I finally counted how many times I've said 'let's do one more for safety' this year

I was looking through my project notes from the last 12 months and decided to add it up. The number was 247. Two hundred and forty-seven times I asked a client or a subject for one more take, just to be sure. It started as a nervous habit on my first few solo gigs, but now it's a reflex. I realized it matters because those extra takes have saved me from so many small disasters, like a battery dying mid-interview or a plane flying overhead. They're the difference between a good cut and having to use a clip with bad audio. It's not about being unsure, it's about building in a tiny bit of extra security for free. Has anyone else tracked a weird little habit that ended up being a huge help?

3 comments

3 Comments

hannahcraig9d ago

My "just in case" photos have saved me too.

anthonynelson9d ago

Right? It's like a visual backup for your own memory.

the_robin9d ago

Yeah, the "just in case" photo thing is real. My camera roll is basically a museum of weird details, like a close-up of my router's serial number or a picture of how the shelves were organized before I took everything down. It feels silly until you need to remember what brand of lightbulb was in that fixture.