Archive or Lose It: A Playbook for Preserving Ephemeral Domino Installations

Archive or Lose It: A Playbook for Preserving Ephemeral Domino Installations

Hook: You poured weeks into a gravity-defying domino mega-installation, filmed the perfect run, and uploaded it — then a platform takedown, a hard-drive crash, or an unlucky spill erased the physical or digital evidence. In 2026, creators can’t assume platforms or a single storage device will keep their legacy intact. This playbook gives concrete, repeatable methods to document, back up, and archive domino projects so your builds survive accidents, takedowns, and the passage of time.

The urgency in 2026: Why archiving matters now

Late 2025 and early 2026 accelerated two trends that make archiving non-negotiable for domino creators: platforms increasing automated moderation and content pruning, and creators embracing large-scale public events that raise legal and logistical exposure. Case in point: fan works and in-game creations — even those online for years — have been removed suddenly, reminding creators that digital presence is fragile. For physical domino art, risk multiplies: a single spill, flood, or misplaced case of dominoes can wipe out months of work.

Put simply: your build is ephemeral unless you design its preservation. This article gives you a complete, actionable archiving workflow that covers visual documentation (photos + timelapse), 3D capture, metadata and provenance, backups and long-term storage, and legal/metadata practices to make your domino legacy discoverable and defensible.

High-level preservation principles — the backbone of every plan

• Document first, build to last. Start capturing early — rough layouts, test patterns, and material inventories matter.
• Redundancy by design. Adopt the 3-2-1 rule: 3 copies, on 2 different media, with at least 1 copy offsite.
• Make a master archive. Create canonical master files (RAW, lossless video, and high-res meshes) plus web-friendly derivatives.
• Preserve context. Photos and scans alone aren’t enough — capture metadata, build notes, schematics, and release/consent forms.
• Automate verification. Use checksums and scheduled integrity checks to detect bit rot.

1. Photo standards: the single easiest procedure to start today

Photography is the lowest barrier to entry and the first line of defense. Treat your photo set like a museum archive.

Capture protocol

1. Use RAW capture where possible. RAW preserves maximum tonal range and color data for future-proofing edits.
2. Use consistent lighting. Soft, diffuse lighting minimizes harsh shadows and reveals tile color and texture. If you need studio lights, set them to a color temperature documented in your metadata.
3. Cover the build in three tiers: overview, mid-range detail, and macro. Think: full-layout orthographic shot, 25–50% zoom for sections, and close-ups of mechanical triggers or custom tiles.
4. Use a tripod and consistent framing. Overhead rigs or a grid of numbered shots help with later photogrammetry.
5. Include a color chart and a scale bar in at least one reference photo for color calibration and measurement.

File & naming standards

• Filename: YYYYMMDD_projectID_shotType_sequence.ext (e.g., 20260115_megaWave_overview_001.CR2)
• Embed metadata: title, projectID, location, lead builder, and contact in EXIF / IPTC fields. Use XMP sidecars when software writes better metadata to sidecar files (especially for RAW formats).
• Save a README.txt in the folder with a short description, capture device, exposure settings, and lighting notes.

2. Timelapse rigs & standards — cinematic permanence

Timelapse is the viral medium for domino creators — it captures the choreography of setup and the magic of the run. But to preserve a project, you need both a high-quality master and platform-ready derivatives.

Rig recommendations & set-ups

• Use at least two cameras: a fixed master (for consistent reference) and one moving or secondary angle (slider, jib, or drone for cinematic cuts).
• Shoot RAW or lossless stills (for each interval) when possible — it gives you far more latitude in color grading and stabilization post-build.
• Interval strategy: 2–5 seconds for close handwork; 5–15 seconds for overview and large builds. Test one-hour segments before committing to multiday captures.
• Power: use uninterrupted power solutions (UPS or AC adapters). Battery failure is a common point of data loss for multiday timelapses.
• Environmental logs: run a small sensor to record temperature/humidity and link that data via metadata to the timelapse directory — these contextual signals are valuable for restoration and research.

Post-production and masters

1. Assemble a master timelapse using the lossless source frames or uncompressed cinema codecs (ProRes 422 HQ/ProRes 4444, DNxHR). This master goes into cold storage.
2. Create platform-optimized derivatives (H.264, H.265) with burn-in watermarks and captions for rapid re-sharing — but keep the watermark-free master archived. See notes on compact vlogging and production workflows for creators in our field guides like compact vlogging & live-funnel setups.
3. Include a sidecar file with the timelapse: frame interval, camera ID, focal length, timestamps, frame count, and checksum.

