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Archive Technology

Understanding the Epic: A Closer Look at Agile Software Development

user with digital overlay

In the world of agile software development, there’s a term we use a lot – “Epic.” An Epic for agile software development is much like a novel, a substantive body of work, but in our world, it’s made up of smaller, easier-to-digest pieces known as ‘user stories.’ Picture it like chapters in a book, all contributing to the whole story. Some of the key characteristics of epics are:

  • They stretch over numerous iterations and sprints, just like a novel stretches over many chapters.
  • Epics serve as a roadmap, helping to organize and prioritize the product backlog.

The Spotlight on Our Epic: Building an End-to-End Interoperable Master Format (IMF) Workflow

Now, the epic we’re focusing on here is all about building a fully functional platform to oversee an end-to-end Interoperable Master Format (IMF) workflow. To those outside the industry, the IMF is a universal standard in the production and distribution of digital motion pictures and television programs. By bringing an end-to-end IMF workflow to life, we can deliver some incredible benefits:

  • Smoothing out the production processes, much like a well-oiled machine.
  • Boosting efficiency so that everyone can do more with less.
  • Cutting down costs, who doesn’t love that?

Adding the Air Traffic Control (ATC) Layer: Taking Command of Production

We know how important it is to have control over all production-related work. That’s why we suggest including an Air Traffic Control (ATC) layer – think of it as the command center for your production process.

Our epic story centers around an IMF work process, where we’ve identified three main characters, or as we say in the business, ‘user personas.’ With this incredible system in place, our users can:

  • Set off automated events, giving them a complete Interoperable Master Package (IMP) for the next steps of validation and processing.
  • Utilize an alternate workflow where individual deliverables required for a full IMP are treated as ingredients in a “recipe.”
  • Trust in the system to assemble a standard IMP from these ingredients once all are received.

Boosting User Interactivity and Improving Communication with Notification Mechanisms

Now, our epic for agile software development wouldn’t be complete without keeping our users in the loop. That’s why we’ve included notification mechanisms for every event, keeping both users and the system workflow orchestration layer in sync.

Our users will have the power to interact with the ATC layer in a number of ways:

  • They can create, manage, and keep an eye on activities happening in the workflow process.
  • They have the power to inform a go/no-go decision at any stage in the process.
  • The automated process can help by integrating fully qualified IMP-S files into the original IMP.

End-Point Deliverables: The Balance of Automation and Manual Requests

Just like how every book has an ending, our process too has end-point deliverables. They can be manually requested for predefined, one-off deliveries or produced as part of an automated process once we have achieved certain upstream success factors.

We do require a strict adherence to a predefined Studios delivery package standard, influenced by the likes of Netflix and Amazon, but don’t worry – we’ve made sure it’s easy to follow.

Transparent Troubleshooting: Addressing Failures through ATC

We’ve all experienced hiccups in a process, and our system ensures that if any issues occur, they’re visible through the ATC user interface. Users can easily initiate resubmission or cancellation of a given work process directly from the ATC. Picture it as a “command-Z” option; something went wrong? No problem, let’s take a step back and try again.

Bringing it All Together

In this epic journey, we’ve brought together a wide array of processes, tools, and user interactions. We’ve built a platform that is designed to streamline and simplify the complexities of digital motion picture and television program production.

Just like the chapters of a book, every element in this epic has its unique role, contributing to the grand narrative of increasing efficiency and reducing costs. The ATC layer, the automation, and the user interface all coalesce to deliver a seamless experience, keeping users in control and informed every step of the way.

This story isn’t just about the nuts and bolts of Agile Software Development or about the technicalities of an IMF workflow. At its core, this epic is a story about people – the users who interact with the system, the teams who manage the workflow, and the audience who will ultimately enjoy the results of a smoother, more efficient production process. And that’s the beauty of it: our work may be technical, but it’s all about creating a more engaging, personable, and effective experience for everyone involved.

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Archive Digital Media Technology

Improving Creative Workflows through Broadcast Systems Integration

Live shows. On-location news crews covering a big story. Live broadcasts of sporting events with millions of viewers globally. Large creative teams on location and in studios. Video coming in from multiple cameras at every angle. Impactful graphics and special effects. This is the world of broadcast media production, where viewers and advertisers demand the highest quality. Broadcast systems integration is essential in this environment to ensure your production team operates efficiently.

Modern consumer demand stretches broadcast production teams to the limits, and efficiency and seamless collaboration are necessary for producing high-quality video content rapidly and getting it out to viewers. In broadcast media production, agile workflows are not a luxury; they are crucial to getting the job done well.

Streamlined Asset Management for Broadcasting Teams

Streamlined asset management is the key to bringing it all together for broadcast teams. It is not uncommon for live productions to have production crews on location. At the same time, postproduction team members are offsite in the studios and at home, poised and ready to take uploaded content and quickly create videos prepared for immediate distribution. While a huge volume of assets is being assembled and ingested, the teams must also get their hands on the rich archive of assets. All MAMs will have basic features like metadata management, search and retrieve, and version control.

