.DAVE
The .dave File Format
Data Acquisition & Validation Engine
.dave is a file format for organising and protecting creative work made for AI media production. It keeps authorship, rights, and performance data together in a way both humans and machines can understand.
Why it exists
AI production moves fast, too fast for traditional rights tracking. Work gets used, re-used, and remixed without a trail.
Studios need verifiable proof of who made what, under what licence, and with what creative intent. Creators need the same proof to protect their work and to get paid.
A .dave file carries that proof from first draft to final frame. It locks authorship, licensing, and performance data inside the asset so it can’t be separated, lost, or ignored.
What it does
The .dave format binds every creative asset, characters, scenes, designs to its rights data, including authorship, licence, consent, and attribution rules. This record travels with the file as a sidecar or embedded header, readable by any compatible tool or API.
Each asset is assigned a stable ID, with hashes and signatures for integrity checks. As the file moves through AI tools, virtual production, or post, .dave logs every render, export, and publish event with the time, tool, user, and purpose.
Usage data is then mapped to rights holders, triggering credits and routing royalty splits through the Clearinghouse. Performance consent is recorded, and sensitive performance data stays separate from the character’s appearance. A complete history of versions and provenance is kept, ready for audits or disputes.
Who it’s for
Performers to protect likeness, consent, and usage of their performances.
Studio executives to protect and license IP for use by AI systems.
Technical teams to integrate rights and metadata into production workflows.
Creators to make sure their work is recognised and paid for.
