Best way to archive HD movie (Raw, events, projects, etc.)

Question

Hi everybody,
I've been using iMovie for the last 12 months, to make small family movies (shared on internet and via DVDs).
I am having more and more footage and the question comes about the archiving of all this.
What's the best way to keep all important files ? (keeping the quality, and saving space if possible)
How do you proceed ?
I have the different ideas, found on internet, but not sure what is the best.
I can directly make disk image from the camera memory cards. If at later stage I need to import again, I can do it from that mounted image. And this is keeping the original quality. (I think.. right?)
After finishing a project, do you still keep the imported files ? (the events, I think it's called).
And, do you also keep the final version of the project, accessible in iMovie ?
I usually send the movie on internet, and burn on DVDs. Is there a need to keep this project, in my archives ?
I am very curious to learn how the advanced users, with tones of footage, are doing to archive their precious movies.
Thanks a lot for your help and information.
Thierry.

Answer 1

Hi Thierry,
I am using AVCHD, on MSDuo. Until now, I was doing disk image, from the Apple disk utility. I saw the back up feature in iMovie, but never tried it.
Is it doing the same ? You prefer to use the integrated back up from iMovie ?
Yes, the built-in archive feature in iMovie works much the same as the disk image method you have been using. iMovie can't use the .MTS files on their own, so the archive replicates the camera contents, including the full directory structure. Full quality is preserved, just as recorded by the camera. The only downside is that each time an archive is performed, iMovie archives the full camera contents, irrespective of the fact that some content may have been archived previously. In other words, you can't selectively archive individual clips - it's all or nothing. So, if you do an archive then record further footage without deleting the previous content from the camera (or card), the full content (including the earlier clips) is archived when next performed.
To get around this limitation, I use RevolverHD from Shedworx - found here: http://www.shedworx.com/revolverhdmac (this allows selective archiving from the camera, but there are issues with retaining the timecode when importing from the archive to an Event).
John, you are using external drive for the Events and Projects, meaning that you are working directly from external drive? (or you were refering to the storage, after you are done on the mac?)
I'm working directly from the external FireWire 800 drive for the Events. My Projects are all on the MacBook Pro's internal drive. My understanding is that iMovie works more efficiently with this set-up. My archives are also on the same external drive as the Events - this is probably not a good idea, but I do back-up the drive frequently, and also copy the archives to a portable drive as added security.
Note that my exported Projects are stored by default in the Projects package contents folder on the internal drive (I use Share>Media Browser). But I also copy these exports to a separate portable drive which I connect to a Western Digital Media Player for playing through my widescreen LCD TV. I also produce DVDs from the exported files (but only as required).
And what about the final versions of your movies ? (the one in the media browser, or on the DVD that you burnt) Are you also archiving the final products ? (it's not too heavy to keep all ?)
As I mentioned above, by default iMovie places the shared movies (via Share>Media Browser) in the Project folder (on my internal drive). To access the shared movie, go to your User/Movies/iMovie Projects folder and right-click (or Control-click) on the Project name. From the pop-up menu select "Show Package Contents". Click on the Movies folder and you will see the shared movie, labelled (for example) as 720p.mov or medium.m4v and so forth. The main reason for copying this shared move to a portable drive is to view it through my Media Player. I just unplug the drive from my Mac and plug into the Media Player. I don't need it as a back-up as I'm running Time Machine - this backs up my internal drive, so all my original Projects and exports are covered by Time Machine.
Hope all this makes sense Thierry. I'm probably keeping too much, but have plenty of storage capacity so prefer not to get rid of anything at present. Things may change as storage runs down, of course! I may need to do some housekeeping then.
John