Assets Not Loading

Diagnose and fix problems where media assets (video, image sequences, images, audio) fail to load, show an error state in the Assets panel, or load successfully but produce no visible output.

Before you start

• Open the Assets panel and check the status indicator next to each asset.

• Open the Log window to see warning and error messages related to asset loading.

Asset status indicator

Every asset in the Assets panel has a small colored status dot. Use it as your first diagnostic signal:

Symptom: Asset shows red (Unavailable)

1. File path is broken or the file is missing

Backstage stores the full path to each asset. If the file has been moved, renamed, or deleted, the asset becomes unavailable.

• Hover over the asset in the Assets panel — the tooltip shows the full file path and resolution. Verify the path exists on disk.

• For image sequences, confirm the directory still contains the expected frame files.

• If the project was moved from another server, paths may still reference the original server's drive layout. Re-import assets from their new location.

2. Unsupported file format or codec

Backstage accepts specific file extensions per media type. If a file uses an unsupported container or codec, it will not load.

• Image / image sequence: JPG, PNG, TGA, SBSM, DPX, TIFF, BMP, NotchLC (.nlc), GIF

• Video containers: AVI, MP4, MOV, WMV, MPG/MPEG, MXF, MKV, WebM, M4V, TS, M2TS/MTS

• Audio: WAV, AIF/AIFF, AAC, MP3, OGG

For compressed video files, the container may be supported but the internal codec may not be. Check the Log window for decode errors. If the codec is unsupported, convert using Media Manager or DropConvert. Compressed video (H.264, H.265, HAP, etc.) is for testing only — convert to DPX, SBSM, or NotchLC for production.

3. Corrupted or zero-size file

An asset is marked available only when Backstage reads valid pixel dimensions from it. A corrupted or zero-byte file will report 0×0 and remain unavailable. Open the file in an external viewer to confirm it is not corrupted. For DPX or SBSM files, verify the file was fully written — incomplete transfers produce zero-byte frames.

Symptom: Asset loads but produces no visible output

1. Asset not placed on a Channel

Adding an asset to the Assets panel does not play it. The asset must be placed as an Event on a Video or Audio Channel in a Sequence, and that Sequence must be playing.

Fix: Drag the asset from the Assets panel onto a Channel in the Sequencer. Start the Sequence.

2. Channel has no Destination assigned

Each Channel needs at least one Destination — a Surface + Mapping combination for video, or an audio output for audio.

Fix: Select the Channel in the Sequencer. In the Inspector, check the Destination section and confirm at least one Surface + Mapping is selected.

3. Sequence layer is obscured

Sequences have a Layer number that controls render order. A higher-layer Sequence rendering opaque content covers lower-layer Sequences entirely.

Fix: Check the Layer values of all playing Sequences. Adjust the Layer number so your target Sequence is not hidden behind another.

4. Projector not routed to an output

Even if content renders correctly in the Scene View, it will not appear on the physical display unless the Projector is routed to a GPU Output.

Fix: Open the Video Routing window. Confirm the Projector has a blue checkmark in the column for the intended output.

Symptom: Image sequence has wrong duration or missing frames

1. Frame numbering gaps

Backstage detects an image sequence by scanning for files matching <name><number>.<ext> and reads the lowest/highest frame numbers to set the range. Frames missing within that range appear as black during playback. Verify every frame number in the range exists on disk with no gaps, and that number padding is consistent (do not mix frame001.dpx and frame1.dpx).

2. Stray files in the directory

Extra files sharing the same base name and extension in the directory will be included in the frame range. Remove or move any stray files that do not belong to the sequence.

3. FPS set incorrectly

The asset's FPS determines how the frame count translates to duration. Select the image sequence asset in the Inspector and correct the frames-per-second value if it does not match the intended frame rate.

Symptom: Orange bandwidth warning on an image sequence

An orange status dot means the image sequence's data rate exceeds the server's configured maximum bandwidth. Hover over the dot — the tooltip reports the asset's bandwidth and the server limit. Reduce the asset's resolution or bit depth, use faster storage, or adjust the limit in Settings.

Options explained

Common Mistakes

• Black frames during playback but no error shown. The image sequence has gaps in its frame numbering. Backstage calculates the range from the lowest to highest frame number found on disk — any frame number missing within that range produces a black frame. Verify every frame in the range exists.

• Asset imported but nothing plays on the output. The asset is in the Assets panel but has not been placed as an Event on a Channel. Drag it onto a Video Channel in the Sequencer, assign a Destination, and start the Sequence.

• Compressed video works in external players but not in Backstage. External players support a wider codec range. Backstage's compressed video support is limited and for testing only. Convert to DPX, SBSM, or NotchLC using Media Manager or DropConvert.

• Image sequence detected as a single image. The file naming does not follow <basename><number>.<ext>. Files like render_v2.dpx may be treated as single images because the number follows the name without the expected sequential pattern. Rename files to name000001.ext format.

Tips

• The hover tooltip in the Assets panel shows full path, resolution, and format — often enough to identify the problem without opening the Log.

• When moving projects between servers, re-import assets from the new file location rather than trying to fix stored paths manually.

• For production, always convert to uncompressed (DPX, SBSM) or NotchLC. This eliminates codec-related load failures entirely.

• Filter the Log window by asset name to quickly find the exact error message for a failing asset.

Related

• Image Sequence — reference for image sequence assets and naming conventions

• Video — reference for video file assets and supported codecs

• Audio — reference for audio assets and supported formats

• Asset Folder — how Asset Folder scans directories and discovers loadable files

• Supported Media Types — complete list of supported formats for production and testing

• Log — reference for the Log window and diagnostic messages