Assets Overview

Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/cgwire/zou/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

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Introduction

The Assets API provides endpoints for managing production assets in your animation or VFX project. Assets are reusable entities that can be referenced across multiple shots, sequences, or episodes. Common asset types include characters, props, environments, vehicles, and FX elements.

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What are Assets?

In Zou/Kitsu, an Asset is a specialized type of Entity that represents a reusable production element. Assets differ from temporal entities (shots, sequences, episodes) and are categorized by Asset Types.

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Key Concepts

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Asset Model

Assets inherit from the Entity model and include the following key properties:

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Asset Types

Asset Types are categories used to organize and classify assets. They help structure your production pipeline by grouping similar assets together.

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Common Asset Types

• Character: Main and supporting characters
• Prop: Objects that characters interact with
• Environment: Sets, locations, and backgrounds
• Vehicle: Cars, ships, aircraft, etc.
• FX: Effects elements (fire, water, magic)
• Camera: Virtual cameras
• Light: Lighting setups

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Asset Type Model

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Asset Instances

Asset Instances represent specific occurrences of an asset within a shot, scene, or even another asset. This is useful for complex scenes where the same asset appears multiple times with different properties.

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Use Cases

• Multiple occurrences: 10 swords in a battle scene
• Variations: Same character with different costumes
• Shot-specific: Asset with unique animation or position data per shot
• Nested assets: Props inside environment assets

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Asset Instance Model

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Casting

Casting defines the relationship between assets and shots/sequences. When an asset is “cast” in a shot, it means that asset appears or is used in that shot.

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Casting Operations

• Get Casting: See which assets are used in a shot
• Update Casting: Add or remove assets from a shot
• Get Cast In: Find all shots that use a specific asset

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Shared Assets

Shared assets are assets that can be reused across multiple projects. This is useful for:

• Library assets (generic props, environments)
• Brand assets (logos, standard elements)
• Cross-project characters

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Sharing Operations

• Share/unshare assets by project
• Share/unshare assets by asset type
• Share/unshare specific asset lists
• Find shared assets used in a project

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Common Workflows

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Creating an Asset

1. Choose or create an Asset Type
2. Create the asset with name and metadata
3. Add tasks (modeling, texturing, rigging, etc.)
4. Upload preview images
5. Mark as ready when complete

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Asset Production Pipeline

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Using Assets in Shots

1. Cast the asset in the shot (add to breakdown)
2. Create asset instances if multiple occurrences needed
3. Track asset-specific shot tasks
4. Reference asset files in shot production

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Filtering and Querying

Most asset endpoints support filtering by:

• project_id: Filter by project
• asset_type_id: Filter by asset type
• episode_id: Filter episodic assets
• assigned_to: Filter by assigned team member
• page/limit: Pagination controls

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Permissions

Asset operations require different permission levels:

• View assets: Project member
• Create assets: Project manager
• Update assets: Asset creator or project manager
• Delete assets: Asset creator (if no tasks) or project manager
• Share assets: Project manager

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Next Steps