Why the Cover Image and Shot Representative Can Be Different
Two pictures in SlateX may both be called a “representative image,” but they come from different places. One is the cover on an item or record card. The other is the representative asset shown for a shot group in the associated-reference area. They do not have to match. Identify which one the screen is displaying before troubleshooting.
A card cover says what picture represents that card; a shot representative says which associated picture is shown first for that shot group.
The card cover begins with preloaded media
When a continuity item is created, the initial cover comes from media already selected at creation: a photo stays that photo, while a video supplies its first frame. Creating an item from a single continuity photo can likewise use that photo as the cover. Later changes to the associated-reference images do not automatically replace the card cover.
That is why a video cover might show an unremarkable opening moment. The initial rule uses the first frame; it does not choose the user’s preferred point in the video. Review and replace a cover through the item’s own cover-changing action when needed.
A shot representative comes from linked images
The associated-reference area groups assets by shot. An asset needs a shot link to appear in that group. Within each group, the software establishes an order and displays the leading asset as the representative. That is a presentation choice, not proof that the image is the best take or the right continuity decision.
The position of a shot group and the asset picked within the group are separate matters. This article does not publish a fixed sort-key list or replace it with an invented new order. Read the representative as the image currently shown in that group, and inspect the underlying associations when it is unexpected.
Changing a linked photo does not necessarily change the cover
The cover and the group representative use different source material and update paths. A card can keep its original cover while the associated-reference area displays a different candidate; that difference alone does not establish a faulty record.
The filmstrip on the comparison screen is another thumbnail surface that can be confused with these two. Its purpose is group selection, not to serve as the associated-reference area’s representative-image selector. Check the UI location before treating two pictures as if they were supposed to synchronize.
Troubleshoot the sources separately
For an unexpected cover, check which photo or video was used on creation and whether the cover has been manually replaced. For an unexpected shot representative, check the shot association and which images are actually present in that group. Use the picture currently shown as evidence of the visible result, not as a quality recommendation.
How Continuity Photos Should Link to Shots and Takes covers the association question in more depth. This article stays with the difference between the two visible image roles.
FAQ
Why didn’t changing linked photos change the cover?
They have different sources. Use the item’s cover-replacement action to change its cover.
Where does a video cover come from?
It initially uses the first frame of the preloaded video; that is not a judgment about the most useful frame.
Must the shot representative come from a circled take?
No such selection guarantee is made. The group shows the leading asset in its software-defined order, not a creative decision.
How do I tell which representative image I am seeing?
Check whether it appears on an item or record card or inside a shot group in the associated-reference area, then review the matching image source.
Axiom One LLC — SlateX