3. 3D scanning & photogrammetry: capture the build’s geometry

3D documentation protects the spatial memory of a build—useful for reconstruction, VR exhibits, and preserving trigger mechanics. Two accessible paths exist: photogrammetry and active scanning (LiDAR/structured light).

Photogrammetry workflow (practical for most creators)

1. Take dense, overlapping photos — 60–80% overlap is a standard starting point. Walk around the build at multiple heights (low, mid, high) and at oblique angles to capture tile sides and textures.
2. Use scale markers (rulers or AR markers) placed in the scene for accurate scaling.
3. Prefer consistent exposure and white balance settings; bracket when dynamic range is challenging.
4. Process in a modern photogrammetry engine. Output a high-resolution mesh (OBJ, PLY, or glTF with textures). Export both raw point clouds and textured meshes as masters.

LiDAR / active scanning (fast and increasingly accessible)

Consumer LiDAR (smartphones and handheld scanners) improved markedly by 2025. For large installations, handheld scanners or structured-light rigs give quick geometry captures. But remember:

• LiDAR often lacks fine texture detail — pair it with high-res photos for texture maps.
• Record your scanner model, firmware version, and scanning pattern in the metadata.
• Export in open formats: LAS/LAZ, PLY, or E57 for point clouds; OBJ/glTF for meshes. For hands-on device notes, see recent handheld device field tests such as the Orion Handheld X review.

3D archive packaging

For each 3D capture, store a package containing:

• Raw source (photo set or raw scanner files)
• Processed mesh with textures (glTF preferred for web; OBJ/PLY as masters)
• Scale metadata and capture logs
• Checksums for every file

4. Metadata, provenance & searchable archives

Files without context are hard to interpret or reuse. Metadata is what makes your archive discoverable, trustworthy, and reusable by others in 2026 and beyond.

Essential metadata fields

• projectID — stable identifier used across photos, video, and 3D files.
• title, leadBuilder, team, and dateRange.
• location — physical venue or coordinates (if public and consented).
• captureDevices — camera, lens, scanner, firmware.
• fileRole — master, derivative, preview.
• license and releaseForms — links to signed releases for collaborators or public spaces.
• checksums — MD5/SHA256 hashes stored in a central ledger.

Metadata tools & automation

Use simple scripts to inject metadata into EXIF/XMP and generate sidecar JSON files for non-image assets. For teams, run a small CI pipeline to validate the archive package and compute checksums automatically after each upload — this maps closely to modern publishing and templates-as-code workflows.

5. Backups, storage tiers & longevity

Not all storage is equal. Plan storage tiers that map to use: active working files, nearline copies for edits, and cold, immutable archives for the masters.

Storage playbook

1. Working tier: Local RAID or NAS for active editing (fast SSD-backed arrays are ideal).
2. Nearline tier: Cloud block storage or object storage with frequent access (for collaboration and editing across locations).
3. Cold archive tier: Write-once media or cold cloud archives (LTO tape, cloud cold vaults like AWS Glacier Deep Archive, Backblaze B2 Cold Storage). Ensure encryption and immutable retention when possible.

3-2-1 + verification

• Create at least three copies of your master files.
• Keep them on at least two different media types (disk and tape/cloud).
• Store one copy offsite or in a different jurisdiction.
• Run automated checksum verification at least quarterly; log verification results to an observability ledger similar to observability-first practices.

6. Legal, licensing & community provisions

Preserving a domino installation isn’t just a technical issue — it’s legal, social, and cultural.

Release forms & consent

• Obtain written releases from collaborators and any people featured in documentation. Save signed forms in your archive and reference them in metadata. If you run public activations, follow consent-first guidelines like those in the consent-first playbook.
• If hosting a public exhibition, record the venue’s preservation policy and who has rights to archive or reproduce works.

Licensing & distribution

Decide early how you want your archive used. Consider Creative Commons for community reuse or a specific license for commercial reuse. Store the license text in the archive package.

Deposits & redundancy with institutions

For particularly noteworthy or culturally valuable builds, deposit copies with community archives, the Internet Archive, or a local museum. These institutions can act as deep-storage custodians and boost discoverability; see our review of legacy document storage services for options and trade-offs.

