Organizational container in editing software for managing clips with metadata such as timecode and codec details. Avid Media Composer supports up to 32,000 clips per bin.
Bins store metadata for each element: timecode information, resolution, framerate, codec details, and custom tags. In Avid Media Composer, bins can manage up to 32,000 clips, while Adobe Premiere Pro theoretically supports an unlimited number of clips per bin. The bin files themselves are typically between 50 KB and 5 MB in size, depending on the amount of media managed and metadata stored. Bins use proprietary file formats (.avb for Avid, .prproj-integrated for Premiere) and synchronize in collaborative workflows via network shares or cloud systems.
The digital bin emerged in 1989 with Avid's first Media Composer system as a digital equivalent to the physical film bins of the Steenbeck era. Lightworks introduced hierarchical bin structures in 1990, enabling nested organization. In 2003, Final Cut Pro integrated Smart Bins with automatic filtering based on metadata criteria. Modern cloud-based workflows since 2015 allow real-time synchronization of bins between geographically distributed teams via platforms like Frame.io or Avid Nexis.
On "Mad Max: Fury Road" (2015), editor Margaret Sixel organized over 480 hours of raw footage into 150 thematically structured bins per sequence. Documentaries often utilize interview-specific bins with transcript links for quick text searches. Colorists receive separate bins with technical shots (reference charts, exposure tests), while VFX supervisors manage their own bins for plate material and references. Collaborative projects use master bins for shared edits and user bins for individual working versions.
Bins differ from sequences in their passive management function without timeline properties. Collections in DaVinci Resolve offer similar functionality with advanced filtering options. Smart Collections update automatically based on defined criteria, while static bins are populated manually. Modern asset management systems like Shotgun or ftrack replace traditional bins in large productions with database-driven management featuring advanced search functions and approval workflows.
Ich organisiere meine Kamera-Originale nach Setup-Nummern in separaten Bins – Setup_001 bis Setup_150 bei einem Spielfilm. Das erleichtert mir die Kommunikation mit dem Schnitt, wenn nachträglich bestimmte Takes gesucht werden. Bei Multi-Cam-Drehs erstelle ich Bins pro Kamera-Winkel, damit der Editor sofort sieht, welche Perspektiven parallel verfügbar sind.
Meine Bins strukturiere ich nach emotionalen Bögen und Charakterentwicklung – nicht nach Drehtagen. Ich erstelle "Hero Moments Clara", "Konflikt Vater-Sohn", "Stimmungsbilder Nacht" als separate Bins, damit ich während des Schnitts schnell zwischen narrativen Elementen wechseln kann. Smart Bins mit Keyword-Filtern helfen mir, spontane Montage-Ideen zu verfolgen, ohne die ursprüngliche Organisation zu verlieren.
Bins reduzieren meine Post-Kosten um etwa 15%, weil Editoren weniger Zeit für die Mediensuche verschwenden. Ich definiere Bin-Strukturen bereits in der Prep, damit alle Departments einheitlich arbeiten – das verhindert teure Reorganisation in der Postproduktion. Bei internationalen Koproduktionen synchronisiere ich Master-Bins täglich zwischen den Standorten, um Doppelarbeit zu vermeiden.
1. Was beschreibt „Bin" am besten?
2. Zu welchem Department gehört „Bin"?
3. Wie viele verschiedene Fachperspektiven bietet dieser Eintrag?
The Lexikon is part of the Filmfarm ecosystem — alongside budgeting (FilmBalance), an industry magazine (FilmCircus) and crew networking (FilmCall, CrewMesh). One shared vocabulary for the whole production.