The broadcast team relies on the media asset management (MAM) system. Media Asset Management systems ensure that assets are easy to find and retrieve but do more than manage content. The right media asset management system will streamline workflows and allow broadcast teams to break through the challenges of this sector to create impactful content on short timelines. Broadcast teams need an asset management system that is agile and includes workflow orchestration tools as well. Optimized workflows that provide immediate access to assets enable faster sharing of media files with all creative team members. These efficiencies impact the finished video and expedite related content creation like highlight reels, interviews, and news clips. A MAM that can handle the demand of broadcast media will include:

  • Powerful metadata enrichment features to allow easy search and retrieval automated by AI and machine learning.
  • Robust security to manage user access to the media files and to protect against cyberattacks as well as unauthorized access and use.
  • Broadcast systems integration is essential. Your production team will be most efficient and creative when your MAM seamlessly integrates with their video editing software and other tools.
  • Built-in review, approval, and collaboration tools.
  • Hybrid system capabilities. Because broadcast studios often have significant on-premises investments, a hybrid solution that brings cloud-based media asset management while leveraging on-prem assets, equipment, and team members can be an effective solution. This capability gives broadcast production companies the power to harness the power of their on-prem investments while ensuring access for remote creatives, a growing segment of the production industry’s talent pool.
  • Automation is a game-changer, allowing creatives to do more in less time while ensuring consistency through many time-consuming and repetitive processes, including ingesting, metadata enrichment, validation of files, to the final distribution of finished video content.
  • Because many broadcasters distribute through multiple channels at the same time, broadcasters need to have a MAM that will support distribution to various devices and platforms and work with the most prominent players in social media like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter, and the nonlinear platforms like video on demand and OTT.

With so many MAMs on the market, it’s challenging for companies to match the solution with their unique needs. One struggle that established broadcast media companies face when upgrading their MAM is how to bring it all together. When Kroenke Sports and Entertainment needed to modernize their MAM, they required a partner to understand the value of their legacy content and on-prem investments. Kroenke Sports owns several sports franchises and broadcasts collegiate and high school sports in their markets. CHESA worked with Kroenke to implement the IPV Curator MAM system. This system ensures consistency in content management and increased the efficiency of post-production. CHESA workflow engineers worked with the team to design effective proxy-based workflows and integrate them with other software and systems. Their media management system is robust to meet their current needs while also being designed to adapt to their future needs.

Contact Us Today

CHESA has supported broadcasters in identifying and deploying the solutions they need to produce and distribute high-quality content efficiently. CHESA has a passion for the nuances of media workflow integration. We take a holistic approach in recommending solutions that bring real value and benefits to your organization rather than selling technology for technology’s sake. Our team comes to the table with deep knowledge of the tools and vendors and is ready to address the demands and requirements of your environment and advance your business goals. Contact us today to find out more about how a Media Asset Management Platform can foster collaboration at your organization.

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Archive Digital Media

Broadcast Automation for Broadcasting and Production Teams

Broadcast media is content that is distributed to large audiences. Traditionally, “broadcast” was used to describe television and radio, but it now includes content distributed through the internet and streaming services. Broadcast automation can significantly impact broadcast productions with large teams and budgets but short production times or live broadcasting.

Broadcast teams may shoot raw footage using multi-cameras, especially for sports, news, and musical performance. The crew may be on location capturing video while the postproduction team is editing and adding sound and visual effects simultaneously from a studio or multiple remote environments. The finished video may be widely distributed over several channels to audiences worldwide.

At the same time, other broadcasters may be capturing videos of the same event, especially in the case of news and sports coverage. When competing crews cover the same event, your loyal viewer needs to know they are viewing your production. Brand consistency is the key to broadcast media loyalty because viewers can readily identify your company. With all the players in the mix, how do you ensure that your videos are readily identifiable as yours? It’s all about branding.

Managing and Controlling Brand Assets

Your viewer’s experience will be curated and predictable when everything is right. Minor deviations may seem like no big deal, but branding mostly engages consumers unconsciously. Brand elements work on associations that build trust. The consumer’s loyalty and trust may be affected when something breaks the .

For video, branding assets are more than just logos, fonts, and colors. Your brand defines the user’s experience when viewing content and in the video. That experience is multisensory. In addition to text styles, graphic elements, and color schemes, your brand also includes audio (music, voiceovers, sound effects), the visual layout of the screen, the chyron location and style, the colorization palette, transition animations, special effects, and much more.

The files that make up these branding elements are media assets. Brand guidelines tell your creatives how to use the assets to produce content that aligns with your brand, but retrieving the correct version of the assets can be time-consuming and error-prone. There is no time for errors or misplaced files in broadcast video production. The camera crew needs to be able to ingest and attach metadata quickly and have it readily accessible so multiple creatives can begin editing the content and preparing it for distribution.

The proper Media Asset Management (MAM) system will optimize broadcast production and postproduction and control branding assets. Your team will readily find current, approved versions of the assets.

Your MAM system is essential for managing assets in broadcast media. When looking for effective MAM solutions for broadcast, key features like artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to enrich the metadata further. Your MAM should support communication, collaboration, automation, and workflow orchestration. Because many broadcasters have vast media archives and often have sophisticated OnPrem investments, a hybrid cloud solution that connects location crews and remote or studio-based editors may be the best fit.

While brand guidelines are helpful, templating and prebuilding sequences can ensure brand consistency and reduce production time. Quickly getting the finished video true to the brand is critical for broadcast media production. That’s where broadcast automation can make a big difference.

