Process Breakdown Template

Why breakdowns matter #

On AiFC the process is the content. A good breakdown:

• Teaches: another member can learn or reproduce your technique
• Earns trust: honest disclosure reads as confidence, not concession
• Builds your portfolio: it shows what you can do, not only what you got lucky with
• Feeds the community: breakdowns become workflow cards, tutorials and searchable know-how

The honesty rule: an honest breakdown of a modest piece beats a vague breakdown of a polished one. Show the failures, the keep rate and the manual fixes.

Quick version (weekly challenges, ~10 minutes) #

TITLE:
CHALLENGE / WEEK:
RUNTIME / ASPECT / FPS:

ONE-LINE CONCEPT:

TOOL STACK:
  Writing / planning:
  Image:
  Video:
  Voice / music / SFX:
  Edit / grade / finish:

PIPELINE (3–6 steps):
  1.
  2.
  3.

HARDEST PROBLEM + HOW I SOLVED IT:

KEY SHOT SETTINGS (at least 3 most important shots):
  Shot __: model ____ | prompt ____ | refs/controls ____ | seed ____ | key settings ____

KEEP RATE: ___ kept of ___ generated (approx.)

AI DISCLOSURE: ___% AI-generated / ___% hand-made, filmed or edited
  (What was hand-made:                                              )
RIGHTS: Music ☐ original/licensed  Voice ☐ synthetic/consented  Likeness ☐ no real persons / consented

REFLECTION (≤100 words): What I learned / what I'd do differently:

ATTACHED: ☐ 3+ BTS stills  ☐ craft artifact (sheet/diagram)  ☐ workflow file (optional)

Full version (showcase pieces, workflow cards, capstones) #

1. Overview #

• Title, runtime, format, date
• Logline / concept (1–2 sentences)
• Intent: what you were trying to achieve, creatively and technically
• Team and roles (if collaborative): who did what, using role names from the Roles Glossary

2. Development & pre-production #

• How the idea started
• Planning documents used (logline, beat sheet, character sheet, world bible, shot list); attach or screenshot them
• Lookbook or references (your own tests; label any external references as internal reference only)

3. Tool stack #

Hardware, for local work: GPU / VRAM ____

4. Pipeline #

A step-by-step description or simple diagram from idea to export. For example:

Script (LLM-assisted outline → hand-written draft)
 → Character sheet (image model + 2 rounds inpainting)
 → Key frames per shot (multi-reference image model)
 → Image-to-video (open model in ComfyUI, 8-step)
 → Lip sync (dialogue shots only)
 → Edit in Resolve → Sound design + score → Grade → Upscale → Export

5. Consistency strategy #

How you kept characters, wardrobe, locations and style consistent: references, LoRAs, seeds, prompt blocks, grading. What drifted anyway, and how you handled it.

6. Key shots: settings & before/after #

Document at least three shots, especially the hardest one:

Include before/after images or a wipe, e.g. raw generation vs. final, or rough edit vs. final.

7. Problems & solutions #

The most useful section for other members. Use this format:

Problem: Character's coat changed color in every wide shot. Tried: Stronger prompt wording (no effect), new seeds (inconsistent). Solution: Inpainted the coat on each key frame before image-to-video, using the character sheet as reference. Lesson: Fix wardrobe at the key-frame stage, not in video.

8. Post-production #

• Edit approach (pacing, structure changes from the plan)
• Sound: what was generated, recorded, licensed or designed
• Color: grading approach, LUTs, how you matched shots
• Finishing: upscaling, interpolation, deflicker, grain

9. Numbers #

• Total generations (approx.) and keep rate
• Time spent per phase (development / pre-production / generation / post)
• Cost (subscriptions pro-rated, credits, GPU time)

10. AI disclosure & rights #

• What was AI-generated vs. hand-made, filmed or edited (approximate %)
• Music, voice and likeness rights confirmed
• Any licensed or Creative Commons assets, with credits
• Content Credentials (C2PA) attached? ☐ Yes ☐ No

11. Reflection #

What worked, what didn't, and what you'd do differently. What you'll carry forward.

12. Shareables (optional, earns community credit) #

• Workflow JSON / node graph
• LUT, prompt pack, character pack
• Fail reel: your best failed generations, which are fun and very educational

BTS media checklist #

• At least 3 stills or screenshots: node graph, timeline, character sheet, failed generations
• Before/after of at least one shot
• Optional: 30–120s BTS video or screen recording
• Optional: breakdown reel (layers, passes, wipes)

Tips: record your screen while working so you capture BTS without extra effort. Save failed takes in a fails/ folder as you go.

Writing tips #

• Be specific: "MiniMax H3 I2V, 8 steps, CFG 4, character LoRA at 0.8" beats "I used AI video."
• Use film terms from the glossaries, so your breakdown is searchable and teaches.
• Lead with the interesting problem. Readers skim; put the clever fix near the top.
• Credit others: workflow authors, LoRA creators, collaborators, asset sources.
• Don't oversell. Say "the model handled the lighting surprisingly well" rather than claiming credit you didn't earn. Members can tell, and honesty is what AiFC rewards.

Converting a breakdown into a workflow card #

The Problems & solutions and Key shots sections usually contain a reusable technique. To publish one as a workflow card:

1. Name the technique (e.g. "Wardrobe lock via key-frame inpainting").
2. List inputs, tools and steps from your breakdown.
3. Attach the workflow file and a before/after.
4. Tag it with craft terms from the Filmmaking Terms Glossary, then publish it from Create Workflow.