Suggestions for Workflow combining multiple Libraries?

So I do wedding videography, and I've been doing it for several years now, and I'm going to work on putting together a demo reel, showing off the work i've done over the last two years.

Every wedding I do, i create it's own Library. They all have their own Project as well with the short music video highlight video that I do for the client.

I want to make one demo reel video that will include shots from over 20+ Libraries of work. What is the best way of doing this so I don't end up creating one Library for the Demo Reel video that will end up being a gigantic file size because i'd be copying all my previous libraries a second time into one combined library to make the video?

How about creating your Reel library, opening one wedding project after the other and just copying your favorites into the reel library? Or you could copy the projects so you have the clips there which you used in the final products. I guess, it mostly depends on if you want to start editing your reel from the browser or from the timeline(s).

But generelly the best way to me seems to do your selections before copying if you don't want to end up with a huge library.

Yea, maybe i'll just have to go project by project and just bring in the clips i want. That'll keep it down a bit at least. Wish there was a way of bringing clips into a new library and just letting it link to the files from the other library without having to duplicate them. Sort of how when you bring files in, you can choose to leave files in place or bring them into the library. Wish the same options were available for when bringing in clips from other libraries.

Technically there is a way to do it, but it would take a bit of work.

If you open each wedding you have done, and change the storage location from 'in Library' to an external folder.....then all your media is now searchable and can be 'shared' with other libraries.

Example:

Jane and John's Wedding.....media is currently stored in Library
Change to Jane and John's Wedding (library File) with an accompanying Jane and John Media Folder.

Once all your libraries are converted to this format....(won't take as long as you think)
Then you can start a new library and search all those folders for the clips you want and "leave files in place" when you import them.
*****
Personally, I like to leave everything inside the library because I find it safer than storing externally.
The alternative mentioned above......to open each library one at a time and drag over your favourite shots to a new library and duplicate the clips.....thats the way I would do it because (as mentioned).....all your clips will be graded, stabilized, etc for your reel. You won't have to go thru and redo all that.

If you choose option #1 however.....you could start all your future weddings with the "external folder" method and then when you go to change that reel next year, you'll already be set up.

that's actually pretty smart. I think this time i'm going to stick with just bringing in clips and having them copy over for now, but for my 2017 weddings i'm going to try the other option with putting the files in an external folder just sitting next to my library files, and bringing them in that way. Save myself some space in the long run! Thanks!