Category: Digital Asset Management

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Digital Asset Management

The Media Supply Chain: A Content Supply Chain Evaluation Guide

Just like a manufacturing supply chain has all the resources needed for production, your media supply chain includes all the raw materials necessary to complete a finished video for distribution. At one time, the supply chain for film included physical media like film and tape, but today it is far more common to have digital content. Digital files are well suited for cloud-based systems, and an effective cloud-based media supply chain solution will enhance operations across the project. Use our content supply chain evaluation guide to optimize your chain.

Media supply chain components will include:

  • Powerful Media Asset Management.
  • Cloud-based Acquire and Ingest workflows.
  • Full support of the most popular editing and postproduction tools, including Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro X, Avid Media Composer, Avid Pro Tools, and more.
  • Automated transcode capabilities for distribution.
  • Cloud-based archiving and storage to secure valuable content and allow repurposing to keep assets working for you.

A well-managed media supply chain ensures that everyone has access to the content they need when needed. Effective media supply chain management is more than managing the raw files; it is about orchestrating workflows, people, and processes. When there are issues in your media supply chain, your production may experience delays in distribution, or you may have a mismatch between the team members and the required work.

How do you know if an ineffective media supply chain is bogging down your production?

  1. Does your media supply chain ensure all team members have access to the files and raw materials needed to work efficiently? If you find team members waiting for the assets they need for their job, you may have a media supply chain issue.
  2. Does the software you use to manage your media supply chain manage assets from raw files at ingest, through finished videos, and finally archive and repurpose?
  3. Do your software tools provide metrics that allow you to evaluate your media supply chain (e.g., digital rights, media usage across projects, etc.)?
  4. Are workflow processes built into your media asset management system to help with automation?
  5. Is your media supply chain managed in the Cloud so team members can quickly access the resources they need from any location? More and more editors are working remotely. If your media supply chain is managed on-prem, you may miss out on the benefits of remote and hybrid teams.
  6. Can you identify your production bottlenecks? Every production has them. Consider how you could optimize and streamline processes and evaluate the impact of resources, time, and productivity.
  7. Can your media supply chain adapt to emerging needs, new clients, and changes in volume? A good media supply chain system should increase your organization’s agility.

Once you have completed your content supply chain evaluation, you may find it is the right time to modernize and move operations to the Cloud.

Building and Managing Operations in the Cloud

There is an abundance of options in the market to manage your media supply chain. The right partner can help make your move to the Cloud a success. Some studios are best served with a turn-key Software as a Service (SaaS) system, while others have legacy systems, special hardware and equipment, or specialized production requirements that benefit from the expertise of a systems integrator who truly understands the needs of the video industry.

CHESA recognizes the wealth of options available to you. We aim to advise you on the most efficient way to move forward. We get to the root of your specific needs through a Discovery Engagement that includes the following:

  • Getting to know your organization.
  • Listening to your unique challenges.
  • Spending time with users and observing them at work.
  • Working to understand your future-minded wishes.
  • Developing a document detailing your current system, including technical requirements and identified bottlenecks.
  • Sharing our recommendations for moving forward.

There is no one size fits all solution. The best solution for your company will be the one that matches your workflows and tools, leverages your strengths, and introduces new efficiencies. Perhaps you already have your own cloud provider, but you need support. At CHESA, we call that “Bring Your Own Cloud” or BYOC. When you already have a cloud provider, CHESA can manage and maintain your computer, storage, and MAM so your team can focus on the creative aspects of their job, knowing that their media supply pipeline won’t let them down. We also offer hybrid managed solutions where customers leverage their own infrastructure but also want to take advantage of the security of having computers, storage, and MAM at a CHESA co-location facility. And last but not least, we offer Acorn Cloud, a turn-key CHESA-managed and hosted solution that has been designed from the ground up for small and medium-sized teams.

There are so many options. The wrong fit will waste time and money. We can help you navigate through the options and avoid implementing an ill-suited media supply chain solution. By tailoring your cloud-based media workflow operations to your needs, your company will gain efficiency and have a great return on investment.

Contact Us Today

CHESA has helped many organizations complete their content supply chain evaluation and move their media operations to the Cloud. Our approach is to listen to our customers’ needs, learn about them, and then present them with solutions that will meet their needs.

