Project folder & file naming generator
Start from a template (feature, documentary, series, commercial, VFX facility), set project code, date, case and separators, preview the tree and export it as a bash or PowerShell script. Then build normalised file names, checked against illegal characters.
1. Project & conventions
2. Live preview
MRDN_MERIDIAN_2026/
├── 00_ADMIN/
│ ├── CONTRACTS/
│ ├── BUDGET/
│ ├── SCHEDULE/
│ ├── CLEARANCES/
│ └── INSURANCE/
├── 01_PREPRODUCTION/
│ ├── SCRIPT/
│ ├── STORYBOARD/
│ ├── REFERENCES/
│ └── CAMERA_TESTS/
├── 02_RUSHES/
│ ├── CAMERA/
│ │ ├── DAY_01/
│ │ ├── DAY_02/
│ │ └── DAY_03/
│ ├── SOUND/
│ │ ├── DAY_01/
│ │ ├── DAY_02/
│ │ └── DAY_03/
│ ├── REPORTS/
│ │ ├── CAMERA/
│ │ ├── SOUND/
│ │ └── SCRIPT_SUPERVISOR/
│ └── CHECKSUMS/
├── 03_DAILIES/
│ ├── PROXIES/
│ ├── SYNC/
│ └── LUTS/
├── 04_EDITORIAL/
│ ├── PROJECTS/
│ ├── BINS/
│ ├── EXPORTS/
│ ├── EDL_XML_AAF/
│ └── TURNOVERS/
├── 05_VFX/
│ ├── PLATES/
│ ├── RETURNS/
│ ├── REFERENCES/
│ └── VFX_EDITORIAL/
├── 06_GRADE/
│ ├── CONFORM/
│ ├── LUTS_CDL/
│ ├── STILLS/
│ └── RENDERS/
├── 07_SOUND_POST/
│ ├── AAF_OMF/
│ ├── DIALOGUE/
│ ├── ADR/
│ ├── FOLEY/
│ ├── SFX/
│ ├── MUSIC/
│ └── MIX/
│ ├── STEMS/
│ ├── PRINTMASTER/
│ └── M_AND_E/
├── 08_GRAPHICS/
│ ├── TITLES/
│ ├── FONTS/
│ └── LOGOS/
├── 09_SUBTITLES/
│ ├── SDH/
│ └── TRANSLATIONS/
├── 10_DELIVERABLES/
│ ├── DCP/
│ ├── IMF/
│ ├── MASTERS/
│ │ ├── SDR/
│ │ └── HDR/
│ ├── BROADCAST/
│ ├── WEB_PROMO/
│ └── QC/
└── 11_ARCHIVE/
├── LTO/
└── PROJECT_BACKUPS/
Plain-text tree to paste into a post-production bible, an email or a ticket.
3. Adjust folders
4. File naming pattern builder
Pick a preset or type your own pattern with {TOKENS}. The values below also feed the root folder name.
MRDN_SC012_SH040_v003_CC.exrGenerate a series of names
MRDN_SC012_SH040_v003_CC.exr MRDN_SC012_SH050_v003_CC.exr MRDN_SC012_SH060_v003_CC.exr MRDN_SC012_SH070_v003_CC.exr MRDN_SC012_SH080_v003_CC.exr MRDN_SC012_SH090_v003_CC.exr
Naming rules that avoid trouble
- A–Z, 0–9, "_", "-" and "." only: no spaces, accents or "& # % ( )".
- Always the same field order, from general to specific (project → sequence → shot → task → version).
- Zero-padded numbers (SH040, v003, 1001) so files sort correctly everywhere.
- Lower-case "v" + 3 digits for versions; never reuse a version number that has been sent out.
- Image sequences: frame number between two dots (….1001.exr), often starting at 1001 to keep handles.
- ISO dates (YYYYMMDD) sort chronologically.
- No "final", "def" or "new": the version number is the truth.
- Keep full paths under ~200 characters for Windows servers and LTO archives.
Related tools
About this tool
The project folder and file naming generator builds a consistent directory structure for a production and the naming conventions that go with it. Five templates cover a feature film, a documentary, a series organised per episode, a commercial or brand film and a VFX facility with a sequence and shot hierarchy. You set the project code, short title, client, date and date format, shoot days, season and episode count or the list of sequences and shots, then choose folder language (English or French), case, separator and whether top-level folders are numbered. A live preview shows the tree and counts the folders; top-level branches can be removed and extra paths added. Every folder name is validated against characters that are illegal on Windows or SMB servers, reserved names, trailing dots, spaces, accents, special characters, case-only duplicates and long paths. The structure exports as a bash script using mkdir -p, a PowerShell script, a plain-text tree or JSON. A second section builds file names from tokens such as {PROJ}, {SC}, {SH}, {VER}, {TASK} or {FRAME}, with presets for VFX shots, image sequences, plate pulls, editorial exports, deliverable masters, sound stems and episodes, and can generate whole series of names. It suits post supervisors, DITs, assistant editors and VFX coordinators setting up a project.
How to use it
- Choose a template and enter the project code, title and date.
- Adjust the conventions: folder language, case, separator, numbering and template-specific counts.
- Untick unwanted top-level folders and add extra paths, then review the live tree and validation results.
- Export the structure as a bash or PowerShell script, a text tree or JSON.
- Build file names with a preset or your own token pattern, check the validation and generate a series if needed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I run the generated scripts?
On macOS or Linux, save the .sh file and run bash create_..._folders.sh /path/to/parent; it uses mkdir -p, so it only creates missing folders and never deletes or overwrites anything. On Windows, run the .ps1 file in PowerShell with an optional -Root parameter, for example .\create_..._folders.ps1 -Root D:\Projects; New-Item -Force creates the folders without removing existing content. If script execution is blocked, check your PowerShell execution policy.
Which characters should I avoid in file and folder names?
Windows and SMB shares forbid < > : " / \ | ? * and reserve names such as CON, PRN, AUX, NUL, COM1 or LPT1. Names ending with a dot or a space are silently altered. Spaces, accents and symbols such as & # % ( ) are legal on macOS but break scripts, URLs, render farms and some archive systems, and accented letters can be stored differently (NFC or NFD) by macOS and Windows. Sticking to A to Z, 0 to 9, underscore, hyphen and dot avoids almost every problem.
Why are version and frame numbers zero-padded?
File browsers sort names as text, so v10 would appear before v2 without padding. Writing v002 and v010, SH040 or frame 1001 keeps everything in the right order in Finder, Explorer, NLE bins and command-line tools. Image sequences usually put the frame number between two dots and often start at 1001, leaving room for handles before the first frame of the cut.
Should folder names be in English or French?
On international co-productions, with foreign VFX vendors or with platforms, English folder names are the safest choice because every collaborator understands EDITORIAL, VFX or DELIVERABLES. French names such as MONTAGE, ETALONNAGE or LIVRABLES are perfectly fine for a French-speaking team. The generator avoids accents in both languages, so the tree stays portable between macOS, Windows and LTO archives.
Can I reuse the structure in a pipeline tool?
Yes. The JSON export describes the tree as nested objects with a name and children, which can be read by a Python or JavaScript script, a media asset manager or a pipeline tool. The plain-text tree is meant for documentation such as a post-production bible, an email or a ticket, and the scripts recreate the same structure on any storage.