Media Management in OS X using Sidebar in Finder window

You can configure the Mac OS X sidebar within the finder window to make it easy to find your video content.

Click on the finder icon with your dock. 

This opens a finder window.

You can see off to the left you have a sidebar with some pre-defined places.

To configure these places, right click within the sidebar area within the finder window and choose open sidebar preferences.

Click on the sidebar icon.

Go ahead and turn off the items that you do not want listed.

Okay, now that you have a nice clean sidebar, you can add additiional places to it.

So for example, if I'm trying to import media from a particular folder, I can add that folder directly to the sidebar.

After your folder is in the sidebar, it makes it real easy to reference that folder while I'm working on a particular project.

So if I'm running an editing application like Final Cut Pro, all I have to do is navigate to my finder window, click on the sidebar place, and import my media.

When you're done with a particular project, you can remove your sidebar place right clicking on it.  Then choose remove from sidebar within the contextual menu.

For other great tips like this, or to enroll in a Final Cut Pro training class, visit GeniusDV.com