Level 4Lesson 16 of 306 min

Workflow

Editing starts long before you cut the first shot. Copying your footage properly, organizing it and preparing the project saves you hours, and files, later on.

The complete workflow

The basic workflow: never work directly from the card.

Backups: the 3-2-1 rule

Before you format a card, your footage should exist in 3 copies, on 2 different types of media, with 1 offsite (in the cloud or somewhere else). At the very least, two copies on two drives.

Copy the card's entire folder, not just the video files: you may need the metadata.
Don't wipe the card until you've checked that the copies open.
Format the card in the camera, not on the computer.

Folder structure

A structure you can use for all your projects:

2026-10_ProjectName/
├── 01_RAW/           (originals, by day and camera)
│   ├── DAY1_CAMA/
│   └── DAY1_AUDIO/
├── 02_AUDIO/         (music, sound effects, voice-overs)
├── 03_GRAPHICS/      (logos, titles, images)
├── 04_PROJECT/       (editor files)
├── 05_EXPORTS/       (exported versions)
└── 06_DOCUMENTS/     (script, rundown, licenses)

Names that sort themselves

Start names with the date in year-month-day format (2026-10-07) and number your export versions: project_v01.mp4, project_v02.mp4. Avoid “final”, “final2” and “final_FINAL_really”.

Proxies: edit light, export heavy

Camera files (H.264/H.265 in 4K or 10-bit) are very demanding to decode: the computer stutters when playing them back. A proxy is a low-resolution copy in an easy-to-edit codec. You edit with the proxies and, when you export, the program automatically uses the originals.

Create them from within the editor (in DaVinci Resolve: right-click the clips → Generate Proxy Media).
Use an editing codec (ProRes Proxy, DNxHR LB) at half or a quarter of the resolution.
Some cameras record proxies at the same time as the original.

Setting up the project

Timeline settings: delivery resolution (1920×1080 or 3840×2160; 1080×1920 for vertical) and the same fps you shot at. Set them before you start: changing the fps later causes problems.
Bins (project folders): one per type of footage: interviews, B-roll, music, graphics.
Review and mark: before editing, watch the footage and mark the good moments (markers, ratings, or by renaming clips). Watching everything once saves time later.

The stages of an edit

Stage	Goal	Common mistake
Selects	Choosing the best takes and moments	Wanting to use everything
Assembly	Putting the pieces in order, unpolished	Trimming frames too early
Rough cut	Structure and pacing; cutting what's not needed	Not daring to cut
Fine cut	Polishing cuts, pacing, B-roll	Losing sight of the big picture
Finishing	Color, sound, titles, export	Color correcting before the edit is locked

Color and sound come last

Don't color grade or fine-tune the sound until the edit is locked. If you then remove or change shots, you'll have done the work for nothing.

In short

At least two copies before you format.
A fixed folder structure for all your projects.
Proxies if your computer struggles.
Timeline fps matching what you shot.
Structure first; color and sound at the end.

Your turn: your project template

Create this lesson's folder structure on your computer and save it empty as a template.

Copy a recent project into it.
Generate proxies for a 4K clip and compare how smoothly it plays back.
Rename your exports with numbered versions.

I've done it