When it comes to video editing, preparation is everything. Shooting a video project often involves capturing more footage than you think you’ll need, which is great for flexibility but can lead to an overwhelming amount of files. Organizing these digital assets across devices and storage platforms is crucial to keeping your workflow efficient, stress-free, and collaborative.
In this guide, we’ll explore why organizing your video files matters, how to create a system that works for you, and tips for mastering video file organization like a pro.
Why organizing footage matters
Imagine trying to work in a messy studio where everything is jumbled together. Frustrating, right? That’s what it feels like to edit video without organizing your files first. Proper organization achieves three key benefits:
- Quick retrieval: Know what you have and locate the footage you need instantly.
- Efficient workflow: Organized storage means less time searching and more time being creative.
- Collaboration ready: Seamless sharing and teamwork with other editors.
How to organize video files
The best organization system is one that makes sense to you and is easy for collaborators to understand. Ultimately, it will always depend on personal preference. Here are key tips:
Folder structure
A clear, repeatable folder structure is essential for keeping projects manageable.
❌ Don’t use too many folders and sub-folders.
✔️ Do use clear, easy-to-understand folder names (eg. ProjectName > RawFootage > Day1_SceneA)
This will make folder navigation faster and less confusing in terms of what’s inside.
Keep everything collected together. Every project should have all of its assets combined so everything is in one place.
❌ Don’t scatter files between folders or drives.
✔️ Do keep all projects inside a single directory.
Keeping multiple project folders together will make it easier to reuse assets. It’ll also help with moving, copying, and backing things up to extra storage.
Naming files and folders
Cameras and phones use very generic, unhelpful filenames by default, like “DSC–000001.MOV”.
Getting into the habit of renaming these either as you shoot or before editing starts is essential. Windows or Mac users should try using batch renaming features in the various file explorers to change large collections of files instantly.
Think about using incremental numbers (001-999) and phrases that help to sort things into logical order while also describing contents:
- The location name of where the video was shot (e.g., “beach-day1-001.mov”)
- The particular day of filming that the video was taken on. (“2024-12-23”)
- Name of a certain scene within the shoot. (“interview-closeup”)
You want filenames to be informative enough so that you, or anyone working with the assets, can identify them clearly. Numbers help to fix everything into order if sorted alphanumerically when browsing.
Tip: Filenames are best in lowercase (avoiding issues when systems treat upper and lowercase differently) and ideally no longer than 25-35 characters, making them easier to read, organize and share without causing problems with system limits.
Metadata and Tags
Metadata — information embedded in files — can help you keep track of video details. Use metadata to add descriptions, keywords, or tags for easier file management. Many editing software programs let you edit and search by metadata.
Tool for organizing video files
While manual organization works well, software tools can enhance your workflow. Often known as Digital Asset Management (DAMs) or Video Asset Management (VAMs), these apps can be a useful option for editors:
- MediaValet: Cloud-based video organizer designed to help teams catalog, share, and collaborate on video assets.
- My File Organizer: Mobile app (iOS) that has a built-in media player and frame-stepping for previewing videos.
- Air: A visual workspace designed for creative teams to organize, collaborate, and share assets seamlessly. Air’s intuitive interface and real-time collaboration features make it a popular choice for agile teams.
ⓘ None of these tools replace good, careful file organization, which you can do in any OS or application.
Video editing storage workflow
Effective storage and regular backups are critical for video editing. The choice of storage media is the first to think about. What kind of hard drives or disks are recommended and why? Secondly, what’s a good routine for making successful backups?

Storage types and usage
The disk drive you edit on will probably be the most local to your editing software.
On Windows or Mac computers, it’s popular to use a Solid State Drive. These SSDs are preferred because they provide faster all-round performance.
The different types of file storage and how to use them:
SSD
Most recommended and fastest. Recent developments have led to increased capacities and reduced costs, making them more accessible for both primary storage and backups.
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
Slower but cheaper for bigger storage capacities, making HDD a popular choice for backup drives. Innovations like Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) have enabled HDDs to reach capacities up to 32TB, catering to the growing demand for data storage.
Optical Media
Rewritable DVDs (8.5 Gb) and Blu-rays (50 Gb) for very long-term backup storage (30-100 years). While traditional optical media are less common for everyday use, they remain viable for long-term archival storage due to their durability. Emerging technologies, such as 5D optical data storage are also being researched for their potential to store vast amounts of data over extremely long periods.
Cloud Storage
A good backup option that is accessible anywhere and great for transferring files between devices during projects.
Video codecs
Video codecs effect how video files are stored and compressed, which can make a big difference in your editing experience. A codec is a piece of software or hardware that compresses (or encodes) your video files for storage or transmission and then decompresses (or decodes) them for playback. Think of codecs as the behind-the-scenes heroes, working to shrink your video file sizes while maintaining as much quality as possible. Check out this guide on video codecs to learn more.
Storage backup routine
Nobody enjoys backing up their data, but it’s so helpful for avoiding any loss of work.
Archiving is the best way to protect video editing projects and assets. If files get deleted or overwritten, you have a recent copy to go back to.
There are many methods for backing up. The FIFO (First In, First Out) system is a simple. Rotate backups across multiple drives, overwriting the oldest one each time. Ideally, back up your work daily or weekly to multiple drives or cloud platforms.
How regularly each backup is made is up to you, but daily or weekly is often enough. Using a FIFO system daily across 2 or more drives provides a good archive.
Tip: If you don’t have hard drives, you can use cloud storage in a similar way, for example, Google Drive or Dropbox.
Final tips and resources
Sometimes the best advice is the simplest. Good organization doesn’t just save time — it enhances creativity by reducing stress and keeping your focus on the story you’re telling.
Take the time to organize assets and be sure to save projects regularly to avoid losing valuable edits. Stick to a routine that suits your editing workflow and above all, enjoy the process.
Ready to streamline your video editing process and boost your productivity? Check out more expert tips and resources on the Artlist blog to transform your editing workflow.
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