Editing software can be integrated with templates to provide further control over branding consistency. For example, in Adobe Premier Pro and After Effects, Motion Graphic Templates allow editors to work more efficiently. These templates can include a wide range of assets, including raw footage, prebuilt sequences, graphics, music, sound effects, After Effects compositions, and other assets essential to branding. Teams can share these templates globally with all the editors on the team, so everyone has access to the most up-to-date assets. These templates can reduce versioning time by 84%.

Ensuring you are taking full advantage of your MAM’s features is essential. Sometimes you have a powerful MAM, like CatDV, but you only take advantage of a fraction of the system’s power. CatDV, with its powerful asset management functions, automation, workflow orchestration, and collaboration tools, is well suited for broadcast production. Bringing in solution experts can help you get more out of your existing MAM. That was the case with our client, New Psalmist Baptist Church. They were already experienced in the broadcast when they approached us to partner with them to take full advantage of CatDV MAM’s workflow automation.

Contact Us Today

CHESA has a passion for the nuances of media workflow integration. We have strong partnerships with the best-of-breed technology providers in the creative IT industry. We take a holistic approach in recommending solutions that bring real value and benefits to your organization rather than selling technology for technology’s sake. Our team comes to the table with deep knowledge of the tools and vendors and is ready to address the demands and requirements of your environment and advance your business goals. Contact us today to find out more about how a Digital Asset Management Platform can foster collaboration at your organization.

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Archive Digital Media

Does My Organization Need a Workflow Analysis?

The journey from inspiration to a finished video is a complex one with many steps. When put together, these steps form your workflows, and your organization may benefit from a workflow analysis. Workflows can be direct and efficient or meandering with branches and loops. And the road changes as new tools and capabilities become available.

An organization’s workflow should continually evolve to take advantage of changing technology. Embracing continuous improvement is a hallmark of a high-performing organization. At times, workflows can develop through the work of existing staff. However, there are times when a workflow analysis is beneficial.

Here are some signs that your organization would benefit from a workflow analysis:

  • You want to implement new tools and software that will impact the workflow.
  • Your client base has shifted, and you are producing new types of video content.
  • You are implementing remote work or hybrid workflows, and your existing system was designed for on-Prem.
  • You have experienced growth, and your existing workflows are not maximized for the size of your team.
  • Your organization has hired an influx of new creators. Each member of the team brings new insights, experiences, and talents. A workflow analysis that includes observations and interviews with members of your creative team during the discovery phase can leverage these new creatives’ wisdom and identify improvement opportunities.
  • Inefficient workflows are having a significant impact on quality and productivity. When targets for timelines and quality are unmet, it can be a sign that your existing workflows are not as effective as they could be.

Benefits of Engaging with Workflow Engineers

An outside workflow engineer that provides deep consulting has a bird’s eye view of processes and operations that existing employees can’t replicate due to their role within the organization. These workflow engineers have experience with other production companies and can provide field-proven insights from their years working with a wide range of clients. They don’t just know your team’s tools and software; they have experience with other best-in-class tools and solutions.

When you engage with a solution architect to design workflows, you bring expertise with a high return on investment because workflow engineers are specialists in workflow design. You save time and money every time you produce a new video through efficient workflows.

But the engineer shouldn’t work in a vacuum and implement a cookie-cutter solution. Your team is vital in the discovery process because workflow design is about finding the best solution for your company and your creative team. Every company is different, and the process starts with identifying the goals and objectives you want to achieve with the design and implementation of new workflows. Are you seeking to address quality issues? Reduce production time? Improve access to media assets? Or work with clients in a new sector?

Once the goals have been established, workflow engineers work with teams to observe and identify ways to streamline processes and improve efficiency. Outside consultants offer objective insights not attached to the innovation-dampening perspective of “we’ve always done things this way.” Interviews with a wide range of users enable the workflow engineer to bring insights to the table from employees who may not typically feel comfortable sharing their viewpoints.

The deep consultation that a workflow analysis can do provides valuable information on your current workflows. All this information is documented in a comprehensive document that details the current system and workflows, any bottlenecks that have been identified, and recommendations.

Then the workflow engineer works on the design of your workflow solution. Your company will receive an integration plan that is designed to achieve the objectives.

But the benefits of a workflow analysis don’t end with implementation. An outside engineer can support your creative team post-implementation. And the improvements in efficiency from highly efficient workflows not only save time but create a working environment conducive to high creativity.

Contact Us Today

It’s essential for creative applications to interact with network, storage, and media asset management systems in order to facilitate and streamline workflows. Oftentimes, editors experience the opposite effect when these systems are improperly architected and configured. CHESA can evaluate your current setup and make sure the right infrastructure is in place to meet your needs and deliver your product with quality, speed, and efficiency.

CHESA has a passion for the nuances of media workflow integration. We take a holistic approach in recommending solutions that bring real value and benefits to your organization, rather than selling technology for technology’s sake. Our team comes to the table with deep knowledge of the tools and vendors and is ready to address the demands and requirements of your environment and advance your business goals. Contact us today to find out if your organization would benefit from a workflow analysis.

