Folder Structure for Animators

[Hoptoad]

I have a lot of Moho assets that I'd like to re-use and I need to organize them. Step 1, I think, is to create some new folders in the Library.

The problem: I tend to be terrible at creating nested folder structures, making it hard to find what I'm looking for (because it could be in a half-dozen places). What do you do? I have one BIG project, and numerous tiny projects, and it might be a good idea to keep them separated, but I'm not sure. In addition to the usual Moho files and PNGs, I'd like to store Styles, and things like that, too.

Do you have a suggestion about how to structure the Library folders for ease-of-use, and what names to use? What do you do?

Do you only use the Library for assets that you know may be used multiple times, and keep your Moho files and so forth in a different location, outside the Library? What does that folder structure look like? Do you have all the animatics in one folder, or do you put them with each scene inside scene folders, or what?

I started editing a lot of audio files recently in a Digital Audio Workstation (Reaper), and my folder structure is a mess. Do you have a suggestion for a folder structure for audio files created for animation? Voice acting, sound effects, scratch dialogue, the file before and after editing, and so forth.

Thank you.

[cgrotke]

I make a folder for each new project and keep all related materials in it. Easy to return to later...

Inside I'll have a folder for audio, and then individual folders for each scene. For big projects I'll also keep a folder of other assets and reference in there, such as reference video, color charts, script notes, etc.

So, roughly like this:

My Projects
- Project 1
-- Project 1 reference
-- Project 1 Audio
-- Project 1, Scene 1
-- Project 1, Scene 2, etc.
-- and then Final versions, edits, final production, master files....

- Project 2

And then there are the paper notebooks with sketches and notes and stuff all over the desk... : )

I don't use the library that much, but do import assets from one scene to another. The one improvement here I'd like is to be able to see a preview of the Moho file before opening it, but it is minor.

For audio, I mostly import dialogue. I'll have the original file, then a .wav copy to use with Moho. I mostly add sound effects and music in editing, so I pull from my music library and collection of sound effects when assembling everything. These files aren't stored with the Moho project files.

[slowtiger]

I don't use the library. I create a new folder for each new project:

project
files:
- Moho files (names starting with scene number _ version number)
(- TVPaint files)
- storyboard
- script
- audio files

folders:
- _assets (here comes every bitmap I use in Moho) (underscore at beginning to have it show at the top all the time)
- old (here comes previous versions and preliminary stuff)
- material (sketches, reference, texts)
- QT (movies from TVP which get into Moho)
- HD (rendered finished stuff)

If the project is large enough for scene folders:
- scene 01
- - Moho files
- - assets
- scene 02
- - Moho files
- - assets
- BGs (any bitmaps which get used in more than one scene)

Audio doesn't belong into _assets because it's only layout in this stage. On the video editing machine there's another project folder:
FinalCut file
- audio
- images (titles and stuff)
- HD
- final

[SuperSGL]

I don't really use the folder much either I only added a Characters folder of what I created. But If you use the Library just use a really good naming scheme something you would remember. Then just enter the name in the search box.

[Hoptoad]

Thanks for the replies. It's always interesting to learn how other people do things with Moho.

One thing I decided to do to help me stay organized was quit making a folder titled Misc. It always ended up with most of my files.

In Moho 13+, the Library is in the Moho Pro folder, where the custom scripts are located. On a Mac, the folder is in Documents, making it convenient to access. I like how the Library looks nowadays. It seems so organized and useful. I'm going to give it a try for my "custom content" and see how it goes.

I created four folders in the Library (so far): Characters, Backgrounds, Palettes, and Styles.

As far as animated scenes, I created a separate folder elsewhere (not in the Library) for each project, like slowtiger and cgrotke. Thanks.

SuperSGL, thanks for the the tip about using Search. I usually only resort to Search when I'm desperate and can't find a file, but I probably should use it regularly, to save time.

