Asset Management

Assets are the generated media files that bring your shots to life. Lazer provides comprehensive version control, metadata tracking, and comparison tools for managing assets throughout the production workflow.

Asset Types

Lazer organizes assets into five primary types:

• Image - Still images and concept frames
• Video - Motion video clips
• Audio - Sound effects and ambience
• Music - Musical score and soundtrack
• Voice - Dialogue and voiceover recordings

Each type has specific metadata fields and workflow considerations.

Asset Versions

Every asset exists as a version. Multiple versions can be created for the same shot, allowing you to:

• Generate alternatives with different prompts
• Iterate on creative direction
• A/B test variations
• Compare platforms and models

Key principle: Versions are immutable and append-only. Selection is not deletion.

Creating Assets

Assets are created on external generation platforms (Sora, Veo, Freepik, etc.) and captured into Lazer using the Chrome extension.

Capture Workflow

1. Generate an asset on an external platform
2. Open the Lazer Chrome extension side panel
3. Extension detects the platform and available assets
4. Select target project, scene, and shot
5. Click "Capture" to save the asset to Lazer
6. Asset appears in the Assets tab with metadata

The Chrome extension automates metadata capture, including platform, model, generation parameters, and file URLs.

Fan-Out Creation

Create multiple versions across platforms simultaneously:

1. Select a shot in Lazer
2. Click "Fan Out" in the Assets tab
3. Choose target platforms (Sora, Veo, Freepik)
4. Lazer generates platform-specific prompts
5. Open each platform and generate assets
6. Capture results back into Lazer
7. All versions link to the same shot for comparison

Fan-out creation ensures consistent prompts while preserving platform-specific variations.

Asset Version Cards

Each asset version displays as a card in the Assets tab:

Card Components

• Thumbnail - Preview image or video first frame
• Asset Type Icon - Visual indicator for type
• Platform Badge - Generation platform (e.g., Sora, Veo)
• Status Badge - Current workflow status
• Version Number - Incremental version identifier
• Timestamp - Generation or upload date
• Selection Indicator - Gold star for selected winner

Card Actions

Hover over a card to reveal actions:

• Preview - Full-screen preview with playback controls
• Edit Metadata - Modify asset information
• Download - Save asset file locally
• Compare - Add to comparison group
• Select as Winner - Mark this version as the chosen one
• Delete - Remove version (requires confirmation)

Filtering Assets

The Assets tab provides powerful filtering to narrow your view:

Filter by Type

• Show only images
• Show only videos
• Show only audio
• Show only music
• Show only voice
• Show all types

Filter by Platform

• Sora - OpenAI's video generation platform
• Veo - Google's video generation platform
• Freepik - Image generation platform
• Runway - Video and image platform
• Midjourney - Image generation platform
• Custom - Manually uploaded or other sources

Filter by Status

• Draft - Concept or prompt only, not yet generated
• Generated - Media file created
• Needs Review - Awaiting feedback
• Reviewed - Has been evaluated
• Approved - Accepted for use
• Selected - Chosen as winner for this shot
• Final - Finalized for delivery

Combining Filters

Apply multiple filters simultaneously:

• Images from Sora with status Approved
• Videos from any platform with status Selected
• All asset types from Veo with status Generated

Filters persist across sessions for each scene.

Asset Metadata

Each asset version stores comprehensive metadata:

Core Metadata

• File URL - Location of the asset file
• File Size - Size in MB
• Duration - Length for video/audio assets
• Resolution - Dimensions for image/video
• Frame Rate - FPS for video
• Codec - Video codec information
• Aspect Ratio - Calculated from resolution

Generation Metadata

• Platform - Generation platform used
• Model - Specific model version (e.g., "sora-1.0")
• Prompt - Text prompt used for generation
• Seed - Random seed for reproducibility
• Parameters - Additional generation settings (JSON)
• Generation Date - When the asset was created
• Cost - Platform credits or cost

Production Metadata

• Created By - Team member who captured the asset
• Notes - Production notes and comments
• Tags - Custom tags for organization
• Rights Status - Copyright and licensing information
• Approval By - Team member who approved
• Approval Date - When approval occurred

Editing Metadata

Update metadata from the asset detail view:

1. Click an asset card to open detail view
2. Click "Edit Metadata"
3. Modify fields as needed
4. Save changes

Metadata is versioned and tracked for audit purposes.

