Getting started as a Production Manager

Create your first production

The first step on Kitsu is to create a production. Click on the Create a new production button.

Enter your production name, choose TV Show if you need more than one episode. Then validate by clicking on Confirm.

To navigate through Kitsu sections, you need to use the sidebar. you can access it through the three lines button on top of the screen . It opens a menu on the left part of the screen. We want to see the production list. So below Studio section, click on the PRODUCTIONS button.

There, you can see all the productions you have created, their type, and their status (open for an Active Production, or Closed if not Active). When your cursor is above a production line, you can see two news icons on the right part of the line : edit and delete .

To modify a production, go into the Edit production page.

You can add some specific information as the FPS (Frames per second), the Ratio and the Resolution of the picture.

If nothing is filled, the FPS is set to 24 FPS per default. The FPS will be applied to re-encode the video and also to calculate the quotas.

NB: The default avatar for a production is the first letter displayed on a colored background. You can change it with a picture if you want.

Create assets

So, now you have the first script for your production. It's time to do the breakdown and the creation of the assets. It allows you to list your assets, dispatch the work to the artists, and follow each related task's progress.

Let's begin with the asset page. You can access it via the drop-down menu on top of the page.

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On the asset page, click on Add assets.

A pop-up window opens:

It asks you to choose the asset Type (1): Camera, Characters, Environment, FX, Props, ...
Let's start with an environment. You select the ** episode** (2), or the main pack (All). We give it a Name (3) and enter a description that helps the designer know what to do and later identify the asset quickly. If you have multiple assets to create, click on Confirm and stay.

You can change the asset type and keep adding assets.

You can also customize the asset type list. How to customize the workflow

You can see the newly created asset appearing in the background every time you click on Confirm and stay. After you added your last asset, click on Confirm, it saves the asset and closes the window. If you don't have more assets to add, click on Close, it cancels the window.

For now, the assets are linked with the first episode, or with the Main Pack.

You can edit assets by going to the asset page, hovering the asset you want to modify, and then click on the edit button (1) on the right side of the line.

On the main asset page, to extend the description, click on the first words (2), and a pop-up opens with the full description.

To delete an asset see the FAQ : How to delete an asset

Create tasks for the assets

And now we can create tasks for the assets, like Concept, Modeling, Shading, Rigging, and other if needed (see How to customize the workflow ).

Click on the + Add tasks on top of the spreadsheet.

A new window will open, and on the list, under ** type**, you can choose the task you need to add. You can also choose to create tasks for the project and validate it by the Confirm button.

You can choose to create tasks only for filtered elements. For example, you want to create Rigg tasks only for the characters.

You need to type Characters on the search bar on the global asset page.

Then click on + Add tasks. Select the task type, here Rigging, and switch to For current list and filters.

Valid with Confirm.

If you remove the filter characters, you will see the tasks only created for the selected elements.

If you want to delete a task, If some assets don't match the task (as environment and setup), click on the menu to change the action (1), then select the delete tasks (2) on the left top of the page.

Now that we have created all the assets and related tasks, we can now add the artists to the team and assign tasks to them.

Create (episodes) sequences and shots

It's time to do the breakdown of the storyboard. Meaning you can create the sequences and the shots of the episode and associate assets to them.

Nb: Episodes are only mandatory for TV Show Production.

You need to go to the Shots page: you can use the drop-down menu and click on the SHOTS.

To start with the shot creation, click on the Add shots button.

A new pop-up opens for the creation of the assets. You can now create the episodes, the sequences, and shots.

Enter the first episode using your code name, e01, then click on the add button (1). Do the same for the sequence, for instance, sq01, then add (2), and now the shots: sh001, then again add (3). You can also define padding for your shots.

You can now see that new shots are listed, described by their episode and sequence. You have created the first shot of the first sequence of the first episode.

Now let's add more shots than just one! As you can see, the box already contains your name code but incremented, so you have to continue to click on add to create more shots.

You have to do the same with the sequences and episodes.

