FAQ
The practical details, before the next project.
Compatibility, timing, storage, creative control and what to expect from each Hootio product.
HOOTIO VIDEOBOT
Questions about VideoBot
What is Hootio VideoBot best for?+
It is designed for professional wedding and event projects with long-form multicamera footage. It helps with synchronisation, chaptering, first-pass camera switching, unstable-footage detection and transcript-led moment selection.
Is it for long-form films, highlight films or both?+
Both. Smart Edit provides a head start on documentary-style chapters, while Smart Scene helps you find meaningful spoken moments and turn them into synchronised multicam sequences for a highlight workflow.
Can it process a project on a NAS or network drive?+
Yes. Project media can live on a local drive, external drive, NAS or shared network folder. Connection and storage speed will affect processing and playback.
How should I prepare the project folder?+
Create one parent project folder and keep every camera and external audio device in its own subfolder. Do not mix media from different devices in the same source folder.
How long does PreProcess take?+
A full wedding commonly takes around 2–4 hours, but the result depends on footage length, codecs, storage speed and hardware. Ready chapters can be used while the rest continues processing.
How fast are the Smart features after PreProcess?+
Most chapter-level actions are designed to return within seconds once their media has been prepared, though unusually long or complex chapters may take longer.
What makes VideoBot different from a syncing app?+
Sync is only the start. VideoBot also organises the project into chapters, analyses usable footage, creates a first-pass multicam edit and can generate multicam sequences from transcript selections.
Which editing applications are supported?+
VideoBot exports FCPXML timelines for Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve. Always review relinking and timeline details after import.
Does VideoBot create a finished wedding film?+
No. It creates a major head start. The editor still controls story, music, pacing, sound, colour, polish and every final delivery decision.
Can I use it for events other than weddings?+
Yes. The workflow suits long-form multicamera events such as conferences, performances, ceremonies and other productions with continuous coverage.
Is VideoBot free?+
VideoBot is free during the current limited beta. Future pricing has not been announced.
What hardware is recommended?+
Minimum: 4-core CPU, 8 GB RAM, SSD and 10 GB free space. Recommended: 8-core CPU, 16 GB RAM, fast SSD, 20 GB or more free and a capable GPU. Larger workloads benefit from 12–16+ cores, 32–64 GB RAM, NVMe storage and NVIDIA or Apple Silicon hardware.
HOOTIO SMART IMPORT
Questions about Smart Import
What does Smart Import copy?+
It discovers supported photos, RAW files and video, then includes non-media companion files from source folders that contain supported media. Source files remain untouched on the card.
How are files organised?+
Capture metadata determines the date. Photos go into the matching date folder; videos also keep a child folder named after their source folder. Existing matching folders can be reused.
Does it overwrite existing files?+
No. An exact match is reported as already existing. A different same-name file receives a safe numeric suffix instead of being overwritten.
How are backups checked?+
Optional backup content is compared with the removable-storage source using file size and SHA-256. A missing backup can be replenished during a later import.
Can I use network workspaces?+
Yes. Hootio stores the chosen folder path, while Windows Credential Manager or macOS Keychain continues to manage network credentials.
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