Name Video Files So The Right Version Gets Posted

Key Facts

• A filename identifies a file; it does not prove approval.
• Use a new revision when the exported content changes.
• Keep the published video identifier beside the local export record.
• Avoid names whose meaning depends on remembering a conversation.

Which Parts Of A Name Are Worth Keeping?

Use a project identifier, a short subject, a revision and a format when it helps distinguish deliverables. Keep the order stable. Dates can be useful, but a date alone cannot distinguish three exports produced on the same afternoon.

This author-created convention is a starting point:

P024_paper-lantern_v03_vertical.mp4

P024 identifies the project, while “paper-lantern” makes it recognisable. The revision is v03, and “vertical” distinguishes the delivery shape if several exist. Choose spelling that suits your team and use it consistently.

Avoid encoding every review note in the filename. A name such as “final_new_fixed_use_this_really_final” records confusion rather than resolving it. Put the reason for a revision in a change note.

How Does The Scheme Handle A Real Revision?

Consider a fictional Short showing how a decorative paper lantern is assembled. These invented rows show events in order. The repeated v02 entry records its later change of status; it is the same older file, not a second export.

Scroll this table sideways to see every column.

The changed v03 file needs a new approval decision. Adding “approved” to v02 does not transfer that acceptance to the later export.

Bind that decision to the export: https://dreamwild.ai/guides/final-video-approval/

Where Should Approval Live?

Keep a short release record beside the project: accepted filename, reviewer, review time, metadata version and any conditions. The filename should appear exactly, including its extension.

If the file is moved, update its location without changing what was accepted. If its contents are replaced, create a new revision. Quietly overwriting an approved filename makes the record ambiguous because two different videos now share the same label.

For a small team, one clearly marked delivery folder can make the handover simpler. Move only the accepted export and its release record into that folder. Keep source material and rejected variations elsewhere so the uploader does not have to choose among them.

How Do You Handle Captions And Alternate Exports?

Give associated files the same project and revision identifiers when they belong together. For example, the v03 caption file should not accidentally sit beside a v02 export as though they are an approved pair.

If a caption file changes independently, record which video it accompanies. Do not assume a matching number means timings remain correct. Check the combined viewer experience after the change.

Where several language versions or aspect ratios exist, add a clear distinguishing field. The uploader should be able to tell which version belongs to each use.

What Should Stay In The Archive?

Keep the accepted export, the release record, relevant source assets and enough project information to reproduce the work. Retain superseded files when they help explain a correction, but mark their status so they cannot be mistaken for current deliverables.

DreamWild's Terms tell users to keep their own important source materials and outputs; the service is not sold as permanent archival or disaster recovery. Do not make your naming and backup process depend on a workspace remaining available indefinitely.

Source: DreamWild Terms. Accessed 2026-10-03. https://dreamwild.ai/terms

Plan a recoverable archive: https://dreamwild.ai/guides/archive-video-projects/

How Can You Test The Convention?

Ask someone unfamiliar with the project to find the accepted export using the folder and release record. Do not explain it aloud first. If they choose the wrong file, simplify the delivery location or improve the record.

Repeat the test after a correction, when two plausible versions are available. The reviewer should still be able to identify the accepted file.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I Put Approved In The Filename?

You can, but keep a separate approval record tied to the exact file. A label alone cannot show who reviewed which content.

Does A Tiny Caption Change Need A New Revision?

Yes, when it changes the delivered file. Recheck the affected captions and the complete export before accepting it.

Can I Overwrite An Old Export?

Avoid overwriting a file referenced by an approval record. Issue a new revision so the earlier decision remains understandable.

What If I Work Alone?

Use the same distinction between draft, accepted and superseded files. Your future self still needs to identify the right version.