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Archive Digital Asset Management

Work Smarter with a Video Asset Management System

A video asset management system can help creative teams work smarter and gain efficiency. These systems can shorten the time to distribution without sacrificing quality. There is increasing pressure to deliver high-quality video on tight timelines across the industry—but success isn’t about working harder and grinding away at mundane tasks; it’s about working smarter.

Video editors can harness the power of video asset management systems to organize their assets and streamline their workflows. These systems address key pain points in the video production and postproduction process by providing a centralized location for all assets, ensuring they are readily available, and enabling collaboration with other team members. These systems often allow editors to automate repetitive tasks.

But getting more done in less time isn’t the only goal. The right system will also support high-quality creative work. Certain types of stress hurt creativity and the ability to initiate action. A video production project’s sheer volume of assets is a form of mental clutter that can stall progress and push editors out of the creative zone. The relationship between stress and creativity is an interesting one. Challenge stressors fuel innovation, while hindrance stressors thwart creativity. Poor organization and ineffective workflows are a form of operational “red tape” that forces editors to spend excess time searching and retrieving assets and to focus on seemingly repetitive tasks. Other hindrance stressors include a lack of clarity about roles. The right video asset management system not only brings efficiency to the management of assets but also eliminates hindrance stressors to ensure that editors remain in the creative zone.

How can Video Editors Optimize their Time?

There’s a lot that video editors can do to optimize their time. Here are ten practices to increase your productivity and enhance your creativity.

  1. Manage assets well. Staying organized ensures editors can access approved assets and are ready to work unimpeded. Video asset management systems and carefully designed and practical workflows cut through the chaos and help creators jump into their work.
  2. Ensure that your technology is properly configured. Correctly setting up the video management system is essential. The last thing that video editors want to do is spend lots of time troubleshooting technology. When properly configured, your video asset management software can help editors optimize their workflows, but poorly integrated solutions can cause delays.
  3. Ensure that everyone who touches assets throughout the process knows how to get the most out of your media asset management solution. It’s the key to ensuring everyone has access to the assets they need, and it is a big win for all team members.
  4. Editors should know their editing style and their strengths. Professional self-awareness helps editors optimize their time.
  5. Another way video editors can optimize their time is to increase their proficiency with their video editing software. The software that is available on the market is compelling. Most creatives only take advantage of a fraction of the power of their tools, many times leaning on manual and time-consuming processes. The pressure to be efficient can make editors feel like they don’t have time to invest in mastering the advanced features of their video editing software. For instance, keyboard shortcuts have a dramatic impact on productivity. Learning the software’s advanced features offers a fantastic ROI, allowing editors to work more efficiently.
  6. Adopt effective project management practices. Project management streamlines video production operations. Define roles, responsibilities, and timelines. Keep other team members informed of delays and obstacles to optimize their time.
  7. Effective communication and collaboration are essential. Use your MAM’s embedded review, approval, and commenting functions to ensure the crucial information is linked to the assets and in-process files rather than in a separate, disjointed system like email or messaging.
  8. Use automation. Simplify the nonessential so that editors can focus on the creative aspect of their work. Nothing puts creativity to a screeching halt, like being overwhelmed by numerous repetitive tasks. A good media asset management system will automate these tasks. This efficiency clears the mental space and will position editors for their most creative work.
  9. Integrate. One system rarely meets all your needs. Integration is a powerful way to design a system for efficiency and creativity. Connecting tools like your media asset management solution directly to your editing software through panel extensions allows for greater efficiency.
  10. Don’t wing it. Working with professionals who can advise your team on the best solutions and workflows gives a great return on investment. When editors are free to edit, they do their absolute best work.

Contact Us Today

CHESA partners with best-of-breed technology providers in the creative IT industry. We continually evaluate and test our solutions offerings, with CHESA engineers and Solutions Architects validating every technology we place into real-world integrations. No one system fits everyone. We take a comprehensive approach and recommend the best fit for each client’s situation.

CHESA has a passion for the nuances of media workflow integration. We take a holistic approach in recommending solutions that bring real value and benefits to your organization rather than selling technology for technology’s sake. Our team comes to the table ready to address the demands and requirements of your environment and advance your business goals. Contact us today to find out more about how your editors can optimize their time with powerful workflows and effective asset management.

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Archive Digital Asset Management

DAM vs. MAM vs. the Coexistence of Both

Digital asset management applies to files and media stored in a digital format. Digital assets include raw and original video and audio files, in-process project files, and finished files ready for distribution. The assets include branding elements, graphics, slide decks, text, music, and marketing files.

Digital assets for a single project can easily number in the thousands in any video production. Many of these files have multiple versions. Content is also coming in from many sources: production teams may upload raw footage, and your team may create new assets. Sometimes content is even produced by fans and customers.

There can be confusion between Digital Asset Management (DAM) and Media Asset Management (MAM). They both manage digital assets, but what differentiates them is where they are in the process and who uses them. An easy way to remember the distinction is that MAMs are upstream during the editing process, and DAMs are more downstream to share finished content with other creative teams, like marketing. MAM versus DAM is not an either/or. They should coexist in the asset management strategy for any production.

Without an effective Media Asset Management system, chaos can bog down production. An effective media asset management solution will handle the many formats used in video production, including video files, audio files, graphics files, text files, project files, color correction, VFX files, and audio mixing files. Your MAM software should be built for collaboration, allowing you to share with team members securely with permissions. It should feature enhanced metadata automation to maximize search capabilities with minimal downtime.

