Film Identification Format

To keep track of frames when shooting on film, I needed a reliable tracking system for each roll of film (or sheet). For this purpose, I invented a roll identification system that I use for every single roll of film loaded into any of my cameras.

 R = roll film
 S = sheet/cut film
 # = ordinal number on that day
           │
           │
           ▼
2024.12.22.R6.21
─────┬────    ▲
     │        │
     │        │
    Date      Frame #
              (optional)

This system builds on my existing method for identifying and organizing information in my life. For example, whenever I see 2024.12.22, it references two things: the date itself and any note—digital or loose leaf—that I created on that date. If more specificity is needed, I append additional identifiers after subsequent .s. For example, R7 signifies the 7th roll loaded into a camera on that day.

 2024.12.22.OOM10.R24
            ──┬──
              │
              │
           Project

Some projects are planned and do not qualify as “wild footage”, so they are assigned a project (or session, in my system’s terminology). In the example above, OOM10.R24 indicates the 24th roll in my Out of Memory Vol. 10 project.

These IDs are consistently present throughout my digital archiving system, on film sleeves, contact sheets, and every other touchpoint where film interacts with my workflows.