Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/2068
propagate to the users instantly. Users can see a bird's-eye view of the project's assets by using thumbnails and playblasts. A large amount of data is stored externally to Maya in XML fi les, which allows for easier inte- gration with other visualization packages. A "sandbox" structure forces users to publish assets into the production pipe- line—referencing allows users to work with a fi le that resides outside any live connections to the production, and when ready, a new master fi le is published with updated information. Every asset or shot in OpenPipeline follows this model, which is common protocol in production studios, thereby protecting unwanted changes from propagating down the pipeline. Group projects benefi t from a system that man- ages assets as they are created and edited by disparate users at diff erent intervals. An added benefi t is that users have a neatly organized directory structure that can be easily archived or delivered. Over time, high-level tools have been added to OpenPipeline that are designed to appeal to producers and directors who want to see the current state of the output. e re- cent addition of "add-on" support to Open- Pipeline allows users to create Maya plug-ins that test and complement OpenPipeline's functionality and existing code base. An- other recent feature, which was suggested by multiple users, is the addition of automatic playblasts as a preview format. is allows users to take a snapshot of a shot's status without having to open the fi le. Code that Keeps On Giving OpenPipeline is an ongoing project, with a 1.0 version scheduled for release this month. Future plans call for more inte- gration with the texturing and rendering pipeline, and more add-ons to support user- or studio-based preference operations in Maya using OpenPipeline. Several studios currently use OpenPipe- line with Maya—either straight out of the box by downloading the free MEL scripts, or modifying it to suit their particular needs. Kickstand is also creating custom- ized versions of the tools for animation and visual eff ects studios, and whenever possi- ble, is adding customer-requested features back into the public source code. OpenPipeline began as an experiment to produce an easy-to-use production pipe- line. It has since evolved into a serious tool for managing the production pipeline and teaching production asset management in the classroom. OpenPipeline currently supports Auto- desk Maya. To download the OpenPipe- line source tree, visit the SourceForge Web site at http://www.OpenPipeline.source- forge.net. ■ Rob O'Neill has been involved in many professional production pipelines throughout his career, including that for DreamWorks Animation's Shrek 2 and Madagascar. He is currently executive producer at Kickstand in New York City, and serves as director of research for Digital Arts Research Lab at the Pratt Institute. August 2009 37 Education ■ ■ ■ ■