We often get messages like "the wedding video was only on that memory card, and now it won't read." Video isn't like photos, where there are many; one video is one video, and if it's damaged it's gone. Backing up isn't hard; it's a habit.
One simple rule: three, two, one
- Three copies: every video exists in at least three places.
- Two kinds of storage: not all three on the same drive or the same phone. For example: phone, computer drive, cloud.
- One elsewhere: at least one copy not at home or the office; the cloud is easiest. In a fire, theft or flood, that copy survives.
You don't have to get it perfect at once. Start with "copy it somewhere else the day you shoot".
What to do the day you shoot
- Copy the video from the phone or memory card to a computer.
- Open the copy and play it to the end to confirm it works. A copy that failed halfway looks present but won't open.
- Upload another copy to the cloud (Google Drive, iCloud, OneDrive all work).
- Only after both copies are confirmed, format the memory card for reuse.
Cloud and drives together
- Cloud: convenient, off-site, shareable with an editor. Downsides: video files are big, free space runs out fast, uploads take time. Best for important files and files you need to send.
- External drive: cheap, large. Downside: drives fail, usually without warning. Alternate two drives, or use a drive plus the cloud.
- Phone: not a backup. It's the easiest thing to lose, drop or break, and when it fills up, many people simply delete videos.
What doesn't count as a backup
- Sending it to yourself or family on LINE or WhatsApp. It's compressed, quality drops, and after a while it can't be downloaded.
- "The editor probably has it." After a project, the editor won't necessarily keep your footage long-term. Rely on your own backup.
- Uploading to YouTube as a backup. It's compressed on upload; what you download back isn't the original.
When a file is already damaged
If a video won't open, stops halfway, or has sound but no picture, don't delete it, don't copy or convert it repeatedly; keep the original intact. Some can be repaired: send it to the video repair site for assessment. If a memory card won't read, stop using it for new recordings; new data overwrites the old.
Frequently asked questions
After commissioning an edit, how long do you keep the footage?
For the duration of the project; long-term storage after completion isn't guaranteed. Always keep your own copy of the original footage and the delivered video.
Should the finished video be backed up too?
Yes. Three copies, like the footage. Later versions and other aspect ratios are much quicker with the original delivered file.
Not enough cloud space. What then?
Put the irreplaceable videos (weddings, family, events) in the cloud and the reshootable ones on a drive. See the footage preparation checklist.
