ShotGrid VFX Integration

  1. Overview
  2. Setting up Shotgrid
  3. Setting up the pipeline
  4. Configuring the pipeline
  5. Start delivering
  6. Checking work in Shotgrid

Overview

In this article, we'll discuss Moxion's ShotGrid integration, which enables the transfer of video (watermarked if required), metadata, and thumbnails into the ShotGrid workflow of your VFX project. One of Moxion's great strengths is its ability to provide a rich repository of metadata - gathered directly from camera - and seamlessly making it available to downstream vendors. 

Any camera setting that can be represented in an OSD ALE field can be mapped to an asset or group of assets in Moxion.

Setting up ShotGrid 

One-time setup for ShotGrid Admins

Moxion will push up your assets to ShotGrid. To do this, Moxion will connect to ShotGrid via "script" authentication. 

To prepare ShotGrid for Moxion, you'll need to set up some Authentication details that Moxion can use. To do this, a ShotGrid administrator will need to configure a Script entity in ShotGrid. 

To configure Moxion, we will need the following info:

  • Your ShotGrid domain, which will typically be something like https://xyz.shotgunstudio.com
  • The name of the Script that Moxion will be connecting as.
  • The API key associated with the Script (note: this is also referred to as the "Application Key" in Shotgrid).

By default, Moxion will send its Assets up to a specific Entity type in ShotGrid. We recommend setting up a custom "Moxion Entity" Entity type. This allows Moxion Assets to be easily identified, and will not interfere with any pre-existing Entities you may have. 

For more information on configuring Custom entities in ShotGrid see this Autodesk knowledge base article.

Moxion will modify the Entity type it is using. Moxion pushes up its metadata fields, which show as fields in the ShotGrid Entity. Moxion will create any fields it needs as it goes.

You will not require any Moxion API keys for the Moxion to ShotGrid integration.

Setting up the pipeline

In the Desktop tab, navigate to the Folder you would like to setup the integration for and open it in the Viewer tab. 

The assets in the Folder should have accompanying metadata in order to make the most of the our integration.

Open up the Folder Settings tab and choose the Integrations section to get into the setup process.

Add your relevant ShotGrid Server information, the name of your pre-established script and the ShotGrid API key (aka Application Key). This information can be gathered from your ShotGrid administrator.

Note that the ShotGrid Server must finish with "/api/v1/". For example, if your ShotGrid server is at https://xyz.shotgunstudio.com, the ShotGrid Server URL will need to be  https://xyz.shotgunstudio.com/api/v1/. You will need to include the trailing slash.

Once everything's added and you've checked to make sure it's all correct, press Connect. 

If everything checks out correctly, you'll see a new column on the right side of the dialogue box to proceed. If there's an issue, you'll get a notice about Invalid Credentials.

In that case, you'll want to review the information you entered and resubmit it. 

Configuring the Pipeline

Once authenticated, you will see another column on the panel. That's where you can select your target ShotGrid Project and Entity.

ShotGrid Project: The ShotGrid project to send the Moxion Assets to.
ShotGrid Entity: The type of Entity to create in the ShotGrid project. See the section on "Setting up ShotGrid" for more details.
Upload Files: Do you wish to send the Asset footage itself up to ShotGrid? If you select this option, a ShotGrid "Version" will be created for every asset pushed up to ShotGrid, which contains the video clip. If you don't choose to send assets, only the metadata (and optionally the thumbnails) are sent.
Upload Thumbnails: Send the thumbnails to ShotGrid? This is handy if you don't want to send the footage itself up to ShotGrid, but you still want thumbnails.
Watermarking: If selected, the Moxion watermark will be burned into the footage before uploading it to ShotGrid.
Send Automatically: If selected, any new assets uploaded to this Moxion folder will be auto-sent to ShotGrid after a few seconds.
Moxion to ShotGrid mapping JSON: Expert mode! Rather than just pushing a Moxion asset up to one entity, this configuration allows you define a mapping that "unflattens" the Moxion metadata and sends it to different, related entities in ShotGrid. 

A more detailed article on the specifics of our Moxion to ShotGrid specifications can be found in our ShotGrid Entity Mapping article.

Note: Be sure to click the blue SAVE button, instead of just closing the dialogue box! Otherwise, your integration will not work properly.

Start Delivering!

You can now start to passing video, thumbnails and metadata from Moxion to ShotGrid. Select the Manage Assets tab left-of-screen and then head to the Send to ShotGrid tab.Locate and select the assets you want to transfer, as well as the project and entity you chose in the mapping section above. Once you're ready, press Send.

You'll be asked to confirm if that's what you actually wanted to do.

And finally you'll get a notice that it's all proceeding as you've directed it.

Then it's time to hop into ShotGrid to see how the integration is working out!

Check Your Work in ShotGrid

Once the integration is all set up and assets have been sent, you'll find all the video assets which have been sent along

Their thumbnails

As well as any metadata are now displayed and at your fingertips!