#0051 Ten Essential Rules of File Naming -. Summarized

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Asset Management 101  

Ten Rules To File By

So about now you're wondering if you want to modify your naming conventions or not.  Doing so can be a big undertaking, involving sometimes getting the consensus of other supervisors and producers.  It should certainly be initiated only for new projects, and you'll need to prepare a good document explaining what the changes are, why they are important and possibly how the system will be implemented.

When implementing the system, you'll need to consider how you will train your staff.  A memo is fine, but better is a briefing paper or possibly a slide show illustrating how the new system works.  You may find it necessary to explain to the staff why the changes are important and how it will make things more secure and improve everyone's understanding of file status and relationsips and revision level.   You need to explain the new system because people tend to resist and question change; explaining it to people is a show of respect.


Mostly, you'll need to get your intermediate supervisors and coordinators fully committed to the changes and get them to understand it is part of their job description to knoow and enforce naming conventions.


A final thing to consider is automation.  For one company, I made a spreadsheet in Open Office.  Artists in each work unit can fill in the information for their shot and get back a properly formatted name for their scripts and renders.  Similar utilities can be developed in MEL, Python or Javascript for users.  In NUKE a gizmo could be put together.  Remember, artists are busy and will ignore or make mistakes in file naming just because they are rushing or tired.  Make it easy for them.  


Here's an outline of this series

10 Rules To File By

1.Let it Speak (Make it meaningful)

2.Make it Short

3.Keep it Simple

4.Avoid Special Characters and Control Punctuation

Use command-line compatible punctuation

Avoid Spaces

Two periods maximum

The hypen – if you dare

Use postScript Notation

Special Emphasis

5.Protect Sort Order

Maintain Chronology

Variations and Passes after take or version

6.Rendered Files Must Refer to Their Script

7.There can be only ONE revision 1

Call Composited Shots "takes"

Put Modifiers After Revision Number

Tie Render Passes To A Revision

Use Takes and Versions Together

Make sure your revision modifier policy is understood

Use Codes and Punctuation Sparingly

8.Abbreviate Consistently

Abbreviations

Codes

Consistency

Legibility

9.Use Project Identifiers

Separate internal or external work

Client company and sometimes division or department

Project: film, show, series, campaign,

Sub-project: TV episode, spot or reel number.

10.Include extra data

Artist Names

Variation vs Option Descriptions

Rights Managed Files

Camera Angle