Learn ShowBuild, step by step

Launch ShowBuild

• Open the app. When launching for the first time, you'll see the ShowBuild splash screen.

Sign in or sign up

• Choose Sign in with Apple, or enter your email and password and click Sign Up to create a new account.

Enter your display name

• If you select Sign Up, you'll be prompted to enter your name. This is the name other members will see when you join groups and collaborate.

Approve the Keychain prompt (important)

• macOS will ask for permission to access the Keychain so ShowBuild can securely store your private encryption key.
• When prompted, choose Always Allow. This allows encrypted notes and messaging to function properly.

Default group and episode created

• After signing up, ShowBuild automatically creates a default group and an untitled episode so you can begin working immediately.

You're signed in

• Once authentication completes, the main interface becomes active and you're ready to start inviting collaborators, managing episodes, and using notes, running times, and messaging.

• Click any post to view additional details and jump directly to the related item.
• Sort the feed or clear older activity by clicking the Sort button in the upper-right corner of the view.

Open the Account window

• Click Account in the bottom-left corner of the app.
• Select Groups under the sign-in area.
• In the panel on the right, click Create New Group.
• Enter a group name when prompted. This is the name that will be shown to all members.
• Since a group can contain multiple episodes, it's usually best to name it after your show or project rather than a single episode.
• Click OK and your group will be created.

Invite your team

• Click on the members tab, then click Invite New Members at the top.
• Add the email addresses of the people you want to invite. Separate multiple addresses with commas.
• Click Send Invites. Your email application will open with a ready-to-send invite message containing a secure link.
• For security, each invite link can only be used once.

View members

• You can see who has joined and who is still pending by clicking Members in the main Account window.

• In the navigation view on the left, find Switch Episode.
• Click New Episode.
• Enter a name for the episode.
• Click Create.

Add a running time

• In the center view, start by adding a new running time entry.
• Choose the project's frame rate.
• Select whether your project uses Acts, Reels, or a custom label.
• If you know your project's Target Time, enter it now.
• Click Add Entry.

Optional: include ad breaks

• If your project needs to account for ad breaks as part of the total running time, enter the ad break information and click Add.

View totals

• The entry is added to the Running Times List.
• All entries are automatically calculated together, with totals displayed at the bottom of the list, giving you an up-to-date overall running time.

Edit an existing entry

• Toggle to your user name to take control of a running time entry.
• Click directly on the timecode you want to change.
• Enter the new value and press Return.

Reorder or delete entries

• Rearrange entries by clicking and dragging them within the list.
• Right-click an entry to delete it.

Create a new note sheet

• In the Notes list, click the + New Notes Sheet button in the upper-right corner.
• Enter a note name that describes the scene or segment you'll be commenting on.
• Choose a collection name, such as Assembly, Rough Cut, or Fine Cut.
• Enter a segment name, like Reel 1 or Act 1.
• Click Create.

Add notes

• In the center view, add timecode ins and outs along with the text of each note.
• Click + Add Row at the top of the view to create additional rows.

Split notes into separate sheets

• Check the Split box next to each note row you want to separate.
• Click the Split icon at the top of the view to create new note sheets from those rows.

Delete note rows

• Check the box next to the row you want to remove.
• Click the Delete icon at the top of the view.

Track progress

• When a team member completes a note and clicks Done, the note's status updates in the list so everyone can see progress at a glance.

Reorder or delete note sheets

• Rearrange note sheets by dragging them in the list.
• To delete an entire note sheet, right-click it and select Delete.

View the calendar

• Switch between Month and Week views using the controls at the top of the calendar.

Add an event

• Click on a day in the calendar, then click Add Event.
• Enter a name for the event.
• Choose who should be notified: the entire group, one or more teams, or individual group members.
• Click Create.

Add an assignment

• Click on a day in the calendar, then click Add Assignment.
• Select the team members who are responsible for the assignment.
• Choose any additional teams or group members who should be notified.
• Click Create.

Manage events and assignments

• Right-click an event or assignment to reschedule it, reassign it, or delete it.

Identify matching frames

• Locate matching visual frames in both the altered clip and the original camera media.
• The first frame of the altered clip must visually match the first frame of the original clip.
• The last frame of the altered clip must visually match the last frame of the original clip.

Enter matching timecodes

• Enter the altered clip's first-frame timecode in the Altered Start field.
• Enter the altered clip's last-frame timecode in the Altered End field.
• Enter the original camera clip's matching first-frame timecode in the Original Start field.
• Enter the original camera clip's matching last-frame timecode in the Original End field.

Calculate a conform in-point

• Enter the edit In Point from the offline sequence that used the altered clip.
• The calculator will automatically determine the corresponding In Point in the original camera media.

Use the result

• Use the calculated original-media In Point when overcutting or conforming from the original source files.
• This allows you to accurately match edit points even when frame-rate conversions, retiming, transcoding, or timecode changes have caused the altered clip's timecode to drift from the original camera media.