When the two systems coexist effectively, your DAM solution brings assets to the teams responsible for marketing and distribution. Your DAM solution should integrate well with marketing asset creation tools. There are many benefits when your MAMs and DAMs integrate effectively, including:

  • Better asset sharing. With a central location for all assets, team members can find, retrieve, and share assets from any location.
  • Improved efficiency. Team members can quickly get their hands on the assets they need; they can automate mundane, repetitive, yet essential tasks like asset tagging and metadata extraction so team members can focus on the creative and more rewarding parts of their work.
  • Better control of branding with the most up-to-date assets readily available.
  • Security. Access control and encryption features safeguard media assets.
  • Improved communication and collaboration.
  • Effective integration with various software applications allows creatives to find, retrieve, and edit without leaving their pane.

Fostering Collaboration with the Right Asset Management Tools

Video production can be a collaborative process that brings together the talents of many creatives. Often these team members work from different geographic locations. Media Asset Management Systems and Digital Asset Management Systems support collaboration with team members wherever they are. The benefits to production team members extend beyond the file storage capabilities, including:

  • MAMs help streamline ingesting and tagging. This efficiency can make a significant difference when on-demand production is essential, such as during news or sports events, where delays impact getting the video out on a tight timeline.
  • Nonlinear editing is supported.
  • The MAM enhances review and approval processes. Reviewers can comment, request changes, and approve assets. And nothing falls through the cracks because review and approval processes are managed within the MAM system rather than through other methods such as email.
  • Workflows are optimized and automated, allowing users to move through the process efficiently.

While we often think of video collaboration at the production team level, there is much to gain from choosing a digital asset management platform that allows collaboration with various team members outside the production team.

Increasingly, organizations are looking to feature teasers on social media channels and engage with influencers to get customers excited. Your marketing team members are using digital assets, creating new content, and sharing them with stakeholders through blog posts and videos for TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and other social media platforms.

Contemporary marketing requires a steady stream of high-value creative assets to excite people about your project. Visuals are essential to getting the message out and ensuring memorable campaigns. When your marketing team has access to high-quality assets for marketing campaigns, excitement builds.

A DAM system also benefits your campaigns by facilitating internal collaboration in this area:

  • When your marketing and sales teams can access brand assets and clips through your DAM platform, marketing can get to work early in production. This readiness shortens the timeline for the launch of campaigns.
  • A powerful DAM will help ensure brand consistency and allow other departments to access the suitable library of assets for slide decks, internal presentations, and external marketing campaigns. Consistent branding builds trust.
  • The marketing team can use the DAM platform to quickly find video assets created for a specific product or campaign. An effective digital asset management system will identify high-performance assets and allow teams to repurpose these assets for existing or future campaigns. Since there is less generation of new assets, there is better branding control.

Selecting the most effective MAM and DAM solutions for your organization requires understanding your organization’s specific needs and requirements. Consider the size of your studio, the types of videos you produce, and the needs of your creative team, your sales and marketing teams, and your customers.

When your MAM and DAM platforms coexist effectively, your creative team can work efficiently without losing focus. These conditions enhance communication and collaboration for all stakeholders.

Contact Us Today

CHESA has a passion for the nuances of media workflow integration. We take a holistic approach in recommending solutions that bring real value and benefits to your organization rather than selling technology for technology’s sake. Our team comes to the table with deep knowledge of the tools and vendors and is ready to address the demands and requirements of your environment and advance your business goals.

Contact us today to learn more about how a Digital Asset Management or Media Asset Management Platform can foster collaboration at your organization.

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Archive MAM

Unlocking Workflow Efficiency through Media Asset Management

professional using a laptop at his workstation

With a media asset management solution, you are poised to harness the power of that system for enhanced workflows. Media asset management (MAM) focuses on the in-process files to create finished video projects. The management of media assets has the potential to be a pinch point in video production. Tagging and organizing files are often time-consuming processes, but taking shortcuts on the front end can dramatically reduce efficiencies downstream in production and postproduction.

Finding the right media asset management platform can transform workflows, saving time and money. Optimized workflows are a win for everyone. Creatives spend more time in the zone doing the work they love, production studios benefit from improved efficiency and reduced costs, and clients benefit from getting high-quality video in a shorter time to market.

These tools help teams realize efficiencies throughout the entire process.

  • Ingesting assets is a time-consuming process. Media asset management solutions can automate the ingest process, saving time, reducing errors, and improving consistency. File transfer, format conversion, metadata extraction, tagging, and distribution can all be automated. Many systems support camera-to-cloud capabilities.
  • Many media asset management systems feature Artificial Intelligence and machine learning and can look inside and add tags and keywords. Automating metadata tagging reduces time-consuming manual entry and improves the consistency of tagging.
  • MAM systems hypercharge search and retrieval. Creatives can quickly find current, approved assets. Creatives won’t waste time recreating misplaced assets or reworking because the wrong version was used.
  • Multiple creatives can access project files and assets with all media stored in a centralized location.
  • Automation streamlines workflows and allows team members to focus on creative aspects of the project, enhancing quality.
  • Remote editing and proxy-based workflows allow true cloud operations.
  • Review and approval workflows enhance communication and reduce errors. Notes, feedback, suggested revisions, and approvals are not lost in emails or secondary communication channels.