[Lukas]

For a single video usually something like this:

Code: Select all

- Shot folders and first moho file with correct length and STB wav/image sequence are created by a script based on an XML file exported from Adobe Premiere:
/Projects/MyProjectName/Shots/001_Intro/001_Intro_v001_L.moho
/Projects/MyProjectName/Shots/001_Intro/STB.wav
/Projects/MyProjectName/Shots/001_Intro/STB_Seq/STB_Seq_00001.png

- Backgrounds done in Photoshop are flattened and exported to a moho file:
/Projects/MyProjectName/Backgrounds/SomePlace_v001_L.psd
/Projects/MyProjectName/Backgrounds/SomePlace.moho (This is the file we import in a shot moho file) (usually exported and overwritten when being updated)
/Projects/MyProjectName/Backgrounds/SomePlace_images/LayersFromPSDasPNG.png

- Rigs per character:
/Projects/MyProjectName/Rigs/Crazyguy/Crazyguy_v001_L.moho (This is the file we import in a shot moho file) (usually exported and overwritten when being updated)
/Projects/MyProjectName/Rigs/Crazyguy/Crazyguy_v001_L.psd (sometime during production sometimes there's so many PSD versions we created a subfolder called 'source' and move them there)
/Projects/MyProjectName/Rigs/Crazyguy/Crazyguy.moho (in case it's images based, this is exported from Photoshop)
/Projects/MyProjectName/Rigs/Crazyguy/Crazyguy_images/mouth.png

- Storyboard usually drawn in TVPaint and edited in Premiere:
/Projects/MyProjectName/Storyboard/MyProjectName_STB_v001_L.tvpp
/Projects/MyProjectName/Storyboard/STB_Sequence1/STB_Sequence1_00001.jpg
/Projects/MyProjectName/Storyboard/MyProjectName_STB_v001_L.prproj

- Final edit in premiere:
/Projects/MyProjectName/Edit/MyProjectName_EDIT_v001_L.prproj

- Keeping audio files organized will save a LOT of time down the line on future projects:
/Projects/MyProjectName/Audio/Impact/Plastic_Hit1.wav

- We use a custom renderqueue system so renders always end up in the correct location with the correct naming structure, we usually have empty png sequences (just alpha) already in the edit so new renders usually don't even have to be imported and you can always see the current state of the project:
/Projects/MyProjectName/Renders/001_Intro/001_Intro_00001.png

- A daily a day keeps the doctor away:
/Projects/MyProjectName/Dailies/MyProjectName_24aug2021.mp4

- Keeping finals in a seperated folder makes backupping easier:
/Projects/MyProjectName/Finals/MyProjectName_Codec.mp4

- When working with multiple people, it's especially important to keep things organized in a logical way:
/Projects/MyProjectName/Resources/(brushes, scripts, etc)
/Projects/MyProjectName/References/(images, videos, etc)

[Hoptoad]

Interesting. Thank you! Such detailed folder structure must be very helpful when looking for a file. I see that you use a folder for renders and a separate folder for finals. That makes sense.

What does STB stand for? Storyboard?

[Lukas]

Such detailed folder structure must be very helpful when looking for a file.

imo it's a necessity when working with more than 1 person, but even when working alone it's good practice!

I see that you use a folder for renders and a separate folder for finals.

The 'renders' folder contains image sequences rendered by moho (or any other software being used), which will go into Premiere (or first trough compositing, which would also render into the renders folder). The Dailies and Finals folder are for full edit-renders - usually video files - with sound and everything.

What does STB stand for? Storyboard?

Yep

[Hoptoad]

imo it's a necessity when working with more than 1 person, but even when working alone it's good practice!

I recently deleted a Moho file by mistake. The file was only an experiment with Vitruvian bones, but still, it was alarming. And the auto-save didn't catch the last 30 minutes of animation. That mini-disaster made me decide that I needed to be better organized, or I might delete the wrong things.

The 'renders' folder contains image sequences rendered by moho (or any other software being used), which will go into Premiere (or first trough compositing, which would also render into the renders folder). The Dailies and Finals folder are for full edit-renders - usually video files - with sound and everything.

Ah!