A Beginner's Guide to Production Tracking Software for Animation & VFX

New to production tracking?

Here’s a quick guide to what it is, why it matters, and how it keeps animation and VFX projects on track.

If you're stepping into the world of animation or VFX production, one of the most essential tools you’ll encounter is production tracking software. These systems help studios keep a clear view of complex projects involving thousands of assets, hundreds of shots, and teams working across departments and locations. For production coordinators, assistants, and managers, learning how to use these tools effectively is key to ensuring a project stays on schedule and on budget.

What Is Production Tracking Software?

Production tracking software is a centralized system used to track the progress of tasks, assets, shots, and deliverables throughout the production pipeline. In animation and VFX, this software helps coordinate work between artists, supervisors, and production staff - from the first concept to final delivery.

Popular tools include:

• Flow Production Tracking (formerly ShotGrid)

• ftrack

• SyncSketch (for review and feedback workflows)

• Google Spreadsheets

• Studio-developed internal tools

Why Is It Important?

Animation and VFX productions are built from hundreds or even thousands of pieces - characters, props, environments, effects, and shots - each requiring input from multiple departments (modeling, rigging, surfacing, animation, lighting, compositing, etc.). Without a clear system in place, it’s easy for assets to go missing, deadlines to be missed, or approvals to fall through the cracks.

Tracking software:

• Keeps the team aligned on what’s been started, reviewed, or approved

• Helps production see where bottlenecks or delays are happening

• Ensures each department has what it needs to begin their work

• Allows supervisors and producers to monitor progress and make informed decisions

What Can You Track?

For a beginner, here are some of the key elements you'll track:

Assets

Assets include all the elements that make up your scenes - characters, environments, props, etc. You’ll track their status through departments like:

• Art

• Modeling

• Rigging

• Texturing / Surfacing

• Look Development

Each department has milestones (e.g. In Progress, Approved, Revisions Needed) that need to be tracked and communicated clearly.

Shots

Shots refer to specific sequences of the film or episode. Each shot moves through a pipeline that might include:

• Layout / Camera

• Tracking / Roto

• Animation

• FX

• Lighting

• Compositing

You’ll often be tracking version numbers, artist assignments, notes, and approvals (among other things!) - all within the software.

What Does a Coordinator or Manager Actually Do in the Software?

If you're in a production role, you’ll likely use tracking software to:

• Create and assign tasks to artists

• Update statuses as work progresses

• Log notes and feedback from reviews

• Schedule and prioritize work based on deadlines

• Pull reports for dailies, reviews, and deliveries

A large part of the job is ensuring information is up-to-date and visible, so nothing falls through the cracks.

Tips for Beginners

1. Get hands-on as early as possible. Don’t wait to “learn the software”- jump in, play around in a demo project, and ask questions.

2. Focus on consistency. Clear naming conventions and reliable status updates help the whole team.

3. Communicate often. Tracking software works best when it reflects what’s really happening - talk to artists and supervisors regularly to confirm the status of work.

4. Stay organized. Use filters, tags, and dashboards to track exactly what you need for your department or daily tasks.

In Summary

Production tracking software is the backbone of animation and VFX project management. For beginners, it might seem overwhelming at first, but once you learn the basics - assets, shots, departments, statuses - you’ll begin to see how it all connects. Whether you're assigning tasks, updating shot statuses, or preparing for a review session, knowing how to navigate this software is one of the most valuable skills you can bring to a production team.

Ready to start learning?

Join Mayhem Production Management’s 2-hour Intro to Flow Production Tracking workshop - a practical, hands-on session to help you build real-world skills using industry tools.