Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1501110
he migration of media workflows to the cloud has been a growing trend in recent years. With its many ben- efits, from scalability and accessibility to cost-effectiveness and improved security, it's no surprise to see more organizations adopting this method of working. However, despite the benefits, there is more to consider in a long-term move to the cloud. The process of media creation, management and distribution has become increasingly complex. Media companies need to factor in automated processes, the effective use of metadata and integrated downstream processing to get the best out of cloud-based workflows. Setting the standard Media workflows consist of multiple stag- es, each with its own set of challenges when migrating to the cloud. At the core of any media production process lies the ingest phase, which lays the foundation for post workflows. Ingest has a signif- icant impact on subsequent tasks and can make or break the workflows that lead to final content output. Once content has been captured, it needs somewhere to be stored and processed, ready for distribution. Traditionally, this has been done us- ing hardware, which has satisfied the needs of media teams for years. But as the desire for flexibility grows, new and preferred ways of optimizing content processing have moved to the forefront. Streamlining the ingest phase is critical to achieving this. By leveraging soft- ware-based solutions, media companies can automate many of the tasks involved, such as transcoding files and verifying asset integrity. This reduces the time and resources required to process content. Cloud-based ingest delivers intelligent tools for data processing, as well as enhances both editing and orchestration workflows. But, to maintain cohesion throughout the chain, due diligence is required, therefore it is crucial that the ingest process sets media companies up for success. Incorporating a comprehen- sive file-naming convention, alongside the effective utilization of metadata, will not only ensure that content is organized when uploaded to the central production network, but also that it will remain con- sistent throughout the whole workflow. Quality vs. quantity Metadata provides essential information about the content, such as the date of creation, format and resolution. It allows media professionals to efficiently orga- nize, manage, search and locate content quickly, and ensures that the content is used appropriately and consistently, even when implemented across multiple platforms. By adding quality metadata at the ingest phase, media companies can improve workflows, reduce errors and maximize ROI. As more content is created in digital formats, media companies need to be able to ingest and process that content quickly and efficiently. Digital ingest workflows enable media companies to automate tasks, such as file format conversion, quality control and metada- ta management, reducing the time and resources required to process content. Direct-to-cloud systems are quickly becoming the go-to solution to fulfill the needs of software-focused teams. As well as removing the need for physical infrastructure, direct-to-cloud systems significantly reduce unnecessary manual processes, saving both time and opera- tional costs. The benefits of automation are especially clear during the transcod- ing of files into compatible formats, checking for corrupted or damaged files, and adding associated metadata. Despite its significance however, it is important not to get caught up in adding too much metadata. Metadata should simplify the process of storing and retrieving digital files, and irrelevant or unnecessary tags can do more harm than good. Media files are precious, and when managed with care, they can last in archive storage indefinitely. Although it is essential to consider how assets will be used in the short-term, it's also im- perative to think about their future use. Having clear and concise naming and tagging strategies within your organi- zation can prevent confusion and data overwhelm in the years ahead. Securing the future A software-based approach to ingest can help media companies to future-proof their workflows by making them more flexible and scalable from the start. However, it must be considered as part of a bigger picture. The ingest phase marks the beginning of the content's lifecycle through the media chain, so it is hugely important to prep files for the journey ahead. Mitigating errors before they arise will improve workflows in the long term. As the media industry continues to evolve, companies need to be able to adapt to changing consumer demands and new technologies. By leveraging soft- ware-based solutions, organizations can create more agile workflows that can scale up or down as required. Additionally, soft- ware tools can facilitate improvements in collaboration and communication between different teams and departments. Media workflows are complex, but by taking a cloud-based approach, organizations can create streamlined systems, which help teams to collaborate, share content and communicate effectively. The move towards cloud-based workflows has enabled the media industry to scale operations, reduce costs, and improve the security and accessibility of content. While it's impossible to predict the future, adopt- ing a new approach to ingest will ensure that organizations are well-positioned to secure the future of their media through- out its lifecycle. Cinedeck provides versatile solutions for both cloud-based and on-premise environments. THE FUTURE OF INGEST WORKFLOWS BY JANE SUNG COO CINEDECK NEW YORK CITY HTTPS://CINEDECK.COM PREPARING FILES FOR THE JOURNEY AHEAD T WORKFLOWS www.postmagazine.com 28 POST MAY/JUNE 2023 www.postmagazine.com 28 POST MAY/JUNE 2023