The Media Supply Chain: A Content Supply Chain Evaluation Guide

By Jason Paquin, Chief Executive Officer

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?

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.
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?
Do your software tools provide metrics that allow you to evaluate your media supply chain (e.g., digital rights, media usage across projects, etc.)?
Are workflow processes built into your media asset management system to help with automation?
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.
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.
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.