Paving the Way for Organizations to do Media Operations in the Cloud

There was a first wave of migrating to the Cloud during the COVID pandemic, and the innovations that many firms implemented have become the new norm.

There are many benefits to moving towards cloud-based production. It’s scalable, allowing studios to scale up or down to meet demand. Instead of costly investments in infrastructure and information technology, your studio has access to some of the most powerful systems in the world. Talent from all over the world can collaborate in real time.

The innovations are here to stay, and more and more organizations are implementing media operations in the Cloud. If you think cloud-based media operations are suitable for your team, here are a few things to consider:

  1. Organized assets pave the way to implement cloud-based operations.
  2. Migrating media operations to the Cloud can be daunting. There are many options out there. Finding the right level of service is essential. Some may be too powerful and costly, while others won’t deliver your organization’s desired outcomes. The most cost-effective system will meet your needs without overdelivering.
  3. Bringing decision-makers to the table is essential but consider casting a wider net. Including employees early in the process will enhance the success of your migration to cloud media services.
  4. Innovations are always in the pipeline. Finding the right partner will allow you to collaborate and innovate workflows as new features become available.

At CHESA, successful migrations require a client-focused discovery process. In discovery, we seek to understand your company’s and your team’s goals. Ideally, your goals are specific and measurable and tied to addressing your company’s challenges. We’ll help you articulate the “why” behind your vision. You may be seeking to grow without a brick-and-mortar investment. Perhaps you need access to global talent.

A shared understanding of your company’s unique goals is essential to the process. Still, there are other considerations, including the scope of your plan and your organization’s capacity and readiness. We will look at your workflows, your tech, and your people. We will collaborate with you to engage your team and plan for change management.

Your team won’t be squeezed into a poor-fitting solution. Our cloud-based operation services are designed around your needs, whether fully remote or hybrid. We’ll also be there after the migration because a well-trained and supported team is critical in unlocking workflow efficiency.

Contact Us Today

From capture through delivery, CHESA designs, builds, integrates, and supports media workflow solutions with industry-leading technologies to create highly efficient systems that achieve our client’s business objectives. We are strategic partners and take a consultative approach.

Contact us today to find out more about cloud-based media operations.

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Archive Digital Media Technology

Why Switch to SMPTE ST 2110

Media over IP solutions, such as SMPTE ST 2110 and NDI, offer numerous benefits to media professionals, including increased flexibility, scalability, and cost savings. ST 2110 is a suite of standards that represents a shift towards a more future-proof infrastructure for the production and distribution of media content, while NDI is a software-based protocol that allows video systems to share video, audio, and metadata over IP networks in real-time.

SMPTE ST 2110 is the preferred choice for major news organizations and broadcasters as it offers improved quality and reliability, while NDI is better suited for smaller groups that need flexibility, rapid deployability, and cost consciousness. However, there are challenges with both solutions. SMPTE ST 2110 requires manufacturers to interpret the Networked Media Open Specifications (NMOS) standard consistently, leading to conflicts in environments with multiple manufacturers. Additionally, not all manufacturers have native SMPTE ST 2110 options for their equipment, which can lead to costly integrations. On the other hand, NDI compresses the video being fed into the environment, making it less attractive for large broadcast groups. It is also less reliable under high network loads and requires a minimum of 1GB networking on a stand-alone network.

Overall, transitioning to a Media over IP solution can help organizations streamline their workflows, collaborate more effectively, and create high-quality video content at a lower cost. SMPTE ST 2110 and NDI are both great options for achieving this, and it’s important to weigh the benefits and challenges of each solution to determine which is the best fit for your organization’s needs.

However, both SMPTE ST 2110 and NDI have their limitations and challenges. SMPTE ST 2110 can be complex to implement and may require significant investment in infrastructure and equipment. Additionally, there can be compatibility issues between equipment from different manufacturers. On the other hand, NDI may not be suitable for high-demand applications, such as live broadcasts, due to compression and network bandwidth limitations.

Despite these challenges, Media over IP solutions are the way of the future for the media industry. As technology continues to evolve and improve, these solutions will become more accessible, affordable, and reliable. As such, media professionals and organizations should consider the benefits and drawbacks of each solution when planning their transition to a Media over IP infrastructure.

There are several reasons why people should consider making the switch to SMPTE ST 2110 now rather than waiting:

  1. Improved Efficiency: SMPTE ST 2110 provides more efficient data transport and processing. With SMPTE ST 2110, you can separate audio, video, and data into separate streams, allowing for greater flexibility in routing, processing, and managing different streams of content. This can significantly improve overall workflow efficiency and make it easier to manage and manipulate content.
  2. Interoperability: One of the primary benefits of the SMPTE ST 2110 standard is that it allows for greater interoperability between different systems and devices. By using standardized protocols and interfaces, it becomes much easier to integrate different systems and devices, which can help streamline workflows and reduce costs associated with custom integration.
  3. Future-Proofing: By adopting SMPTE ST 2110 now, you can ensure that your systems and workflows are future-proofed for new developments and advances in the industry. With the rapid pace of technological change, it’s important to have systems that can adapt and evolve as new technologies emerge. SMPTE ST 2110 provides a flexible and scalable architecture that can accommodate future advancements in the industry.
  4. Cost Savings: By implementing SMPTE ST 2110, you can potentially save money in the long run by reducing the need for custom integration and simplifying workflow management. Additionally, the increased interoperability and flexibility of SMPTE ST 2110 can help reduce costs associated with equipment and maintenance.
  5. Industry Standard: SMPTE ST 2110 is quickly becoming the industry standard for IP-based video and audio transport. By adopting this standard, you can ensure that your systems are compatible with other systems and devices that are also using the same standard. This can help increase collaboration and facilitate greater interoperability between different organizations and companies.

