The Pipeline? Yes, the Pipeline.

Pipeline.

For those unfamiliar to the term, I'll describe it this way:
Every asset, chunk of code, or change request that is generated to make a movie or series or commercial can be looked at as data. The 'pipeline' describes all the pathways this data can and will flow until it is eventually mixed to become the final deliverable(s).

Why the term 'pipeline'? Because pipes break... A LOT. They have many twists and turns. They divide and merge. When things go down the pipe, they're usually going where you want them to and when they come back up - you tend to get stuck cleaning up a mess. I can think of no term more appropriate.

You can look at a pipeline in it's basic form as 'development', 'previzualization', 'production' and 'post-production'. From there, it all breaks down into smaller and smaller steps and how they interact. Knowing your production at this level helps to insure that more time is spent on the art - the entertaining, than fixing your tools/workflows.

Here are a few links to give you a little insight into the world of building, using and maintaining a media production pipeline...

Dreamworks CG Pipeline
http://akeigher.wordpress.com/2007/10/16/dreamworks-cg-pipeline/

Interview with Olivier Ozoux
Associate Digital Supervisor on Happy Feet - Animal Logic
http://www.xsibase.com/articles.php?detail=125

Interview with Brett Feeney
Digital Supervisor on Happy Feet - Animal Logic
http://www.xsibase.com/articles.php?detail=126

Meet the Artist: Kenn MacDonald
Animation Supervisor on Beowulf - Sony Pictures Imageworks
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=165&t=566843


I HIGHLY recommend that all students training up to be professional CG artists get a hold of all parts of The Art of Rigging. These training resources do an excellent job of helping the reader to understand the depth of thinking that goes into CG production. You can take a look at it here... http://www.cgtoolkit.com.