# What are Open Files?

[![Adobe Express - file.png](https://manual.eskimi.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-09/scaled-1680-/l493wVPxhFNysmby-adobe-express-file.png)](https://manual.eskimi.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-09/l493wVPxhFNysmby-adobe-express-file.png)

#### <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**QUICK ANSWER**</span>

- Open Files are the **original, layered design files**
- For static designs, send .**PSD, .PSB, .AI, .EPS** or **.FIG**
- For editable animation, send the original **.AEP** project
- .PNG, .JPG, .PDF, .MP4 and .MOV files are finished outputs, **not Open Files**

##### <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**WHAT SHOULD I SEND?**</span>

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-file-type-created-in" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 178.781px; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 246); border: 1px solid rgb(31, 33, 37);"><colgroup><col style="width: 37.5512%;"></col><col style="width: 62.4488%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**WHAT YOU WANT TO CREATE**</span></td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**FILES TO SEND US**</span></td></tr><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">**A template banner**

</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">.PSD | .PSB | .AI | .EPS | .FIG files, *including font files*

</td></tr><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">**A custom rich media banner with <span style="text-decoration: underline;">animated elements</span>**</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">.PSD | .PSB | .AI | .EPS | .FIG files, *including font files*</td></tr><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">**A custom rich media banner with <span style="text-decoration: underline;">video elements</span>**</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">.PSD | .PSB | .AI | .EPS | .FIG files, *including font files* <span style="text-decoration: underline;">***AND***</span> .MP4 | .MOV files, or YouTube link</td></tr><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">**A custom rich media banner with <span style="text-decoration: underline;">video elements that need to be edited</span>**</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">.PSD | .PSB | .AI | .EPS | .FIG files, *including font files <span style="text-decoration: underline;">***AND***</span> .AEP files</td></tr><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">**A custom rich media banner with <span style="text-decoration: underline;">custom animation</span>**</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">.PSD | .PSB | .AI | .EPS | .FIG files, *including font files*</td></tr></tbody></table>

**Need more detail? Read the explanations below👇**

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#### **<span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">DEFINITION</span>**

> Open Files (also called **working files** or **source files**) are the original, editable documents created by a designer using specific creative software.
> 
> They are organised into **layers**, with different parts of the design kept separate. For example, the background, product, logo and text may each sit on their own layer.
> 
> This allows Creative Studio to open the artwork and move, resize, replace or edit each part individually.

#### <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**OPEN FILE TYPES**</span>

The correct Open File format depends on whether we are working with a **static design** or a **video**.

##### <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**🖼️ STATIC DESIGNS (TEMPLATE BANNERS + CUSTOM RICH MEDIA)**</span>

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-file-type-created-in-1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 178.781px; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 246); border: 1px solid rgb(31, 33, 37);"><colgroup><col style="width: 50.0596%;"></col><col style="width: 50.0596%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**FILE TYPE**</span></td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**CREATED IN**</span></td></tr><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">**.PSD**

</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Adobe Photoshop](https://www.adobe.com/africa/creativecloud/file-types/image/raster/psd-file.html "What is a PSD file?")</span></td></tr><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">**.PSB**</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Adobe Photoshop](https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/glossary/psb/ "What is a PSB?")</span></td></tr><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">**.AI**</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">[<span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">Adobe Illustrator</span>](https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/file-types/image/vector/ai-file.html "What is an AI file?")</td></tr><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">**.EPS**</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">[<span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">Adobe Illustrator</span>](https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/file-types/image/vector/eps-file.html "What is an EPS file?")</td></tr><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;">**.FIG**</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); height: 29.7969px; padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Figma](https://docs.fileformat.com/misc/fig/ "What is FIG?")</span></td></tr></tbody></table>

These files can contain separate, editable layers for elements such as the background, product, logo and text.

