It's all in a name

Visual Effects involves handling a myriad of 3D scene files, text files, and image files. The big industry giants, Industrial Light and Magic, Pixar, Disney Imagemovers Digital, and others have refined their workflows over the years and keep a pretty strict set of guidelines for dealing with data files. However, these media giants also do not publish their pipeline standards. This, I feel, is a mistake and represents an "old guard" mentality that somehow, internal file handling processes represents a HUGE competitive advantage for them. I disagree on the basis that the final output, the images, do not get better due to good organization of files. It is the skill of the artists that makes the difference. In fact, it is in the big studios best interests that they try and unify or open source their naming conventions and file handling processes to create standards in the industry.

A long time ago, in a galaxy....... a single visual effects house did the effects work for a project. Now, no motion picture studio in the business would allow all their eggs in that one basket. Big blockbusters' effects work is divided amongst many facilities, each with their "own way" of doing things. It is time for a common framework to be established to deal with the data. We are all under the same crazy deadlines, there is no real competitive advantage in hiding the secrets of folder/file naming conventions and data management. On the contrary, having a proprietary system of data management only increases costs, training time per artist, and confusion between facilities that are sharing the workload of effects work on a project.

When I started doing the first of many higher profile video game cinematics from my home office, I quickly realized the power of a "common language" of data handling. In a business where everyone is trying to put their own individual creative look on their work to differentiate themselves, when it comes to file handling, the last thing you want is to be different. When artists and supervisors can use a common "shorthand" when reviewing images, the whole production gets more efficient. That no longer translates into getting it done any faster... it means getting it done.. period. Visual Effects Artists are the Samurai warriors of the industry, often nomadic, able to adapt, but always needing time to perfect their skills. We need to all respect a "bushido" code and use the same guidelines in battle. What determines success is the skill at which we wield our weapons.

As a starting point to derive a standard practice of data handling and naming conventions, visit vfxproduction.tv and click on the Industry Standards link.