Workflow Query (External Storage)

Hi,

I am working on a project that will be shot in 3 phases over a number of months. We are shooting in ProRes and so far 5 days shooting has generated 4.5TB of material. The next 2 shoots are expected to generate the same, if not a larger, amount of material.

I'm currently setting up a workflow for the project and seeking some advice on external storage. I will use proxies. My tentative external storage plan is as follows:

1 - 2TB SSD : Databases, Cache, Proxies, Autosaves
2 - 12TB HDD : Original Media
3 - 2TB SSD : Exports
4 - ?
--

This is not a big budget production and Im not in a position to use a RAID system. Does the above outline sound adequate for the project? Or do people have alternative advice on how to manage the project material?

Many thanks,
E

Which version of ProRes? There are big differences between them.
I'd keep the Library on a drive that is internal and fast. The originals can reside an a HDD if the data rate is sufficient, but your reaction times when editing will be slower. Multicam is a different thing, I wouldn't advise that.

I'm currently setting up a workflow for the project and seeking some advice on external storage. I will use proxies. My tentative external storage plan is as follows:

1 - 2TB SSD : Databases, Cache, Proxies, Autosaves
2 - 12TB HDD : Original Media
3 - 2TB SSD : Exports
4 - ?
--

Get much bigger drives. You're going to need them.

It's possible to buy used RAID systems on eBay -- even empty RAIDs -- and then populate them with identical new drives, reformat them from scratch, and use them as if they were a brand new RAID.

We did this with 10 or 12 different G-Speed Shuttle systems, and basically bought some very tiny used RAIDs (like 4 x 2TB), yanked the orignal puny drives, gave them away to friends, and then populated the enclosures with 16TB or even 20TB drives to get a much, much bigger RAID for relatively little money. The drives are the cheapest part of the whole process: you can't underestimate the massive amount of time and effort that went into your shoot. If the footage goes, you're dead in the water... so back ups and fast storage are very, very important.

There's a workflow theory that you really need three copies of all your data at one time, so you have the one working set of files, then a backup of that (backup #1), and then an additional backup in case the first two fail (backup #2). If you do this, you'll never regret it or run into a problem where everything fails. Or... at least the odds are very low.

It's not just a theory, film insurances in Germany demand that.