SMPTE ST 2110 offers many benefits for all types of content producers from live broadcast media organizations to corporate and government public affairs and media divisions. As the industry continues to move towards using IP networks for the production and distribution of media content, SMPTE ST 2110 will become increasingly important for media professionals looking to stay competitive in the changing landscape of the media industry.

These are convincing reasons to make the switch to SMPTE ST 2110, but the question is when should we do it? Simply stated, the answer is now. There are many compelling reasons why organizations should consider making the switch to SMPTE ST 2110 now rather than waiting. By adopting this standard, you can improve workflow efficiency, reduce costs, future-proof your systems, and increase interoperability with other systems and devices.

In conclusion, Media over IP solutions are rapidly becoming the preferred choice for media professionals. SMPTE ST 2110 and NDI are two popular options that offer unique benefits and challenges. While SMPTE ST 2110 may be better suited for large broadcasters and news organizations, NDI may be a better fit for smaller groups that prioritize flexibility, rapid deployability, and cost-consciousness. Ultimately, the decision between these two solutions will depend on each organization’s specific needs, budget, and goals. If you have questions about either or would like to set up a call to figure out which is best for your organization, you can count on Chesa to help you navigate these often challenging decisions. Give us call. We are happy to help.

Categories
Acorn Blog Archive

AWS SaaS Factory Announces Support for CHESA’s Acorn Cloud

AWS SaaS Factory Announces Support for CHESA’s Acorn Cloud

Below is an excerpt from the AWS’ interview with CHESA’s Lance Hukill, CCO and Jason Paquin, CEO. Click here to read the entire interview.

By Oded Rosenmann, Global Practice Lead, SaaS Partners – AWS
By Anubhav Sharma, Sr. Partner Solutions Architect – AWS

Systems integrator CHESA supports media supply chain environments to help media companies build and manage operations in the cloud.

Dozens of years of consulting experience with creative teams and video editors helped CHESA identify a need for media asset management (MAM) collaboration tools for remote creative teams. Many of these teams have very limited media IT support.

As a result CHESA recently launched its MAM platform, Acorn Cloud – a cloud-based media workflow and management platform for creative teams to collaborate. Editors now have the ability to ingest, search, find, enrich, and retain their assets within a remote work-in-progress full stack solution.

With support from AWS SaaS Factory, CHESA built and launched the Acorn Cloud SaaS solution on Amazon Web Services (AWS). This allows small to mid-size creative teams to create, edit, and deliver video content with a lowered barrier to entry and as a fully managed service.

Read the entire interview here. 

Watch Acorn Cloud Ingest, Organize, Edit, and Find your Video Assets

Book your Demo of Acorn Cloud today!

 

Categories
Adobe Blog Archive Digital Asset Management MAM Technology

JAVA EXPLOIT – vulnerability with Log4j

Continue Following this Blog Post for Live Updates!

On Friday, December 10, 2021, CHESA received notice that there is a vulnerability with Log4j. “Log4j is a Java-based logging audit framework within Apache. Apache Log4j2 2.14.1 and below are susceptible to a remote code execution vulnerability where a remote attacker can leverage this vulnerability to take full control of a vulnerable machine.” CHESA Support is evaluating all environments for any vulnerabilities related to the Log4j. We have reached out to our vendors to gather information on if their software presents this vulnerability.

The following vendors have identified vulnerabilities or provided feedback. If there is a vulnerability in your environment CHESA support will open a case under your service contract to address the vulnerability.

Amazon Web Services – AWS Blog – Using AWS security services to protect against, detect, and respond to the Log4j vulnerability | Amazon Web Services. December 20, 2021: The blog has been updated to include Amazon Route 53 Resolver DNS Firewall info.

Archiware – P5 and Pure are not affected by the Java Log4j vulnerability. P5 and Pure do not use any Java code, that also excludes the use of the Java Log4j library. It is thus not affected be the Log4j vulnerability. Both products are based on the Naviserver that is written in the C programming language. 

Aspera – Aspera does not use log4jv2. The java applications use log4j-over-sl4j – which uses the same API interface as log4j but it is a different software component. There is one part of the java stack that does use log4jv1 – that is the trapd component when it is interfacing with the hdfs:// type storage. There are not many customers using HDFS. Since this is log4jv1 it is also not vulnerable.

Avid – December 20, 2021 Update: Avid is aware of the recently reported Apache Log4j RCE vulnerability.
CVE-2021-44228 – Please review the following document for more information, and follow Avid Best Practices for isolating your Avid systems from the internet.

