One name. No ambiguity. Every time.

Naming Conventions

Asset codes, shot IDs, department tokens, versioning, and the WIP vs publish split.

Section03

Asset types9

Departments24

Version

Every file on this production follows the same naming structure. No exceptions, no shortcuts.
A consistent name tells you exactly what a file is, who owns it, and where it lives in the pipeline without opening it.
When in doubt, ask in Discord before you invent your own convention.

Ground Rules

Always Follow These#

01

Lowercase only

All tokens are lowercase. Asset names use PascalCase for readability. No spaces, no special characters, no accents. Use _ as the only separator between tokens.

02

Version always three digits

Always v001, never v1 or v01. Never skip versions. Every meaningful save is a new version, even if it's just a small change.

03

Never overwrite

Never save over an existing version. Increment the number. If something breaks you must be able to step back to any point in the history without asking someone.

04

Asset names come from production

You do not invent asset names. Scion, Rhea, Io, RustGorge are assigned. If the asset doesn't have a name yet, ask before you create the file.

05

Usernames on WIP only

Your 3–4 letter initials go on every WIP save. Published and delivered files have no username. The pipeline knows who published from metadata, not the filename.

06

One file per task per department

Don't merge departments into one file. A lighting file doesn't contain comp adjustments. Keep department tokens honest. If a task crosses departments, it needs two files.

Terminology

Department vs Task#

Two words, not interchangeable. Use the right one.

A department is a category of work in the studio pipeline — one per code in this document (mdl, cfx, lgt, etc.). There is one mdl department on the show, one cfx, one lgt. It is the catalog.

A task is an instance of a department applied to a specific asset or shot. "Scion's modeling" is a task in the mdl department. "sh0010's lighting" is a task in the lgt department. Producers assign tasks, not departments.

Specific clarifications worth restating:

A

Muscle is a task in `cfx`

Not a separate department. Same for cloth setup, hair simulation rig — all are tasks filed under the cfx catalog entry.

B

A task always has a scope

Asset, shot, or editorial. 7 codes are asset-only (cncpt mdl dtl tex shd rig grm), 12 are shot-only, 3 are shared (anim cfx fx), 2 are editorial-only (edt sfx).

C

UI labels say "Task"

Anywhere a tool invites you to schedule, assign, approve, or comment on work, the noun is task. The catalog stays "Department"; the action stays "Task".

D

Same code, different work (shared)

cfx at asset = build sim setup; at shot = execute and produce caches. fx at asset = reusable FX tied to an asset; at shot = per-shot FX. anim at asset = baked loops; at shot = per-shot performance.

Structure 01

Asset Scope

Asset Files#

Asset files cover everything that is built, not shot. Characters, environments, props, and vehicles.
The structure moves from broad to specific: what kind of asset, which asset, which department, which version, whose WIP.

Asset filename anatomy

TYPE_AssetName_dept_v001_usr.ext

TYPEAsset type prefix — CHR, ENV, PRO, VHC

AssetNameProduction-assigned name, PascalCase

deptDepartment token — mdl, tex, shd, rig…

v001Three-digit version number

usrYour 3–4 letter initials — WIP only, omit on publish

Example

CHR_Scion_mdl_v003_csp.ma

Character, Scion, modeling, WIP v3 by Cristian

CHR

Character

Hero and secondary humanoid characters. Scion, Rhea, Io.

CRT

Creature

Non-humanoid creatures — monsters, aliens, animals. Same departments as CHR apply.

ENV

Environment

Whole worlds and locations — Gaussian Splat scenes, hero geometry, HDRI. The 10 named environments live here.

BLD

Building

Standalone architectural assets that get instanced or shared across environments.

PRO

Prop

Hand-held or scene-dressing objects. Not a character, not architecture.

WPN

Weapon

Combat items. Separated from PRO because they typically need rigging and per-shot animation.

VHC

Vehicle

Cars, ships, drones, mechanical rigs that require their own pipeline track.

DMP

Digital Matte Painting

2D backgrounds, sky cards, AI-generated establishing shots, set extensions.

FX

FX Element

Reusable asset-level FX setups — destruction rigs, fire libraries authored against the asset, not a specific shot.

