Assets

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Overview

Assets are source materials you use to build your movie. They are the first thing to be concerned and prepared for authoring your movie in Comixware. These can be picture or sound files (of compatible media) used at various stages of composition (timeline, scene and soundtrack). Assets are of utmost importance because they are what your movie to be made out of.

Attribution

Attribution and organization wise there are 2 kinds of assets: “user” assets and “vendor" assets. User assets are user's own assets. These assets are managed by user and are usually stored outside of application directory in a location of user's choice. Vendor assets are assets specifically made for Comixware by content vendors. These assets are offered in the form of installable module that can be added to the program individually by separate license. Depending on their licenses, vendor assets vary in extent of their applications. The contents of a "compositional" asset package (such as "Storyboard Pack") is usually exportable when it's coupled with Comixware's movie exporter. But a "presentational" asset package (such as "Float") is usually non-exportable. It can only be used within Comixware environment.

In terms of application, assets can be divided into 3 categories: "timeline" assets, "scene" assets and "sound" assets. Timeline assets are used for movie's timeline composition. Scene assets are used for individual scene's composition. Sound assets are used for movie's soundtrack selection. Each category is represented by its specific graphic symbol. Since all three can be of “user” or “vendor” assets in nature. Their symbols are further denoted by color: a "colored" symbol represents user asset, and a "gray" symbol represents vendor asset (see ASSET SYMBOLS chart below).

ASSET SYMBOLS
Timeline Asset		Scene Asset		Sound Asset
user	vendor	user	vendor	user	vendor

Native or Pretreated

Asset can be "native" or "pretreated" in terms of its treatment (or non treatment).

Native: A file (of compatible media) without any Comixware specific treatment is a "native" asset. Most of user assets fall in this category. For example, a JPEG photo directly retrieved from your digital camera is "native", as well as an elaborately edited After Effects movie considered "native". These files may have been purposely treated for creativity. But they were not specifically fitted or designed for Comixware operating environment.

Pretreated: A "pretreated" asset is a file that is purposely "prepared" for Comixware use. This can be a 'user' asset or a 'vendor' asset. By definition all vendor assets are "pretreated" assets because they are specifically designed and fitted for Comixware environment. As for 'user' asset, "pretreated" usually means the file is in SWF format and was "outfitted" by design from a Flash application. "By design" means the file is structured and/or scripted in a certain way (in Flash) to take advantage of Comixware's interactive user interface. For example, a 3D object or a text object is "pretreated" asset. Because it requires some special scripting to deliver the intended effect in Comixware environment. A "pretreated" SWF can be something originally built out of Flash or a re-treatment of something else published by Flash. For instance, an scripted AVI clip republished by Flash is considered a "pretreated" SWF.

The main thing to understand asset treatment is this: As long as it's of compatible media you generally don't need to do anything to your file. Use it 'as is' in Comixware. You "pretreat" your files when you intend for more sophisticated outcome of your movie.