Status Workflow

Assets progress through a defined workflow:

Status Progression

1. Draft - Initial concept or prompt
2. Generated - Media has been created
3. Needs Review - Awaiting team feedback
4. Reviewed - Evaluated by team members
5. Approved - Accepted for use
6. Selected - Chosen as the winner for this shot
7. Final - Finalized and ready for delivery

Status Actions

Change asset status from the asset card or detail view:

• Mark as Needs Review - Request feedback
• Mark as Reviewed - Record evaluation
• Approve - Accept for use
• Select as Winner - Choose this version
• Finalize - Mark as complete

Only one version per shot can have status "Selected" at a time. Selecting a new winner automatically deselects the previous one.

Selecting Winners

Winner selection is the core decision-making action in Lazer:

Selection Process

1. Generate multiple versions of a shot
2. Review versions individually or in compare view
3. Evaluate based on creative direction, technical quality
4. Click "Select as Winner" on the chosen version
5. Winner is marked with a gold star and status "Selected"
6. Winner appears in the timeline for final assembly

Selection Criteria

Consider these factors when selecting winners:

• Creative alignment with scene vision
• Technical quality (resolution, clarity, artifacts)
• Emotional impact and performance
• Continuity with surrounding shots
• Production constraints (time, budget)

Changing Winners

You can change the selected winner at any time:

1. Select a different version as the new winner
2. Previous winner reverts to status "Approved"
3. New winner receives status "Selected"
4. Timeline updates automatically

Selection history is tracked for audit and decision review.

Asset Actions

Download Assets

Download asset files for offline use or external editing:

1. Select one or more assets
2. Click "Download"
3. Choose quality/format options if available
4. Files download to your local system

Batch download multiple assets as a ZIP archive.

Delete Assets

Remove unwanted asset versions:

1. Select an asset
2. Click "Delete"
3. Confirm deletion
4. Asset is permanently removed

Deletion is permanent. Consider keeping all versions for future reference, or archive instead of delete.

Duplicate Assets

Create a copy of an asset version:

1. Select an asset
2. Click "Duplicate"
3. New version is created with same metadata
4. Edit new version independently

Useful for creating variations or tracking iterative changes.

Asset Preview

Click an asset card to open the full preview interface:

Preview Features

• Full-screen display - Large preview of the asset
• Playback controls - Play, pause, seek for video/audio
• Zoom and pan - Inspect image details
• Frame-by-frame - Step through video frames
• Metadata panel - View all asset information
• Compare mode - Side-by-side with other versions
• Comments - Add timestamped feedback

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Space - Play/pause video
• Left/Right Arrow - Previous/next frame or asset
• +/- - Zoom in/out on images
• Esc - Close preview

Asset Organization

Tagging

Add custom tags to organize assets:

• By style - "moody", "bright", "cinematic"
• By quality - "rough", "polished", "final"
• By purpose - "concept", "test", "delivery"
• By feedback - "needs-work", "close", "approved"

Filter by tags to quickly find specific assets.

Sorting

Sort assets by various criteria:

• Created Date - Newest or oldest first
• File Size - Largest or smallest first
• Status - Group by workflow status
• Platform - Group by generation platform
• Selected - Winners first

Rights Management

Track copyright and licensing information:

• Rights Status - Clear, Pending, Restricted, Unknown
• License Type - CC0, CC-BY, Commercial, Custom
• Attribution Required - Yes/No
• Usage Restrictions - Notes on limitations

Rights information displays on asset cards and in export metadata.

Always verify rights and licensing before using assets in commercial productions.

Next Steps

After managing assets, use the Compare View to evaluate multiple versions side-by-side, or proceed to the Timeline to assemble your final edit.