Question for studio owners...

[cali316]

Hey all,
My question is this - what are you guys doing with your clients sessions once everything is done? We're trying to figure out what's the best possible way to give the client their session(s), so they can take it with them, and we are no longer liable (incase of a hard drive failure, etc) ... ie., we have a few people with finished projects that are still residing on our hard drives, taking up a lot of space that we need to get back for future projects. If someone has done a complete album, these files get pretty large and take up space pretty quick, so how are you guys handling this?

ANY suggestions would be greatly appreciated - thanks!

Chris

[Pako]

Hey Chris...

Ever consider charging storage fees? I burn all of my clients completed sessions to DVD+R disks for archiving. 4.7gigs can usually be suffecient for most sessions.

[spicyitaliano]

I have a question too. Normally, I just archive the files to DVD. But do most people sell the session files to their clients later? Is it mandatory that clients take the files/tapes? Is that usual?

[jmp]

I burn all of my clients completed sessions to DVD+R disks for archiving

DVD+R? My superdrive will only work with DVD-R, but that's not my question:

If I want to be sure I archive evertthing I need from a session, what's the best way to set up/log session folders so I can be sure I get all the stuff associated with a particular session in one place? I've been setting up session folders on my audio drive with client/project/date of mix freeze, but I always have this nagging feeling that I'm not getting everything. For example, If I save a particular plug-in setting and want to archieve it whith every thing else, where does it go? I end up archieving what I think are uneeded files just because I'm unsure of what is absolutely essential to recreate the session and where it all is on my several drives.

I've not seen a really clear explaination how to set up a "fool-proof" archieving system. Can someone point me to one?

[sean shannon]

I have the client bring a firewire hard drive and transfer all the files. Smaller sessions are put on DVD-Rs, which the client supplies.
If it was tape, the client would have their own reel, right? Same thing. I suppose you could also copy your Plugin Settings Folder as well if you feel you would like to put presets used for plugins on the disk.

[GORILLA]

We definitely don't have a long line of clients. But, we just tell them hey your more than welcome to have the masters of your sessions, just bring in some blank CDR's.
When my buds did thier C.D. for a major label at Sonic Ranch (Colin Richardson) burned thier Pro Tools sessions of the whole C.D.on imation CDR's He told them it's only data so you really don't need super expensive CDR's.

[ProfessionalTool]

If the clients are paying for an entire album's worth of work, it's not out of line for you to include a firewire drive in the end bill. This way, you free up your own disk space (if you don't keep full sessions archived on your drive) and the client walks out with everything they need should they ever revisit the sessions. Whether you provide the drive and charge the customer, or have them bring there own is your discretion (for safety/compatiblity's sake it's probably best if you at least advise them on which drive to get). To put things in perspective, one firewire drive containing all audio and/or PT session files would cost roughly HALF of the price of one reel of 2" tape, which only lasts 15 minutes. Storage is one of the areas where technology is really a great thing, and you might as well take advantage of it.

[where02190]

We recommend that the client buy their own drive for their project. We keep two copies of their files here, and they take a third copy with them, making for a master and two copies, one offpremisis.

We have hefty storage fees to encourage this.

Once the project is finished, they can simly keep the drive, or we will archive to DVD-R if requested.

[SKI]

We include a harddrive with each project that becomes the clients property when all the criteria of the agreement are met.
We also retain stored images of each clients drive that are updated as necessary.
This basically gives you multiple harddrives in a cost effective way.

[cali316]

Thanks everyone for all the quick replies - this gives us a lot to think about and to work with... Thanks again!!!

Chris