7. Emergency & disaster playbook

Create a short emergency plan: who to call, where to grab masters, and how to restore from offsite copies. Keep a printed and digital copy of the plan with contact and access credentials stored in a secure password manager shared with trusted teammates.

Insurance & physical protection

• Insure large public builds — many hobby insurers offer event coverage for installations and public exhibits.
• Use protective storage cases for physical artifacts, and climate-controlled storage for long-term keepsakes (especially custom tiles and electronics).

8. Legacy packaging — how to hand your work to the future

Think of the archive as an heirloom kit. A well-constructed legacy package lets others rebuild, study, or exhibit your work decades later.

What to include in a legacy package

• Master photo set, master timelapse, and 3D meshes
• CAD/schematic files, build maps, and Domino IDs for specialty tiles
• Material lists with purchase info and batch numbers
• Team contact list, roles, and release forms
• License and reuse permissions
• README.md with a short narrative and instructions for reconstructing major sequences

9. Make archiving part of your production workflow

Don’t treat archiving as an afterthought. Build it into production checklists so it happens before teardown. A practical cadence looks like this:

1. Day 0: Assign projectID and set up capture devices with synced clocks.
2. Daily: Upload working copies to NAS and cloud sync; run checksum script.
3. Post-run: Assemble masters (RAW, uncompressed timelapse, processed meshes).
4. Week 1: Finalize legacy package, sign releases, and push archive to cold storage.
5. Quarterly: Check integrity and refresh one storage medium every 3–5 years (migrate to newer media before it becomes obsolete).

10. Case study: a hypothetical recovery that proves the method

Imagine: A community build that spanned four days is accidentally deleted from the lead’s laptop two weeks after the event. Because the team followed the playbook, they had:

• a full RAW photo set automatically syncing to a NAS,
• a cloud-stored timelapse master in ProRes that was immutable,
• and a 3D scan and README archived on an offsite LTO tape managed by a friend in a different city.

Within 24 hours they restored the entire project from the cold vault, verified checksums, and re-uploaded platform-optimized clips for promotion. What would have been a permanent loss became a two-hour restore.

"A build that lives only on one platform or one drive is waiting to be lost. Archive as you create, and your legacy becomes resilient."

Trends & future predictions for 2026 and beyond

Several developments in 2025–2026 are reshaping archival strategy for creators:

• AI-assisted restoration and metadata generation: Tools introduced in late 2025 can auto-tag thousands of photos, reconstruct missing frames in timelapses, and infer capture metadata from visual cues. Use them, but always keep human-reviewed masters. See work on AI-assisted tooling for automation patterns and guardrails.
• Decentralized preservation: Technologies like IPFS and community cloud co-ops gained momentum in 2025. They are not a replacement for conventional backups but serve as an additional layer that can resist centralized takedowns.
• Improved mobile scanning: On-device LiDAR and computational photogrammetry on phones are getting faster and more accurate. Expect handheld 3D capture to become as routine as timelapse rigs in large builds — see device field tests like the Orion Handheld X for practical notes.
• Policy risks: Platforms continue to refine moderation and copyright enforcement. Your best defense is a robust, independent archive you control; review platform and marketplace safety guidance such as the marketplace safety playbook.

Quick start checklist — 24-hour action plan

• Assign a projectID and create a capture folder structure.
• Set up a fixed overhead camera (master) and a mobile secondary camera.
• Capture a full RAW photo set with color chart and scale bar.
• Start a timelapse: RAW or highest-quality stills at appropriate intervals.
• Run a quick photogrammetry sweep for a 3D reference (phone LiDAR or handheld scanner).
• Copy everything to a NAS and a cloud storage provider; compute checksums.
• Draft README and collect release forms; bundle into the legacy package.

Final takeaways

In 2026, archiving is a creative responsibility. Platforms and physical realities change — but with a repeatable archive playbook, you turn fragile moments into durable legacy. Use the 3-2-1 rule, preserve masters, capture comprehensive metadata, and automate verification. Your future self (and your fans) will thank you.

Actionable next step: Start today by creating a single projectID, shooting an overview RAW photo and a two-hour timelapse test, and syncing both to a cloud service. Then adopt the full playbook for your next full build.

Call to action

Want a ready-to-use archive template and a downloadable legacy-package checklist? Join the dominos.space Preservation Workshop community to get the free archive pack, watch step-by-step timelapse rig builds, and share your archive for peer review. Don’t wait for an accident to learn this lesson — archive as you create.

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