Codemill –
Accurate.Video:
None of the Docker images that we currently distribute as part of Accurateplayer or Accurate.Video includes any version of log4j. Our product, Accurate Player Vidispine Edition (APVE), did have an issue with one of its renditions but this has been fixed and rolled out.
Cantemo:
Cantemo, Vidispine, and any other components are not impacted directly by this vulnerability. In Cantemo we have the following components that use Java: Elasticsearch – no remote code execution issue. Rules Engine 3: Tomcat/Activiti – using an older log4j that is not affected Vidispine and its components like Solr – no remote code execution issue. We will still release upgrades for all Portal versions under maintenance with an upgraded Elasticsearch, and potential automatic configuration changes to other components. Vidispine’s analysis here. 

If you want an immediate fix you can apply configuration changes to Elasticsearch here– and Vidispine+Solr (see Vidispine support message above).

Dalet – Flex: Flex itself is not affected, however, two third-party services are. Flex Java services and apps use SLF4J with logback, not log4j2, read here -vulnerability-and-spring-boot not affected. Third-party services exposed to this vulnerability: Elasticsearch and Logstash. This documentation explains more about the log4shell vulnerability in the context of these two services. Entire Security Bulletin and Remediation Instructions here

File Catalyst – At this time, FileCatalyst products are not impacted by this vulnerability. For the latest guidance.

Iconik – We determined that we had internal components which were running the vulnerable version of log4j but with a configuration that most likely made them not vulnerable (a recent enough Java with default settings which made it not execute any malicious code). We did however proceed to patch the vulnerable software to be doubly sure. We have also investigated our logs and have not seen any indications that there have been any exploits though we do see active attempts at exploitation from various sources.

IPV – Please rest assured that the use of Solr (read more here) in Curator is not exposed publicly on Curator systems. However, we do understand that the vulnerability is concerning so we’re recommending a patch to further mitigate any risk. For more info
You will need to do the following: Edit the Solr command file found in [Curator Server InstallationPath]\Server\Solr\bin\solr.in.cmd by adding the following line: set SOLR_OPTS=%SOLR_OPTS% -Dlog4j2.formatMsgNoLookups=true
Following this, restart Curator Server. To confirm the setting has been changed successfully, check the Solr Admin page on your Curator Server machine (located at: http://localhost:8983/solr/#/ ) to find the following under the JVM Args heading: “-Dlog4j2.formatMsgNoLookups=true”

Levels Beyond – On December 10, 2021 A Log4j Security Vulnerability known as CVE-2021-44228 was brought to the attention of our TechOps and SecOps engineers. After a full investigation of REACH ENGINE code, packages, systems, environments, completed shortly after notification, it was determined that all versions of Log4j libraries currently leveraged are not impacted by the reported vulnerability. We at REACH ENGINE take security very seriously and continually monitor the health of our code libraries and rapidly respond to any information of risk for our customer or their business. For now, all REACH ENGINE code packages are without impact however we will continue to be vigilant and follow the issue appropriately.

North Shore Automation – NSA Software – In addition, NSA does not use Log4j in any of our software. NSA VM deployments – A previous and unaffected version was installed as part of the base CentOS install on some older NSA VMs. It is an older version (1.2.x) and is not impacted by this vulnerability. This vulnerability was introduced in v2.x. The old version can safely be removed from the VMs without impacting any of the software running on them with the following command: sudo yum remove log4j

Open-E – In order to ensure the highest levels of security for our users, both Open-E JovianDSS and Open-E DSS V7 have been checked for any possible vulnerabilities related to the Log4Shell exploit. Despite the fact that our products’ core systems don’t contain the affected Log4j Java library, we’ve conducted multiple tests to check if the 3rd party management tools (which are run in cases where the related hardware is installed on the server) have not been affected.

Prime Stream – PENDING

Quantum and CatDV – Read Bulletin here Quantum is aware of the recent Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database entry regarding the open-source Apache Log4j utility and is actively monitoring the issue and evaluating its impact on Quantum products.

Scale Logic – PENDING

Signiant – https://support.signiant.com/hc/en-us Please note that we have investigated the Apache Log4j security vulnerability (CVE-2021-44228) and confirmed that NONE of the Signiant products are exposed or impacted by this vulnerability.

Studio Network Solutions – At this time we have not discovered any versions of our products that are vulnerable to this exploit. Our Statement

Telestream – Telestream has determined that the following products are not affected: Vantage, ContentAgent, Aurora, Cerify, Vidchecker, CaptionMaker, MacCaption, GLIM, Switch, Wirecast, Wirecast Gear, ScreenFlow, WFM, PRISM, Signal Generators, MPEG Analyzers, DIVAView, MassStore, iVMS, iVMS ASM, InspectorLive, Cricket, Geminus, IQ Media Monitor, Surveyor TS, SurveyorABR Active, PLM, cVOC, cPAR, Sentry, Sentry Verify, Medius, Consul and our Telestream Cloud Services . For products DIVACore, DIVAConnect, Kumulate, SurveyorABR Passive and Inspect 2110, contact  for more information.

If you have any questions, please open a case at chesa.force.com or call the support line at 410-705-6286.

Respectfully,

Marina Tucker – Director of Support Services and Customer Success

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diagnosis Before Prescription

At CHESA, we dont bring a pre-packaged answer in search of a question. Our primary mission is to first understand your unique challenges and needs, and then architect the optimal solutions tailored to you.