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Produce · Episode workspace

# Create and manage episodes

An episode combines the production record with a real folder, workflow, script, media, and publishing packet. Create the workspace once, then keep the app and folder telling the same story.

## Create a complete workspace

Choose File → New Episode, press ⌘N, or use the toolbar. The sheet suggests the next number separately for each series and for Singles.

1. Enter a clear title. The title helps form a portable, collision-safe folder name.
2. Choose Series Episode or Single. For a series episode, pick any active series. Every series remains available because one logical series template contains both production profiles. If none exists, add one series template from the same sheet. A Single uses the channel’s Singles template and the Long form workflow.
3. Choose Long form or Short. The picker starts with the series preference, but you can choose either format without changing series. This selection chooses the profile that supplies the episode’s defaults, folders, template files, artwork orientation, and workflow.
4. Review episode number and recording date. The app proposes the next number; you remain in control of it.
5. Review the publishing description. Leaving it empty uses the selected format profile’s default when one exists.
6. Keep Create production folders now enabled. Inspect the workspace preview, then choose Create Episode.

Metadata-only episodes are an advanced exception

Turning folder creation off writes only the catalogue record. It does not create folders, template files, notes, checklist files, or the portable manifest, and there is no later one-click scaffold action. Archive, deletion, and relinking protections may remain unavailable until the workspace is prepared outside the app.

## What creation writes

A normal new series episode receives:

- the selected profile’s declared episode folders, such as Footage, Audio, Project Files, Graphics, Exports, and Notes;
- everything inside that profile’s copy-template folder;
- fresh checklist items copied from that profile;
- that profile’s default description and a standard notes document; and
- a portable manifest that identifies this exact episode and its format.

The complete folder is assembled in a hidden staging location and becomes visible with one final rename only after validation. A conflicting destination is preserved; the new episode receives a unique safe name.

Long-form episodes use `Series/<Series>/<year>/<episode>`. New Short episodes omit the year level and use `Series/<Series>/<episode>`. Their recommended subfolders are Footage, Project Files, Graphics, and Exports.

## Use the episode browser

The episode slate can show All, Active, Ready, Published, or Archived. Sort by recent update, recording date, episode number, title, or status. Search covers title, description, tags, and series.

The default Production board uses each episode’s linked thumbnail and surfaces status, checklist progress, Next Action, recording and release dates, and storage health. Use the layout control beside Sort to switch to Detailed rows whenever you prefer a spacious horizontal view. Those rows carry the same production signals and real thumbnail artwork.

The Production board and Detailed rows crop every episode thumbnail into the same 16:9 landscape frame so mixed-format browsing stays aligned. Short episodes carry a visible SHORT badge on the artwork. The selected format still controls the episode workspace and workflow, and editing a series profile later does not switch an existing episode to the other format.

Selecting an episode opens its persistent workspace:

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### Overview

Block-based Episode notes and Shot list editors, Next Action, checklist, storage, archive, and restore.

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### Script

Shown for Long form—or a Short with an existing link—for block-based writing, save, and recovery.

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### Thumbnail

A full block canvas for concepts, compositions, visual hooks, and thumbnail copy.

✓

### Episode outcome

A Markdown-compatible retrospective for what worked, what did not, and ideas for next time.

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### Media

Verified episode media, import controls, Finder, Quick Look, and safe removal.

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### Publishing

Copy-ready metadata and the authoritative format-aware readiness assessment.

Long-form Notes, Shot list, Thumbnail ideas, Outcome, and Script editors use explicit Save and Discard. Recovery snapshots protect an unfinished draft without changing the last committed production. Discrete actions such as a status change or checklist completion still commit immediately.

## Move status deliberately

Long-form workflow is Idea → Script → Filming → Editing → Ready → Published. Short workflow is Idea → Filming → Editing → Ready → Published. The status picker offers the current stage and adjacent valid steps, which prevents accidental leaps that make the slate less useful.

- Moving to Published confirms external publication and supplies a planned release when missing.
- Clearing external-publication confirmation returns the episode to Ready.
- Archived is not a normal picker choice; the verified Archive files operation applies it.
- Restoring an archived folder returns the episode to Editing for rework.

## Use Next Action and the checklist together

Next Action interprets the current status and incomplete checks to suggest the most useful move. It does not complete work for you. Mark checklist items only when the underlying work is genuinely finished. Items labelled Required must all be complete for publishing readiness; optional items remain useful without blocking the packet.

## Delete an episode safely

Use the destructive action in Episode Details only when the whole production should be removed. Deletion requires the configured storage to be online and writable, verifies that the folder’s manifest belongs to this episode, and checks that another episode does not depend on files inside it.

Deletion is intentionally broad

The complete verified folder moves to macOS Trash. The app also removes linked media entries, import history, planning tasks, strategy brief, upload items, activities, script recovery draft, and episode data from its managed catalogue backups. Review the confirmation carefully.