AnimationPipeline.Com

Listed below are the technology pieces that I feel are necessary for a solid, and efficient CG animation production pipeline.

Directory Structure and Naming Convention

An organizational structure for job specific tools, shot, and asset groupings. Naming conventions provide tool repurposing and the ability to structure assets.

Variable System

A variable organizational structure to share job and shot configuration information among tools which provides:

• Naming convention control

• Tools standardization and version control

• Tools pathing

• Shadow tree management

• Filename repathing

• Image resolution control

• Sequence and shot override control

Asset Management System

Assets contain data that describe the geometry; the behaviour of that geometry (rigging), texturing, and rendering properties. Assets are brought together into scenes and shots which are controlled by an Asset Management System. Assets are grouped into different types in which they share common attributes. Each production department uses the Asset Management System to access assets in a common manner.

Revision Control and Distribution System

A set of tools that control versions of animation data and the distribution for production and rendering workflow. This system allows production departments to work independently of each other without overwriting each others files. Files are merged back into a common master tree and redistributed for updates to other departments and segregated rendering.

Job Navigation System

The Job Navigation System provides all users the ability to traverse the large directory structure required for an animated feature efficiently. It also provides concurrency across all production trees.

Production Tracking System

The Production Tracking System provides production management the ability to track assignment of shots to individual artists, follow the progress of each shot through production, and assures that on each shot any necessary changes or follow-up work are completed on schedule.