Sharing files

In order to share files efficiently, I created a Dropbox account for the group.  I did this by installing the piece of software called Dropbox, which in turn installed a public folder that anyone who has access to the account details can access, namely myself and the six other members of the group.  The Dropbox folder looks like this.

So far, the current draft of the screenplay for Cat and Rat, as well as the Group Contract that we all mutually agreed on have been placed up there, so that any member of the team can access them and make reference to them.  In addition, you will see several Maya files (.mb or less likely, .ma) which have been placed in the folder by numerous members of the team.  Essentially, the Dropbox is being used to manage our workflow.

When Perri, James or Oly finish a model they place it on Dropbox.  This is where I will then take the models and upload them to specially created Maya Project folders for the next stages of the pipeline, which are UV Mapping and Rigging, I explain how I do the former in this post.  Once I have completed my work on a model, I give the file a relevant and logical name, which I will elaborate on shortly, and I place it back on the Dropbox for Sarah to do Texturing.  We have not yet designated the roles of Set Decorating, Camera set-up or Animation.

It has been ingrained in us since the beginning of the degree to give all Maya files logical names, complete with Project folders that are also logical.  If you notice in the image above, there is not yet a consistent naming convention that is used by everyone.  I have established one for the Cat and Ox rigs, but the other files have been given more random names that do not always entail what the file consists of and how complete the content of the file is.

Therefore, I have proposed to the team, over a group that we create on Facebook for communication purposes, that we establish a logical naming convention that is used by everyone.  This convention will involve listing the project name, the name of the character, environment or prop that it is supposed to be, the stage that the file is at (i.e. model, rig, textured) and finally a number to indicate how many revisions have been made.