##### <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">🎬 **VIDEO DESIGNS**</span>

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-file-type-created-in-2" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 59.5938px; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 246); border: 1px solid rgb(31, 33, 37);"><colgroup><col style="width: 50%;"></col><col style="width: 50%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="height: 29.7969px; border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**FILE TYPE**</span></td><td style="height: 29.7969px; border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**CREATED IN**</span></td></tr><tr style="height: 29.7969px;"><td style="height: 29.7969px; border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">**.AEP**</td><td style="height: 29.7969px; border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Adobe After Effects](https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/desktop/work-with-projects/after-effects-projects/projects.html "What is AEP?")</span></td></tr></tbody></table>

<p class="callout danger">**⚠️ Do not send .AEP files for static banner executions.**</p>

We only need an .AEP file when we must edit the original video, for example:

- Cropping it to different dimensions
- Isolating a specific section or playback time
- Moving or editing elements within the video, like text or a logo

An .MP4 or .MOV file can only be used exactly as supplied. We cannot change its dimensions, playback time or content.

##### **❌ <span style="color: rgb(255, 106, 106);">FILES WE <span style="text-decoration: underline;">CAN'T</span> USE FOR EDITS</span>**

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-file-type-why-we-can" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; background-color: rgb(254, 238, 238); border: 1px solid rgb(31, 33, 37);"><colgroup><col style="width: 50%;"></col><col style="width: 50%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 106, 106);">**FILE TYPE**</span></td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 106, 106);">**WHY WE CAN'T USE IT**</span></td></tr><tr><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">**.PNG**</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">It's a flat image without editable layers</td></tr><tr><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">**.JPG / .JPEG**</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">It's a flat image without editable layers</td></tr><tr><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">**.MOV**</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">It is an exported final video, not the editable video project</td></tr><tr><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">**.MP4**</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">It is an exported final video, not the editable video project</td></tr><tr><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">**.CDR**</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">It is a proprietary CorelDRAW format that we don't support</td></tr></tbody></table>

**⚠️ <span style="text-decoration: underline;">IMPORTANT EXCEPTION</span>**

A .PNG or .JPG can still be used as one element **inside a larger Open File**. For example, a layered Photoshop file might contain:

- A client logo supplied as a .PNG
- A product image supplied as a .JPG
- Editable text on a separate layer
- A background on another layer

The .PNG or .JPG is only one part of the design. Because the overall .PSD, .AI or .FIG file remains layered, we can still edit and adapt the complete banner.

<p class="callout info">**Simple rule: A .PNG or .JPG can be an element inside an Open File, but it is not an Open File by itself.**</p>

***\*Static images can also be animated.***

---

#### <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**FONT FILES**</span>

If the creative assets have any text, **we also need to have font files included in the Open Files**.

We do also need the original font files when we do image resizes for banners.

Think of it like opening a file on your computer that uses fonts that you don't have installed - your computer can't display the original font because it doesn't exist on your system. If a computer does not have the specific font installed, the design software will substitute a default font. This ruins the layout, changes line breaks, and alters the visual style.

Without the original font, we have two options:

- **Substitute it with a different font**, which changes the appearance of the design and may no longer match the brand guidelines
- **Flatten the text as part of the image**, meaning it can no longer be edited, resized, repositioned, or updated independently

<p class="callout info">**An Open File is incomplete if its fonts or linked assets are missing.**</p>

---

#### <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**ANIMATING STATIC ELEMENTS**</span>

We can use **layered static Open Files (.PSD, .AI or .FIG) to create a new animations.** Because the design elements are separate, we can animate the logo, text, product, background or other elements individually.

Exported videos cannot be reanimated. A .MOV or .MP4 is a completed, exported video. Its original elements and animation settings are no longer separate, so we cannot take it apart and reanimate them.

##### <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**ANIMATION TYPES**</span>

An animation is movement created by a developer, or by an animator.

Creative Studio produces animation in two different ways. The right approach depends on whether we are **adding movement to existing design elements** or **creating new animated content**.

