Automated Production Architecture
Generating OS-Level Folder Structures from CSV Data
Before you open Harmony, Maya, or After Effects, you must establish a standardized directory on your hard drive. The Production Folder Creator script bridges the gap between your Shotlist and your file system.
The Goal: It reads your CSV Shot Master and instantly generates a nested Sequence > Scene > Shot hierarchy to ensure every artist on your team saves their work in the exact same location.
1. The Input (CSV)
The script accepts any CSV arrangement, requiring only three data columns to build the foundation:
- Sequence: The highest level (e.g., 01, 02).
- Scene: The middle level (e.g., 10, 20).
- Shot: The final leaf folder (e.g., 05, 10).
Note: The script handles automatic padding; “Shot 1” becomes “SH01” on disk.
2. Mapping & Logic
- Dynamic Mapping: Robust header matching attempts to “guess” your columns (Seq, Sc, Sh) automatically.
- Custom Prefixes: Define your own folder prefixes (e.g., SQ, SC, SH or EP, PT, BEAT).
- Safe Updates: Re-running the script only adds missing folders—it will never delete or overwrite existing work.
Visual Walkthrough: Automating the Directory
The Resulting Hierarchy
The script utilizes Inheritance Naming, where shot folders inherit the names of their parents to ensure every directory is unique and easily searchable across a server.
[Project Name]/
└── SQ01/
└── SQ01_SC01/
├── SQ01_SC01_SH01/
└── SQ01_SC01_SH02/
└── SQ02/
└── …
Execution Steps
1. Select CSV: Run the script and choose your master production Shotlist.
2. Define Root: Choose the parent directory where your project will live (e.g., your external SSD).
3. Map Columns: Ensure the dropdowns accurately match your spreadsheet headers.
4. Choose Depth: You can choose to only create top-level Sequence and Scene folders if preferred.
5. Create: Click Create Folders and verify the architecture in your OS file explorer.
Download Tool
Production Folder Creator.jsx
The foundation script for OS-level organization.Download .JSX Script