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 taking your media supply chain to the Cloud can make your organization more agile and efficient.

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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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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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Adobe Blog Digital Asset Management MAM Technology

JAVA EXPLOIT – vulnerability with Log4j

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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

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Adobe Blog Digital Asset Management MAM Technology

How and Why CHESA Became an Adobe Video Solution Partner

The primary purpose of a solution architect’s work is to help clients use technology to their advantage. Given the prevalence of Premiere Pro and After Effects in our industry, I was already very familiar with Adobe’s video editing software applications and regularly sought to stay informed regarding changes and advancements in their products. CHESA has been working closely with Adobe for years, and when the opportunity arose to learn more and help CHESA become certified as an Adobe Video Solution Partner (AVSP), I jumped at the chance.

The training Adobe put together to become an AVSP was explicitly designed for systems integrators who regularly help clients smoothly transition their creative content through the many software applications and platforms they use to do good work. A few quick examples include best practices for transitioning sequences between Premiere Pro and Black Magic Design’s Davinci Resolve. Or, transitioning audio tracks between Premiere Pro and Avid’s Pro Tools.

We also explored the best ways to fuse tools like Media Asset Management (MAM) and Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems with Adobe’s software to help companies organize and share their work. Always with the goal of keeping their creative teams focused on what they do best. Adobe’s mission in providing this training was to share the best of what they have learned working with their customers. This then allows Adobe Video Solution Partners to help more end users/creatives/editors/VFX artists, etc., to fully leverage their software’s capabilities. 

Adobe started us off with baseline training. I went through modules covering a wide range of Adobe’s best practices, including setting up project templates and custom workspaces in Premiere Pro, everyday working practices and common keyboard shortcuts, hardware performance guidelines, balancing sound in projects, and standard delivery methodologies, etc. Each class essentially made sure we understood the basics of the editorial process using Adobe’s software. 

When we progressed to the more complicated modules, which covered more advanced topics, such as proxy workflows, Adobe Team Projects, or Premiere Pro Productions, that baseline curriculum served as a solid foundation to build upon. Also, Adobe made sure there were no shortcuts to certification, by the way. Tests with proofs were all built-in, so Adobe knew “yes, they did the work”. And, because I’m a nerd, I created an Adobe knowledge base for our engineers at CHESA to utilize, organizing all of our notes from the certification training. Ultimately it is now a knowledge repository that will continue to grow, where our engineers can find information to support our customers readily.

As a solutions architect, part of my motivation to dive into the training, and a key part of Adobe’s plan, is to provide customers with more access to expert resources regarding the best ways to use and integrate their tools with other platforms. Now customers can work with certified Adobe Video Solution Partners who can provide a conduit for communication with Adobe’s experts and engineers to solve problems and create even better tools. Certified partners were a missing link between the brilliant teams at Adobe and the incredible creatives in our industry. But, not any longer. Now, teams like CHESA can act as a force multiplier for Adobe and continue to hone our workflow therapy skills. 

I think the industry as a whole is going to benefit markedly from this program as it leads to greater collaboration and innovation. Creatives, media IT, and engineers now have a partner to provide constant feedback directly to Adobe’s teams on what creatives want and need and help refine and fast-track better user experiences.

Adobe’s investment in our industry, via AVSPs like CHESA, shows the level of commitment on their part. It illustrates their awareness of their shortcomings and their desire to share their valuable experience and knowledge to bridge the gaps between them and their customers. They’ve done the work to find systems integrators they can entrust their customers’ workflows to, and have prepared these new partners to dig even deeper into the hard questions that inevitably will help the platforms become better. Adobe knows that sending a client to a consultant/system integrator without knowing how strong their knowledge of Adobe’s ecosystem is, is not helpful to the industry or the success of their platforms. This process has ensured Adobe can have confidence that their valued community is in good hands with partners who can help them get the most out of their software and put unique workflows together to refine and empower their work.

More on the Adobe Video Solution Partner Program:
How can CHESA help me with my Adobe workflow?
The Workflow Show podcast with Adobe regarding the program
CHESA’s Press Release
Adobe’s blog on the Adobe Video Solution Program