Version Naming for Video Projects: Why v1, v2, v3 Beats Final-FINAL
A simple naming system that tells everyone which cut is current, which one a comment refers to and which one was approved.
File names like final, final2 and final-REAL are a sign that nobody trusts the version they are looking at. A plain numbering system removes the doubt in seconds.
The rule: one number, always up
Every new export gets the next number: v1, v2, v3. Never reuse a number, never replace a file and never rename a cut to final. The highest number is the current cut.
A name that carries the context
- Project: a short name everyone recognizes
- Version: v1, v2, v3
- Status when it matters: review, approved or delivered
A name such as coldbrew_v3_review tells you what it is, where it stands and which cut your notes belong to.
Tie feedback to the version
Comments should live on the version they were written against. When v4 arrives, the notes from v3 stay with v3 and the unresolved ones are carried over deliberately.
Mark the approved cut
When the approver signs off, label that version as approved and stop editing it. Any later change becomes the next number, which keeps the approved file safe.
Naming checklist
- Every export has the next version number
- No file is renamed to final
- Feedback is attached to the version it was written on
- The approved version is labeled and left untouched
- Old versions are archived, not deleted, until delivery
Frequently asked questions
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