Derushing & Footage Prep
Synced, binned Resolve projects with annotated selects, in and out points, markers and sub-clips, ready to cut, plus proxies for remote editors.
A meticulous timecode-based sift through many hours of rushes that saves hours once the creative edit begins
Footage logging, in and out points, and string-out before the edit
Derushing is the first step of post-production: every production starts with a mountain of footage (the rushes), so I catalog them the moment they land, respecting camera notes, scenes, and performances.
Watching everything closely lets me surface emotional beats, alternates, and continuity details that inspire the creative edit.
You get organized projects and clear documentation, so you step straight into the edit with focus rather than spending the first day untangling files.
Working in DaVinci Resolve, I log each clip against its timecode, sync sound, rename consistently, and batch organize the material into clearly labelled bins so nothing is lost and nothing is duplicated. Source camera files are never renamed, so media relinks cleanly on your side.
Selection is where derushing earns its keep. I set in and out points on the moments worth keeping, drop markers with notes on pacing, performance and continuity, and cut sub-clips of the strongest takes. For interviews I can transcribe the footage so quotes and answers are searchable, which makes selection far faster. The selects are assembled into a string-out, a pre-edit sequence in rough order, so the editor starts from structure rather than a blank timeline.
Project highlights
- Camera reports, slate info, and metadata reconciled
- Best takes pre-selected with notes for pacing and tone
- Proxy creation for remote collaborations
- Clips logged against timecode with in and out points on the best moments
- Markers and sub-clips for standout takes, plus a string-out in rough order
- Optional interview transcription to speed up selection
What You Receive
- Resolve projects with labeled bins
- Clean folder hierarchy ready for handoff
- Selects with in and out points, markers and sub-clips for standout takes
- A string-out sequence assembling the selects in rough order
- For interviews, a transcript-based selection log so quotes are easy to find
Derushing is the first step of editing: I review all your raw footage, sync the audio, rename files, and bin everything by scene, talent, or setup, then pre-select the best takes with notes. You receive organised DaVinci Resolve projects with labelled bins and a clean documented folder hierarchy, delivered remotely worldwide and on-site in Paris.
At a glance
| Service | Footage derushing and prep, the first step of editing |
| Deliverables | Organised DaVinci Resolve projects with labelled bins |
| Folder structure | Clean, documented hierarchy ready for handoff |
| Footage handling | Synced clips, renamed files, binned by scene, talent, or setup |
| Selects | Best takes pre-selected and annotated with notes on pacing and tone |
| Remote collaboration | Proxy creation and harmonised metadata for remote editors |
| Location | Remote worldwide and on-site in Paris |
| Logging method | Timecode-based, with in and out points and markers on the best moments |
| String-out | Selects assembled into a rough-order pre-edit sequence |
How the Prep Works
Clarity, structure, and actionable selects at every stage
Intake
Collect drives, card backups, scripts and references to understand priorities, then check every clip relinks cleanly to its source media without renaming the original camera files, so nothing goes offline later.
Organization
Sync audio to timecode or clap, rename clips, and batch organize everything into bins by scene, talent or setup, with harmonised metadata and consistent labels across the whole project.
Selects
Set in and out points on the best moments, drop markers with contextual notes, build sub-clips of standout takes, and assemble a string-out so the editor opens a sequence already in rough order.
Need a Clean Slate?
Let me prep the rushes so you can dive straight into storytelling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is derushing?
Derushing is the first step of editing: reviewing all the raw footage (the rushes), syncing and renaming it, and selecting the best takes so the edit can start cleanly.
What's the difference between derushing and editing?
Derushing organises and selects the material; editing then assembles those selects into the finished story. Good derushing makes the edit faster and better.
What do you deliver?
Organised DaVinci Resolve projects with labelled bins, a clean documented folder structure, synced clips and noted select takes.
Can you prepare footage for a remote editor?
Yes, proxies, harmonised metadata and clear naming make remote collaboration straightforward.
Where does the word 'derushing' come from?
It comes from 'rushes', the raw takes straight out of the camera. Derushing means watching all of that footage, often many hours and dozens of gigabytes, to pull out the usable material.
How do you choose which takes to keep?
Technical criteria first (sharpness, exposure, framing, clean sound, no blur), then narrative ones: continuity, strength of performance, and useful alternates for the editor. The best takes are annotated before the edit.
How much footage can you handle, and how long does it take?
There is no fixed limit: a logging pass can run from a few hours of rushes to many hours spread across tens of gigabytes and several cameras. The time it takes scales with the volume of footage and how much selection and transcription you need, so I confirm scope once I have seen the material. Tell me roughly how many hours and how many camera angles you have, and I can give you a clearer picture.
What exactly is in the delivery?
An organised DaVinci Resolve project with clips logged against timecode and binned by scene, talent or setup; selects marked with in and out points, markers and sub-clips of the standout takes; and a string-out sequence that puts those selects in rough order. For interviews I can add a transcript-based selection log. Source camera files are never renamed, so everything relinks cleanly on your side.
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