You can transfer footage from an SD card by inserting it into a card slot on a computer, or by using a USB card reader. The iMacs in the editing lab have built-in card reader slots. If you are using your personal computer and do not have a card slot, you can check out a USB card reader from the equipment checkout.
Before you import, use the folder hierarchy displayed below! This ensures that your project files are well organized so that both you and Premiere can find them. Make sure to save your project on your personal computer, the cloud, or on an external hard drive. Having it backed up in more than one place is also a good idea!
Footage recorded in the AVCHD file format requires a few steps to transfer to a computer.
For Mac Users
- Once the SD card shows up on the Desktop, double click to open it.
- If you used one of the Sony cameras, you may have to first open the file marked PRIVATE. Otherwise, skip to #3.
- Right click the file marked AVCHD.
- Select Show Package Contents.
- Right click the file marked BDMV.
- Click Show Package Contents.
- Open the folder marked STREAM.
- Selecting a clip and pressing the spacebar on your keyboard will allow you to preview a video, which can help in determining which files you want to transfer.
- Drag the clips to where you want to store them.
If you import AVCHD footage via QuickTime (this happens if you're on a Mac and you double click the AVCHD icon instead of drilling down using "Show Package Contents" until you get to the STREAM folder), you will get your files in .MOV format. Depending on how large the files are and how many there are, this could cause storage space issues.
For PC Users
- Once the SD card shows up on the desktop, double click to open it.
- Open the file marked PRIVATE.
- Open the folder marked AVCHD (Do NOT copy this file off of the card unless you want to copy all of the footage captured on the camera).
- Open the folder marked BDMV.
- Open the folder marked STREAM.
- View your clips by double clicking on them to see which ones you want to transfer.
- Drag the clips to where you want to store them.
File Size Considerations
Cameras that record in .mov or M-JPEG (for 4K) can generate very large files.
If you record in larger file formats, it is recommended that you export your final video as .mp4 so your video file does not take too long to transfer when sending to your instructor for viewing.
Slide 17 of this presentation on Adobe Premiere Pro explains how to export your video as a smaller file that is optimized for YouTube.
If you don’t have a finished video and just have an .mov clip you want to share, you can use the program Handbrake to quickly compress a video to .mp4.
Handbrake is installed on all the computers in the Editing Lab, and it’s also free to download: https://handbrake.fr/
For more assistance, you can speak to Media Studio consultants during regular studio hours, or you can email [email protected].
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