User Manual

130 Operation of the Camera
The file name consists of 6 parts:
•
Camera Index: One character, A-Z. User assignable, should match the camera
unit. For example, the camera index A can be assigned to the A camera, and B to
the B camera.
•
Reel Counter: 3 characters, 001-999. Auto-assigned to each drive/card,
automatically advanced by one for each new drive/card. The user can change the
counter for the next reel. This should only be done under special circumstances,
such as after changing the camera body in the middle of a shoot.
•
Clip Index: One character, fixed to C. Main use is to separate the reel counter
from the clip counter. If more than 999 clips are recorded to one card (not likely to
happen), it changes to D.
•
Date: Current date, in order YYYYMMDD, as set in Menu>System/Time/Date,
separated from the other naming components by underscores.
•
Camera ID: Consists of a one letter prefix, user-adjustable between R and L, and
the camera serial number encoded in 3 letters Base36 (0-9, A-Z).
The file name for ARRIRAW files on SXR/XR Capture Drives is controlled by the
VFS configuration. We highly recommend to use the standard file naming convention
"<shot>.<TC frames since midnight>.<extension>", whereas "shot" automatically uses
the ALEXA naming scheme described above.
The reel counter should be set to 001 at the beginning of a shoot. The camera will
then automatically advance the reel number each time a new drive/card is loaded into
the camera, formatted and recorded on. If a previously recorded drive/card is reloaded
in the camera (comparable to a short end of a film roll), it will keep its reel number
and the camera will continue the reel count. If the drive/card is loaded in another
camera, the card keeps its name, but a new folder with the according camera ID and
reel number is created in the root folder of the drive/card. It is possible, but usually not
necessary, to manually change the next reel number in the Project menu.
Examples
A typical ProRes/Quicktime file name would look like this:
•
A004C010_20130110_R1JL.mov
A typical ARRIRAW file name would look like this:
•
A004C010_20130110_R1JL.1886777.ari
The translation of this name is as follows:
•
This clip was the tenth clip recorded on the fourth reel.
•
This clip was recorded on January 10, 2013.
•
The camera assigned the Base 36 serial number 1JL, which translates into the
decimal serial number 2001
•
Frame number 1886777 on a 24 fps project translates to a time of day time code
of 9:50:15pm and 17 frames.
Additional recommendations
To minimize the risk of lost data, ARRI suggests the following guidelines for data
management:
•
Pre-format your media. Format all the drives/cards in the camera before shooting
begins. This will save production time at least until all cards have been used once.
The media do not receive a reel number until the first clip is recorded, so there is
no need to use the cards in the same order they were pre-formatted.
•
Limit the recording time, especially on the drives. Compressed recording offers
very long recording times. Please consider limiting the recording time to 30
minutes of footage per card/drive to reduce risk of loosing data.
•
Download and back up data immediately after reloading the camera to minimize
the time that data exists in just one place.