Editorial deliverables — no type prefix

Note: Editorial deliverables (Teaser, Trailer, FullCut) do NOT use a type prefix. They follow a simpler pattern DeliverableName_dept_vNNN[_usr].ext — see "Editorial Department Codes" below. The context (top-level editorial/ folder) makes the type unambiguous without a prefix.

cncpt

Concept Art

Visual development, character and environment designs, colour keys, mood boards. First deliverable in the asset pipeline.

mdl

Modeling

Base mesh, retopology, hero geo.

dtl

Detailing / Sculpting

High-frequency surface detail. Displacement and normal source before baking.

tex

Texturing

PBR maps. Delivered image maps add the map-type token before the user with an optional UDIM tile. Source files (.spp) keep the plain format. See "Texture Maps" below.

shd

Shading / Lookdev

Material setup and lookdev sign-off.

rig

Rigging

Skeleton setup, controls, weights.

cfx

Creature FX

CFX setup files, cloth sim rigs, muscle systems, secondary motion.

SHARED — also at shot scope

grm

Grooming

Hair, fur, beard, eyebrows, lashes and all groom-based geometry.

Not in use at this time

fx

FX

Asset-level FX setup, destruction, fire rigs, particle emitters.

SHARED — also at shot scope

anim

Animation

Loop cycles and library performances built against an asset, not a specific shot.

SHARED — also at shot scope

Asset Filename Examples

CHR_Scion_mdl_v003_csp.ma

Character, Scion, modeling, WIP v3 by Cristian

CHR_Scion_tex_v001_csp.spp

Texturing source file (no map type) — plain format, WIP v1 by Cristian

CHR_Scion_tex_v003_RGH_csp.1001.png

Texture roughness map, UDIM tile 1001, WIP v3 by Cristian

CHR_Scion_tex_v003_ORM.<UDIM>.png

Packed ORM (AO/Rough/Metal), full UDIM set, Published v3

ENV_RustGorge_shd_v002_gio.uasset

Environment, Rust Gorge, shading, WIP v2 by Giorgio

CHR_Rhea_rig_v004.ma

Character, Rhea, rigging, published v4

PRO_ContainerA_mdl_v001.fbx

Prop, Container A, modeling, published v1

Texture Maps (`tex` deliverables)

Delivered image maps carry the PBR map-type token right before the user initials, with an optional UDIM tile: TYPE_Name_tex_vNNN_MAP[_usr][.UDIM].ext

DIFF — Base colour / albedo

SSS — Subsurface scattering

NRM — Normal (OpenGL, green-up)

THICK — Thickness

MTL — Metallic

TRANSM — Transmission (glass)

RGH — Roughness

COAT — Clearcoat

DISP — Displacement

CAV — Cavity

AO — Ambient occlusion

EMI — Emissive

ORM — Packed AO/Rough/Metal

OPAC — Opacity / alpha

HGT — Height

MASK# — Numbered ID / utility mask

UDIM = a 4–5 digit tile ≥ 1001, or a literal .<UDIM> placeholder for a whole set. Normal maps are OpenGL (green-up) by convention. Texturing source/project files (.spp, .mra, .psd) carry no map type and keep the plain format.

Drive folder slug rule

The asset name token (PascalCase, e.g. RustGorge) is used verbatim inside filenames. For Drive folder paths, the same name has its first letter lowercased: RustGorge → rustGorge/ · BurialSea → burialSea/ · Scion → scion/
Asset names never contain articles and never contain spaces.

Asset master files (`_master`) — under consideration, NOT in use

A master would be a stable, version-less file that shot scenes reference — CHR_Rhea_master.ma rather than a specific vNNN. Do not use this on Thresholds yet. The convention is blocked on a real approval gate in PXLflow. Until then, shot scenes reference explicit vNNN publishes, and PXLflow will correctly reject a _master filename. Recorded in the Production Bible §6.6.

Structure 02

Shot Scope

Shot Files#

Shot files are tied to a specific sequence and shot number, both assigned by production before work begins.
You do not create sequence or shot codes. If your shot doesn't have a code yet, wait for it.

Shot filename anatomy

SEQXXX_shXXXX_dept_v001_usr.ext

SEQXXXSequence number — assigned by production, increments by 10

shXXXXShot number within the sequence — increments by 10 to leave room

deptDepartment token for this file

v001Three-digit version number

usrInitials — WIP only, omit on publish

Example

SEQ010_sh0050_anim_v002_csp.ma

Seq 10 / Shot 50, animation, WIP v2 by Cristian

mm

Matchmove

Camera and object tracking against the plate.

Full-CG production — not active on Thresholds

ra

Rotoanim

Rotoscoped animation rigs matching CG to actor performance on a plate.

Full-CG production — not active on Thresholds

roto

Rotoscoping

Mattes and isolation passes on the plate.

Full-CG production — not active on Thresholds

lay

Layout

Shot camera blocking, scene assembly, action staging in 3D.

set

Set Dressing

Per-shot set dressing pass — populate environment with props, vegetation, debris.

ue

Unreal Scene

Per-shot Unreal scene assembly — collecting layout + set dressing + characters into a renderable scene.

anim

Animation

Performance and motion for a specific shot.

