Mohamad Al Karbi

Setting up an efficient video editing workflow in DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro (FCP) doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you are starting fresh or considering a switch between platforms, proper drive structure and cache management can improve performance, simplify backups, keep your internal storage free of clutter, and eliminate mental friction by building consistent habits.

In this guide, I’ll show you a simple yet professional folder structure that works in both applications, making projects easier to manage, edit, and archive.

Organize Your External Drives

To ensure smooth performance and protect your work, start with two external drives:

• Fast SSD (Active Working Drive): High-speed storage dedicated to active video editing and cache.
• Backup SSD (Archive Drive): A secondary (and potentially cost-effective) drive used for long-term storage of completed projects.

On the Fast SSD, create a clean, standardized folder hierarchy for your project:

• 01_FOOTAGE: Raw camera files, graphics, and audio assets.
• 02_PROJECT_FILES: FCP Libraries, DaVinci .drp files.
• 03_CACHE: Scratch disk, proxies, and render cache files.
• 04_EXPORTS: Optional – for final master exports, social media cuts, and review files.

Some of these terms, like “scratch disk” or “proxies”, might sound technical right now for beginners; I’ll try to break them down in detail in upcoming posts!

Media Settings: Direct Your Application Cache

Open your NLE and set your project parameters to point directly to these dedicated folders on the Fast SSD.

DaVinci Resolve

1. Go to Project Settings > Master Settings.
2. Scroll to Working Folders.
3. Set Proxy Generation, Cache Files, and Gallery Stills locations to your 03_CACHE folder.

Final Cut Pro

1. Go to File > New > Library.
2. Name the Library and save it inside your 02_PROJECT_FILES.
3. In the Library Properties Inspector, modify settings for Storage Locations:

• Media: In Library.
• Cache: Choose the 03_CACHE.

Backup and Archive

When your edit is finished, move the project off your working drive to preserve space on the drive.

First, Create a dedicated archive folder on your Backup SSD for the project (e.g., Project_Archive_01). Then:

DaVinci Resolve

1. Export Project File: Go to File > Export Project (.drp) and save the file into your 02_PROJECT_FILES folder.
2. Transfer to Backup Drive: Copy the 01_FOOTAGE, 02_PROJECT_FILES, and 04_EXPORTS folders into this new folder (Project_Archive_01). No need to copy 03_CACHE because those files can be regenerated.
3. Relink to Verify: Open the project from the Backup SSD, select all clips in the Media Pool, right-click, and select Change Source Folder. Point it to the 01_FOOTAGE location on your Backup SSD to verify everything connects seamlessly.

Final Cut Pro

1. Delete Render Files: Before moving, go to File > Delete Generated Library Files and select Delete Render Files (All). This saves significant storage space by stripping unnecessary cache files that FCP can regenerate anytime.
2. Transfer to Backup Drive: Drag your .fcpbundle Library file from 02_PROJECT_FILES directly into the archive folder (Project_Archive_01), along with 04_EXPORTS.
3. Verify & Clean Up: Double-click the .fcpbundle on your Backup SSD to open it and verify all timeline media is intact. Since all assets were copied directly into the library, there are no external paths to relink!

Once verified, you can safely delete the project folders from your Fast SSD.

What’s Next?

Adopting a structured folder hierarchy and routing your application cache correctly keeps your system running fast by protecting your primary SSD; it also makes long-term project archiving much easier to manage. Best of all, building these core organizational habits makes transitioning between different editing applications feel much more familiar.

How do you keep your editing projects organized? And are you sticking with one NLE, or are you keeping your options open between FCP and DaVinci Resolve? Share your thoughts and setup in the comments below.

Coming Up Next: We’ll take media organization a step further inside the timeline by setting up unified Keywords in Final Cut Pro and Bins in DaVinci Resolve.