CatDv Logging

Today I was given the job of using a media categorisation and management software called CatDv to sort out various sounds from Africa and the Middle East, a lengthy but highly important and useful task.

Whilst out on shoot, many different sounds had been recorded. Some of these were specific sounds, for example interviews with participants or the sound recordist had named them at the beginning of the track. For these, I could easily place the sound and recognise what they were. These sounds were the quickest for me to work my way through and label with keywords.

Other sounds were miscellaneous and quite often very ambiguous. With these harder to recognise sounds, I first tried using the date they were uploaded to work out where the sounds were recorded and use information from the film clipping I had previously completed to try to work out what they were.

This worked for some of the tracks, however for others I had to try to listen and name them as what they possibly could be, for example "thunderstorm" or "motorcycle passing". Unfortunately, for some of the tracks I was unable to do so and I kept a list of these to discuss with the director at the end of the day.

I found it very insightful to use CatDv for media logging and organising as it has many useful features including location, date and keywords. By using CatDv you can store a lot of media but still be able to find what you are looking for easily.

This would come in particular use while editing footage you have never seen before for a tight deadline or if you needed alternative sound for your footage. As this is the aspect of the television industry I am most interested in pursuing, I would definitely consider using CatDv in my own projects whilst I also feel that being able to use my knowledge of the system will aid me in obtaining media management jobs over other candidates.

Overall, I found this exercise very interesting and feel it will be of use to me in the future. I also learnt that the sooner media is entered and logged the better, especially in the case of sound, as some of the tracks were so hard to work out as to what they were, that even the director himself couldn't work them out and therefore they would not be able to be used as part of the project.