SHARED — also at asset scope

cfx

Creature FX

Shot-level execution of cloth, hair, muscle, secondary motion sims.

SHARED — also at asset scope

fx

FX

Per-shot effects — fire, smoke, debris, water, destruction. A single shot can carry multiple fx tasks.

SHARED — also at asset scope

crowd

Crowd

Crowd simulation. Distinct from fx because tools and rate-cards differ.

lgt

Lighting

Shot lighting, light rig per shot, render setup.

dmp

DMP

3D-projected matte painting pass — integrating a DMP asset into the shot.

enh

Enhancement

ComfyUI AI enhancement pass. Workflow JSON plus output EXRs.

comp

Compositing

Multi-pass composite assembly and shot finishing.

grd

Grading

Per-shot review grade. Rare — final grade lives in editorial. Used when an individual shot needs its own grade pass during dailies.

SHARED — also at editorial scope

Scope clarification — `edt`, `sfx`, and `grd`

Note: edt and sfx are NOT shot dept codes. Editing and Sound happen at the project level under editorial/ — see "Editorial Department Codes" below. grd exists at BOTH shot and editorial scope — same code, different work (shot = review grade; editorial = master grade).

Shot Filename Examples

SEQ010_sh0050_anim_v002_csp.ma

Seq 10 / Shot 50, animation, WIP v2 by Cristian

SEQ010_sh0050_lgt_v003_gio.uproject

Seq 10 / Shot 50, lighting, WIP v3 by Giorgio

SEQ010_sh0050_enh_v001_csp.json

Seq 10 / Shot 50, ComfyUI enhancement workflow, WIP v1 by Cristian

SEQ010_sh0050_comp_v005_csp.nk

Seq 10 / Shot 50, compositing, WIP v5 by Cristian

SEQ010_sh0050_comp_v005.nk

Seq 10 / Shot 50, compositing, published v5

SEQ010_sh0050_enh_v003.exr

Seq 10 / Shot 50, AI enhancement output, published v3

Structure 03

Editorial

Editorial Department Codes#

Editorial is a project-level department, not a shot department. It owns assembled deliverables (teaser, trailer, full cut) and contains three sub-departments. Files live at editorial/<deliverable>/<dept>/<vNNN>/{output,sources}/.

Editorial filename anatomy — no type prefix

DeliverableName_dept_v001_usr.ext

DeliverableNameProduction-assigned PascalCase name — Teaser, Trailer, FullCut

deptEditorial sub-department — edt, grd, or sfx

v001Three-digit version — each dept versions independently

usrInitials — WIP only

edt

Editing

Cut assembly, timing, offline edit. Project files (.prproj / .drp), interchange (EDL/XML/AAF), exported reference cuts.

grd

Grading

Final colour grade and delivery output. DaVinci Resolve project files (.drp), graded master exports.

SHARED — also at shot scope

sfx

Sound

Sound design, mix, music. Audio masters (.wav), session files (.aaf), bounced stems.

Editorial Filename Examples

Teaser_edt_v003_csp.prproj

Teaser, editing dept, WIP v3 Premiere project by Cristian

Teaser_grd_v002.drp

Teaser, grading, published v2 DaVinci project

Trailer_sfx_v001_gio.aaf

Trailer, sound, WIP v1 AAF mix by Giorgio

FullCut_edt_v007.mp4

Full cut, editing, published v7 reference export

The Split

WIP vs Publish#

Every file on this production is either a work-in-progress save or a published deliverable. They live in different folders and follow slightly different naming rules.
Never put a WIP file in the publish folder. Never publish without incrementing the version.

WIP Save

CHR_Scion_mdl_v003_csp.ma

Your initials are at the end, before the extension
Lives in your personal WIP folder for that asset or shot
You can have as many versions as you need
Nobody else is expected to open your WIP files
Clean up old WIP versions at the end of each milestone, keep the last three

Published

CHR_Scion_mdl_v003.ma

No username. The filename is clean and unambiguous
Lives in the shared publish folder for that asset or shot
Every department downstream depends on this file
Never overwrite a published version, increment it
Only publish when the work is reviewed and approved

Identifiers

User Codes#

Every crew member is assigned a 3 or 4 letter code at the start of production. Your code is permanent for this show — it goes on every WIP file you touch.
If you haven't been assigned a code, ask the VFX Supervisor before creating any files.

csp

Cristian Spagnuolo

VFX / CG Supervisor

gio

Giorgio Iovino

Director / Creative Director

ast

Arran Stamper

Producer

???

Your code here

Assigned at onboarding by the VFX Supervisor