If a shot is misplaced on a sequence, you have to edit the shot you want , and change the sequence.

If at some point you need to delete a shot, click on the trash can icon on the right of the line . If you need to import back this shot, click on the restore button .

To delete a shot see the FAQ : How to delete a shot

To delete a sequence see the FAQ : How to delete a shot

Add the Frameranges

At this stage of the production, the animatic should be done. Meaning you have the length (frame range In and frame range Out) for each shot. You can add this information to the spreadsheet. This way, you are sure that all the frames a calculated, and none are missing or over computed.

You may also be able to add a camera as an asset!

You need to edit the shots to fill the frame range information. Click on the edit button on the right side of the shot line.

You can enter the In and Out of the shot on the new window. Save with the Confirm button.

Now the frame range appears on the general spreadsheet of the shot page.

You can also use the CSV Import to update quickly your frame range. Update Shots information with CSV Import .

You can have access to the shot values history too.

Create tasks for the shots

We can now associate tasks with the shots. Same way as for the assets, click on the +Add tasks button on the top of the spreadsheet.

A new pop-up opens and lets you choose what task you want to add. All the shots are linked to the tasks if you select the For project option.

Add a new employee

Each artist required an account. Go to the drop-down menu , and under the Studio section, choose PEOPLE page.

Then, click on the + Add a new employee button.

A creation window opens. You can enter the first (1) and last name (2), the email (which is mandatory to create the account) (3), the phone number (4) and define the role of the employee: Artist, Supervisor, Studio Manager, Vendor or Client (5). If the artist is working right now, keep him active, otherwise select no. Validate by clicking the Confirm button.

See the permissions section for more information. To make it short, artists, supervisors, and clients only see the productions they are assigned.

All the people are now part of your studio. They are added to a specific production when you assign them to a task on a production. Otherwise, they won't have access to anything.

Add an Artist to the team

You need to add someone to a production to assign him a task.

On the drop-down menu on the top of the page, select the TEAM page.

On the Team page, you can see all the assignations for a specific project. If you want to check another project team, you need to switch the project on the top of the page.

You can also add someone to a production without assigning him to a task; if you have less than ten people, you can select his name on the search box (or type his name) and validate with add.

Assign tasks to an Artist

We can now get back to the ASSETS page via the drop-down menu.

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Now it's time to do your first assignment!

Click on the status (1) you want to assign.

The Action Menu on top of the screen appears.

You can now do the assignation. Click on the text input, and you see the list of available people. Click on a person's name to perform to select him. Then click on the confirmation button to complete the assignation.

You can assign several tasks to the same person in one step (1). Once you have the blue menu visible, keep ctrl on your Keyboard pressed and select multiple tasks. You can even use the shift key to choose a range of tasks (2). When you have chosen everything you need, apply with the Confirm button.

In the same way, you can click on Clear assignations to remove all assignations, or press the "Escape" key.

When you finish all the assignations, quit this mode using the Clear current selection button .

Now you can see next to each status the avatar of the artist.

To unclutter the list, you can hide this information with the Hide assignations button on the top of the spreadsheet .

Once you assigned someone, he is part of the production team. Depending on his position (Artist, Supervisor, Vendor), he only sees the production where he's assigned.

Now, everybody knows what to do and who is doing what!

Change status

To write a comment and to change the status of a task, you can click on the status of the task (1).

It makes appear a panel on the right, and here you can write a comment (1) and change the status (2), attach a file (3).

Validate the post and the new status with Post status

Add a Preview

You can add one or several previews to any comments. It can be a picture (.png, .jpg, .jpeg), or a video (.mp4, .mov, .wmv), or an .obj file. You can review all the previews from the browser or a mix of everything.

Other files like .pdf, .zip, .rar, .ma or .mb however, they need to be downloaded to be reviewed.

If you have defined a FPS for the production, Kitsu conforms to the uploaded video to this FPS.

Otherwise, the video is compressed to 1080P and 30mbits/sec.

