GJ FILE MANAGER · FIELD NOTES
Shoot Day Preview and Audio Export on Mac: A Practical Workflow
After a shoot day, confirm your card offload is complete, preview take files to identify the right content, then choose an audio export format that matches the client's review needs—while leaving originals untouched.
Start with a finished offload
Before previewing anything, verify that the card offload is complete. The workflow in this article assumes all footage is already copied to your Mac; nothing here changes camera cards or source folders. Once you have a local copy, you can inspect takes safely and decide what to export. Keep in mind that file management tools are not professional video editing software, so use them for browsing, previewing, and copying—not for altering original media.
Preview takes in place before choosing audio
On a shoot day, a thumbnail alone may not distinguish two video versions. In GJ File Manager, open Videos, choose a local source or authorize a custom media folder, and let the list load. Locate candidates by name or modification date. Enable hover preview and pause over a file to check its content without opening another app; Quick Look remains available when needed. You can also preview a clip and inspect file information. This step helps you identify which take’s audio should go to the client’s review cut. Note that preview support varies by format—large or protected files may be restricted.
Copy the chosen take to a delivery directory—never the original
Indexed source views in GJ File Manager are read-only: use them to inspect and copy, not to modify the source folder. After previewing, copy the selected files to a delivery directory. Then check that the destination file plays. This keeps originals safe and separates your working copy from the source. If you need to delete or reorganize, do it on the copy in the delivery directory, not in the source view. The goal is to select the right take and preserve the original card offload intact.
Choose an audio export format by purpose
Sending a listening sample to a client and keeping a recording for editing have different needs. GJ File Manager's audio conversion includes M4A/AAC, ALAC, MP3, FLAC, WAV, and AIFF. Decide whether the output is for listening, editing, or retaining material, and confirm what the receiving software accepts. Add the original audio and choose a compatible output. Keep source sample rate and channels unless the task calls for a change; choose a bitrate when using lossy encoding. Export separately, listen, and check duration, channels, and size before processing the remaining files. Converting MP3 or AAC to a lossless or uncompressed format cannot restore lost detail—a larger file does not prove better sound.
Match the format to the client’s review workflow
For a client review cut, the smallest output is not always suitable for later work. Compatibility, further editing needs, and transfer size differ. Ask what the client will use to play the file, or test a sample. If the client only needs to listen, a lossy format like M4A/AAC or MP3 may be appropriate. If they might edit or need the best available quality, consider a lossless or uncompressed format such as ALAC, FLAC, WAV, or AIFF. There is no single correct format for everyone; verify the actual receiving workflow before exporting the full set.
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Written by the GJ File Manager team. Mac workflows; controls may differ on iPad.
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