User Stories
As a Production Coordinator, I want to write and publish accurate notes following the studio formatting standards for the shot versions reviewed so that artists can understand the comments (Supervisors give during the review session).
As a Production Coordinator, I can create a playlist of all needed versions for the review session so that they can be reviewed.
Acceptance Criteria:
- Have a playlist of all versions of shot / asset needed for review session in the correct order.
- Be able to open the playlist in any software required.
As a Production Coordinator, I can add any versions called out by the Supervisor into the playlist so that they can be reviewed or referenced.
Acceptance Criteria:
- Can locate and add the version to the playlist.
- Can write notes for the new version.
As a Production Coordinator, I keep track of which version is being reviewed and which version I am adding notes to in order to ensure the notes are addressed to the correct version and artist.
Acceptance Criteria:
- The same version is being reviewed and annotated.
- Switch / sync between versions as the review progresses.
As a Production Coordinator, I write accurate notes as quickly as possible to keep up with the notes given verbally and visually by the Supervisor so that the notes are accurate enough for me to do as little editing as possible before sending them.
Acceptance Criteria:
- Add a note to the correct version.
- Reference correct version, artist, supervisor in the note.
- Clearly and quantifiably explain what supervisor wants changed in the version.
- Reference frames to which the notes apply.
- Use appropriate department syntax, colloquialisms, and jargon.
- Allow multiple users to type notes for the same shot version asynchronously.
As a Production Coordinator, I clean up my notes so that the artist reading them can understand the directions given by the Supervisor.
Acceptance Criteria:
- Ensure references to other versions / shots / reference materials are correct.
- Cut fluff / fat - make notes concise.
- Verify spelling is correct.
As a Production Coordinator, I format my notes according to studio standards so that all relevant information is clearly passed along to all relevant parties.
Acceptance Criteria:
- Highlight department colours.
- Validate tags or #hashtags for accuracy.
- Link artists / supervisors to relevant notes.
- Format to studio standards.
- Add action items.
As a Production Coordinator, I distribute the notes to all stakeholders so that everyone has a written record of the notes the Supervisor gave during the review session.
Acceptance Criteria:
- Publish notes in shotgrid.
- Email notes.
- Notify artists that notes are available via app / email / messenger.
- ShotGrid Review: Linked to playlists, but text formatting can be problematic
-
RV Integration: Preferred for ease of use
- Playlists are created in ShotGrid but opened in RV for review at VFX studios
- Alternative Tools: Smaller studios may use manual methods (Excel) or lack ShotGrid access
- Portable PC setup in Paris studio allows transitions between laptop in review room and stationary workstation
- Internal messaging system notifies artists of updates
- Production usage: 100%
- Artist adoption: ~50% (some reluctance) therefore need to contact artists individually
- Typically conducted in-room with all participants present
- Remote sessions: Conducted via screenshare
- Recording practices:
- Google Meets sessions are recorded
- In-person sessions often aren't recorded: this means either a laptop or notepad is used to record notes
- Notes are sometimes lost/erased in Shotgrid
- Notes generally not exported
- Other production data is exported as needed
- ShotGrid assigns notes to specific tasks and subjects
- Note-taking speed: Supervisors speak quickly, requiring rapid transcription
- Accuracy: Critical to capture exactly what supervisors say
- Clarity: Ensuring notes accurately reflect supervisor intent
- AI limitations: Automated note-takers often produce unclear or nonsensical results
- ShotGrid: Primary tool for shot notes
- Client Annotations: Received directly from clients
-
Note Entry Methods:
- Direct entry into ShotGrid
- Google Spreadsheets (preferred for client sessions due to simultaneous multi-user editing)
- Client submits notes to studio via email
- RV: Not currently used (previously used for ShotGrid ingestion)
- Bulk attaching notes to shots in ShotGrid
- Shot identification could be easier in RV
- Need simpler workflow for uploading and attaching written client notes to ShotGrid
- Prepare playlist in ShotGrid
- Client reviews playlist (typically client-hosted via Evercast or similar platform)
- Shots delivered via Massive or shared through submission sheets (Google Sheets via email)
- Manual note-taking during review
- Transfer notes to ShotGrid and assign to artists
- Update Google contact sheets
- Generate contact sheets directly from ShotGrid
- Duration: 30 minutes to 1 hour
- Platforms: Google Meet, Zoom, phone, and online review platforms
- Time-consuming process of preparing notes for ShotGrid upload
- AI note-taking tools unsuitable due to overly verbose, long-format output (not concise enough for production needs)
- Tags: Added manually
- Color Coding: Highlights organized by department
- Google Sheets: Used to share current shot information with artists during review
-
Validation Issues: Requires exact match for tags and department names (e.g., "anim" vs "animation")
- Potential Fix: Implement dropdown validation to present users with standardised options
- Intimate or confidential meetings are not always recorded, so Production Coordinators can't review recording to verify information
- Pre-meeting: 30min to 1 hour
- Meeting: 1+ hours
- Post-meeting: 1 hour
- Total: 3 hours per review session for long complex reviews
- ShotGrid
- Email for note distribution
- Custom GUI: Internal tool for taking notes on assets without versions (e.g., massets), automatically links notes to asset through ShotGrid
- Modelers will screen share Maya for reviews
- Some shows using SyncSketch
- Tags: Added manually (department, director)
- Cross-department Notes: Must be manually sent to other departments after review
- Artist Coordination: Manually call artists/departments into meeting via chat
- Concurrent Editing: Only one person can take notes at a time (risk of deletion with multiple editors)
-
JTS Integration: Issues creating notes for shots without a JTS number (internal shot version tracking system)
- Workaround: Use placeholder "-1" instead of actual tracking number (e.g., 21345)
- Terminology Differences: Notebox uses "action item", ShotGrid uses "tag"
- ShotGrid
- Notebox
- Asynchronous Notes: Allow multiple users to contribute notes without conflicts
- Metadata Integration: Supply metadata with transcript to automatically track which shot is being reviewed
- Data Validation: Standardize tags and department names with dropdown options
- ShotGrid review functionality is already robust
- Focus on creating tools that complement rather than duplicate existing ShotGrid features
- Notes: verbatim notes taken manually in Word Doc or Google Doc.
- Distribution: Shared via internal drive or Google Drive, and emailed out
- Media: printed out scripts, whiteboard and projected storyboards on screen.
- Shared via internal drive or Google Drive, and emailed out
- Uses initials for people eg Tom Kinder = TK
- Story Artists connect their machine / laptop to show work
- Only or pitching the boards: sketches and boards + voice can be recorded for tempo
- Don’t use Shotgrid for notes
- Use Word / Google Doc
- Distribution: shared via internal drive or Google Drive, and emailed out
- Use Shotgrid, OpenRV
- Same workflow as other studios using SG and RV
- Software: Avid, has a type of timeline in it
- Action point notes for sketch / image / script
- All sessions in editors' room
- Distribution: shared via internal drive or Google Drive, and emailed out
- Meetings not recorded for security reasons
- A software to securely transcribe meetings has never been pitched
- Production has asked for recordings/transcription of the long (6hrs) storyboard meetings due to verbatim requirement
