VFX editorial has been building its own databases in FileMaker since 1985. The software has evolved. The problem hasn't. That should bother more people. Not because the industry loves old tools. Because nobody built the replacement. Why do count sheets still come as PDF documents? Why can't vendors access lineup info online? Why does every VFX Editor build their own database from scratch. Every show, every time, starting from zero? I got tired of asking. So I started building.
My last 2 shows we used artist anywhere… which incorporates editorial, vfx etc all into one tidy custom built shotgrid setup. Our vendors can access it all online + have traditional countsheets exported if they like (with heaps of extra data if needed). All editorial changes populate throughout the database automatically once submitted by editorial using the custom tool set. Even the platepull process is streamlined.
Nicole Watt Bast
1mo
Very cool Lukasz! I’d love to see a demo.
Louis Maddalena
1mo
This sounds awesome. We should set up a call for a demo
Jason Fotter
1mo
I’ve been saying this same thing. Would love to hear more about what you are building.
Cynthia Ludwig
1mo
I'd love to be included in updates. We did look at using Shotgrid with Artist Anywhere but it couldn't handle crazy respeeds and we had sooooo many.
Scott Janush
1mo
Lets see it! I'm starting a new show on Monday.
Kieran Nicholas
1mo
I tend to build/reuse my old databases, as and when I need them.. but more recently, I've been brought into an already established show, so everything has already been added to one table/shotgrid etc.. I build out my own display page. Adding all the info that needs to be on the count sheet, with the flexibility to add screenshots of respeeds etc.. that's just the visual representation. I doubt people look at this and just use the CSV that gets attached to the turnover.. So I'm short, it varies for me..
What have you built? My initial reaction to this post is that it sounds like ShotGrid (Now Flow Production Tracking). I like Filemaker because it's very flexible and I can build out a database that links up to my VFX Production Teams database, so that information can be shared in real time. Regarding online lineups I've always thought that unless they're looking at a specific lineup that I'm changing at that exact moment, I still need to e-mail them to look at the change so sending out PDFs allows me to distribute count sheets and serves as a record so there's a history of what was sent. Likewise, PDFs can be optimized to be human readable and TSVs can be easy to import to the vendors system, whatever that is. I use Filemaker to kick out both.