Click on the "Attach preview" button, the explorer opens and lets you choose your file or several files.

Once your file is selected, you see its name near the "Attach preview" button.

You can also drag & drop the file in the comment section.

Add a thumbnail

You can use the preview as a thumbnail on the asset or shot spreadsheet. It helps to recognize the assets/shots on the main pages. On the list page, click on the status you want, then on the right panel, click on the Preview button (1).

Once you have clicked on the button, you see the thumbnail appears, and the button turns gray.

Create a breakdown list

Filling the breakdown help you with the assembly of the shots. With the breakdown, you have all the details of the assets you need to add to create your shot. We are sure to omit nothing.

On the drop-down menu, choose BREAKDOWN.

On the left part of the breakdown page is the episode/sequence/shot menu (1); you can choose between those you created. They are the right part of the screen; all the assets available ever created for this production (main pack and episodes) (3). Moreover, in the middle section, it is your selection for the shot (2).

So now you have to select the shot you want to cast.

If you don't have thumbnails yet, you can choose to display the assets as text.

You may also realize during your breakdown that an asset is missing from the list.

You can create a new asset directly from the breakdown page. Click on the + on the right of the All available assets.

You can also choose multiple shots at the same time. Click on the first shot, hold the shift key and click on the last shot of your selection.

Then click on the assets you want to assign: characters, backgrounds, ... from the right part (3). If you have selected multiple shots, your selection is applied to the numerous shots, as well.

When you pass over the asset, you can see a +1 or +10. It's the number of times you add this asset. You can click as many times as you need on it.

You can now see the asset appearing in the middle part of the screen (2). Next to the name of the asset is the number of times it has been added. In this example, we have added two times the character asset Llama.

If you add twice an asset by mistake, you have to go on the middle part of the screen on your selection of assets for this shot (2). From there, click on -1. When you are done with this shot, go on with the other shots. Your selection is automatically saved.

If a new asset is created during the storyboard, get back to the asset page (using the drop-down menu), create the assets you need. The tasks previously created are applied immediately to these new assets. However, you have to do the assignation, and then you are good to continue with the breakdown.

Now your Breakdown page should look like this.

You can also make a breakdown list for your assets if you need to assemble them and keep track of the separated parts.

On the top left corner of the screen, choose ** asset** in the drop-down menu, below FOR.

You now have access to a second drop-down menu, where you can choose your asset type: Character, Environment, Props, FX, ...

You can fill the asset breakdown page the same way as the shots. Select one or more assets on the left part, then add the elements from the right part.

Perform a review

When an artist needs a review, he changes the status of his task to .

Click on the status (1) to open the right panel and start the review.

You can watch the version from the right panel, enlarge it (2), or even go fullscreen (3).

You can draw directly on the preview with the pencil tool and select a color .

You can also add text on the frame.

If you need to delete your line, click again on the pencil icon, the cursor changes to a multi-directional cross , and then you can select your line and move it around.

Select the line with the directional cross, and then press the delete icon

If you go into Full-Screen, you can compare two task type or version side by side when you click on the Compare button .

From there, you can change the status to if you want that the artist performs some changes.

You can add a checklist to your comments.

You need to click on the Add checklist button, and the first item of the checklist appears.

Type your comments, and hit the Enter key to add another line on your checklist or click again on the Add Checklist button.

Besides your comment, you can also attach a preview. Click on the "**Add attachment" button.

You can also tag someone on the team in the comments. Type the @and it opens a sub-menu with the list of the team.

Alternatively, you can change it to to notify the artist that his work is validated.

The timesheets

As Studio Manager, you can use the main menu to check the timesheets.

Open the main menu with the button.

On the menu, choose the Timesheets page.

You can choose which month or year you want to display.

You can also choose the detail level: day, week, month.

Per week, Kitsu highlights the overdue time per Artist.

If you click on a number, a side panel opens with the details of the time spent per task this week.

You can also set up a number of working hours per day.

Go back to the main menu and select Settings.