Watch this first — it shows you how to get footage off your SD card and onto your computer.
Before You Edit: Get Your Footage Off the Card
Your camera stores every clip on its SD card. Before you can edit in FilmCraft, those files need to live on the computer — not just on the card. Cards get lost, overwritten, and reformatted. Always copy your footage to a folder first.
Step 1 — Put the card in the computer
Insert the SD card into the card reader (or plug the camera in with its USB cable). Windows shows it as a removable drive.
Step 2 — Find your clips
Open File Explorer and look for the card. Camera footage is almost always inside a folder called DCIM, then a subfolder like 100MEDIA. That’s where your clips live.
Step 3 — Make a folder on your computer
Create a folder for your footage — something like FilmCraft Footage inside your Videos folder. Give it a clear name so you can find it later.
Step 4 — Copy the clips over
- Click a clip, then press Ctrl + A to select them all.
- Press Ctrl + C to copy.
- Open your new folder and press Ctrl + V to paste.
Step 5 — Eject the card safely
Once the copy finishes, right-click the card in File Explorer and choose Eject before you pull it out. This prevents corrupted files.
Why this matters
If you edit straight from the card, every cut and playback happens over a slow card reader — and if the card gets bumped or unplugged, you lose the project. Copying first means your footage is safe and your edit runs fast.
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