**1. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">ADDING MOVEMENT TO EXISTING ELEMENTS</span>**

Our developers can animate the separate layers supplied in a static Open File. For example, they can make an existing:

- <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Floating logo or text](https://dsp.eskimi.com/preview/creative-set/E5lsqsoo)</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Objects fade onto the screen](https://dsp.eskimi.com/preview/creative-set/F8lsqrpq)</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Product grow or shrink](https://dsp.eskimi.com/preview/creative-set/90lsslmp)</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Button pulse](https://dsp.eskimi.com/preview/creative-set/50lsskml)</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Elements move, rotate or respond to interaction](https://dsp.eskimi.com/preview/creative-set/3Clssmrm)</span>

The elements already exist. The developer is adding movement to them using code.

<p class="callout info">**Think of this as moving existing pieces around the screen.**</p>

**2. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">CREATING NEW ANIMATED CONTENT</span>**

Some concepts require movement or visual content that does not already exist in the supplied design. For example:

- <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Making a product move realistically in 3D](https://dsp.eskimi.com/preview/campaign/87mpommn)</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Creating an object from different angles](https://dsp.eskimi.com/preview/campaign/D7mppntr)</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Animating liquid, smoke, leaves or other effects](https://dsp.eskimi.com/preview/creative-set/04lsntlp)</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Building movement that cannot be created from flat design layers](https://dsp.eskimi.com/preview/creative-set/13lsqtls)</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Creating a complete animated scene](https://dsp.eskimi.com/preview/creative-set/14lsrmnq)</span>

This work must be created by an animator or 3D artist. It requires specialist animation software, additional production time and a separate editable project file.

<p class="callout info">**Think of this as creating a new moving performance that didn't exist before, not simply moving existing pieces.**</p>

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-animation-type-what-" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 246); border: 1px solid rgb(31, 33, 37);"><colgroup><col style="width: 33.3333%;"></col><col style="width: 33.3333%;"></col><col style="width: 33.3333%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**ANIMATION TYPE**</span></td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**WHAT NEEDS TO BE EXECUTED**</span></td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;"><span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**CREATED BY**</span></td></tr><tr><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">Movement added to existing elements</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">Layered static assets that already exist</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">Developer</td></tr><tr><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">New animation production</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">New movement, angles, effects or scenes that still need to be created</td><td style="border-color: rgb(31, 33, 37); padding: 10px;">Animator and / or 3D artist</td></tr></tbody></table>

Both developers and animators create movement. The difference is whether we are animating visual elements that already exist, or first need to create new visual content.

##### <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**VIDEO**</span>

Unlike animation, **video refers to completed footage supplied by the client**. It is treated as a fixed asset rather than something we can recreate or reanimate.

We treat this footage as a finished visual asset. We can use it within a creative execution, but we cannot create additional footage or change what was originally filmed.

✅ <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(117, 218, 170); text-decoration: underline;">**WHAT WE CAN DO**</span></span>

Depending on the supplied file and the request, we may be able to:

- <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Crop the video to fit different dimensions](https://dsp.eskimi.com/preview/creative-set/93lqtlss)</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Select or trim a specific part of the video](https://dsp.eskimi.com/preview/creative-set/DClpnoqm)</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Add separate elements over the video, such as a logo, text or button](https://dsp.eskimi.com/preview/creative-set/0Flspsrn)</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">[Use the video as part of a larger banner execution](https://dsp.eskimi.com/adsPreview/2Clsnllq)</span>

**❌ <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 106, 106); text-decoration: underline;">WHAT WE CAN'T DO</span></span>**

- Create additional footage that was not supplied
- Change the actions taking place in the footage
- Make a person or object move differently
- Reposition individual people or objects inside the video
- Separate elements that are already part of the footage
- Reanimate the footage as if it were an editable animation

<p class="callout info">**Simple rule: We can adjust how the supplied video is used, but we cannot change what happens inside the footage.**</p>

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#### <span style="color: rgb(141, 93, 217);">**WATCH OUR VIDEO TUTORIAL**</span>

<div id="bkmrk--5" style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 64.61077844311377%; height: 0;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="" src="https://www.loom.com/embed/6aa1a36d11374ec994765d5f47868aa3" style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" width=""></iframe>

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<p class="callout danger">**⚠️ 3D projects have their own separate, additional asset requirements. Read the 3D-modelling specific Help Page *here*.**</p>