handed by a DIT, Digital Imaging Technician. But it can be anyone who is available, and KNOWS what needs to be done. Card full, hand it to the DIT who is at a computer for offloading.
2) Create folders on archive drive that have the project name or initials, the date, the camera number (A, B, C if you have multiple cameras)...and then backup the FULL CARD FILE STRUCTURE to that folder. Everything. Don't pick and choose, archive EVERYTHING.
3) Archive it again...to a second drive. This is really the best, most full proof method to ensure you don't lose data...as hard drives can fail. Have a back up. As my boss says, "If it doesn't exist in at least two locations, it doesn't exist." As you will be reusing the cards, that location will go away...so you need two hard drives. There is archiving software that will do this process automatically...like Shotput Pro from Imagine Software.
4) Once the full card structure is backed up...then and ONLY then should you bring into the NLE. Either copy the card onto your media drive (Not the set archive drive...don't use that...that's your ARCHIVE drive...separate media drive) or transcode or link.
Low low budget workflow would be a bare minimum of the archive drive and separate drive for editing....IMHO
Shane
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