Workflow Orchestrator Skill
Purpose
Manage the end-to-end pipeline, tracking progress through phases, managing gates, and coordinating skill execution.
Trigger
Project initialization or continuation.
Inputs Required
- •Project configuration
- •Current state of all artifacts
- •Quality gate status
Outputs Produced
- •
PROJECT_STATUS.md- Current project state - •
EXECUTION_LOG.md- History of actions - •Gate pass/fail tracking
Pipeline Overview
code
PHASE 1: STORY FOUNDATION (v0.1) ├── story-intake ├── logline-architect ├── character-architect ├── story-architect ├── screenplay-writer ├── dialogue-doctor ├── story-critic └── bible-keeper (continuous) PHASE 2a: REFERENCE LIBRARY (v0.2a) ├── canon-database-manager ├── visual-style-guide ├── character-reference-generator ├── location-reference-generator └── prop-reference-generator PHASE 2b: SHOT PRODUCTION (v0.2b) ├── shot-list-generator ├── shot-image-generator ├── shot-quality-validator ├── visual-continuity-validator └── reference-library-updater PHASE 3: SCENE GENERATION (v0.3) └── [Future skills]
State Machine
Project States
code
INITIALIZED
↓
STORY_INTAKE
↓
STORY_DEVELOPMENT
↓
STORY_REVIEW
↓ (Gate 5 Pass)
REFERENCE_GENERATION
↓
SHOT_PRODUCTION
↓
SHOT_VALIDATION
↓ (Quality Pass)
EPISODE_COMPLETE
Transitions
Each transition requires:
- •Previous phase outputs exist
- •Quality gate passed (if applicable)
- •No blocking errors
Quality Gates
Gate 0: Intake Complete
- • All 8 core questions answered
- • CREATIVE_BRIEF.md exists
- • POWER_STACK.md exists
Gate 1: Logline Locked
- • LOGLINE_LOCK.md exists
- • Contains protagonist + flaw
- • Contains relationship stake
- • Contains consequence
Gate 2: Characters Complete
- • All main CHARACTER_SHEETS exist
- • RELATIONSHIP_MAP.json exists
- • All characters have want/need/lie
- • Visual descriptions are prompt-ready
Gate 3: Story Structured
- • EP{{XX}}_BEATS.md exists
- • EP{{XX}}_SCENELIST.md exists
- • All scenes have GOTC
Gate 4: Script Complete
- • SCRIPT_EP{{XX}}.md exists
- • Dialogue refined
- • Visual metadata present
Gate 5: Story Approved
- • CRITIQUE_REPORT passes (70+)
- • No critical issues
- • Ready for visual production
Gate 6: References Complete
- • CANON_DB.json fully populated
- • All character refs generated
- • All location refs generated
- • Style guide complete
Gate 7: Shots Complete
- • All shots generated
- • Quality validation passed
- • Continuity validation passed
Process
Step 1: Check Current State
Scan for existing artifacts:
code
Does CREATIVE_BRIEF.md exist? → Story intake complete Does LOGLINE_LOCK.md exist? → Logline phase complete Does CHARACTER_SHEETS/ have files? → Characters phase complete ...
Step 2: Identify Next Action
Based on state:
- •Missing artifacts → Run appropriate skill
- •Gate not passed → Address failures
- •All gates passed → Move to next phase
Step 3: Execute Skill
Call appropriate skill with required inputs. Monitor for completion and errors.
Step 4: Validate Output
Check skill produced expected outputs. Run any automated validation.
Step 5: Update State
Record completion in PROJECT_STATUS.md. Log action in EXECUTION_LOG.md.
Step 6: Check Gate
If phase complete, evaluate gate criteria. If passed, unlock next phase. If failed, identify remediation.
Status Tracking
PROJECT_STATUS.md Format
markdown
# Project Status: {{SHOW_TITLE}}
**Current Phase**: REFERENCE_GENERATION
**Current State**: IN_PROGRESS
**Last Update**: 2026-01-25T10:30:00Z
## Phase Progress
### Phase 1: Story Foundation
- [x] story-intake (2026-01-20)
- [x] logline-architect (2026-01-20)
- [x] character-architect (2026-01-21)
- [x] story-architect (2026-01-22)
- [x] screenplay-writer (2026-01-23)
- [x] dialogue-doctor (2026-01-23)
- [x] story-critic (2026-01-24) - PASSED 82/100
### Phase 2a: Reference Library
- [x] canon-database-manager (2026-01-24)
- [x] visual-style-guide (2026-01-24)
- [ ] character-reference-generator (IN PROGRESS)
- [ ] location-reference-generator
- [ ] prop-reference-generator
## Gate Status
| Gate | Status | Date |
|------|--------|------|
| Gate 0 | PASSED | 2026-01-20 |
| Gate 1 | PASSED | 2026-01-20 |
| Gate 2 | PASSED | 2026-01-21 |
| Gate 3 | PASSED | 2026-01-22 |
| Gate 4 | PASSED | 2026-01-23 |
| Gate 5 | PASSED | 2026-01-24 |
| Gate 6 | PENDING | |
## Blockers
None currently.
## Next Actions
1. Complete character reference generation
2. Generate location references
3. Generate prop references (if needed)
Error Handling
Skill Failure
- •Log error details
- •Identify cause
- •Suggest remediation
- •Block dependent steps
Gate Failure
- •Document what failed
- •Identify required fixes
- •Re-run validation after fixes
Missing Inputs
- •Identify what's missing
- •Trace back to source skill
- •Execute prerequisite skill
Notes
- •Orchestrator doesn't create content, only manages flow
- •Human intervention may be needed at gates
- •Some phases can run in parallel (refs generation)
- •Log everything for debugging
- •State should be recoverable from artifacts