In the just published second installment of a series of Sponsored Entertainment & Advertising Technology features, SHOOT delves into how workflows are shifting, often in profound ways that are truly bringing the advantages of digital tools and technologies to TV, film, commercials, and many other areas of media and entertainment. In this feature, SHOOT spotlights four pioneering companies–including Prime Focus Technologies (PFT)–exploring how they have found ways to build workflows that enable flexibility, speed and creativity.
The feature titled “Surveying New Workflows: Expanding The Power And Creativity Of Production & Post” was published on January 30, 2015 across SHOOT’s digital and print platforms including SHOOT Magazine, SHOOTonline and The SHOOT>e.dition. Patrick Macdonald-King, PFT president responsible for North America, was interviewed for the article.
An excerpt from the SHOOT feature about Prime Focus Technologies…
Prime Focus Technologies’ focus is to offer technology solutions that “virtualize the content supply chain.” With CLEAR, a Hybrid Cloud technology-enabled Media Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) Suite, the company has a well-honed business that serves the media and entertainment industry across the content value chain. “It offers one software that not only helps create all the deliverables but manages marketing/publicity, distribution, engineering operations among other tasks,” says Patrick Macdonald-King, PFT President responsible for North America. “It allows you to do everything you need through a browser, in a cloud environment.”
Last year, PFT also acquired DAX, an EMMY award-winning cloud-based production/post workflow application that enables digital dailies and digital asset management among other tasks. “We wanted to take the company to the next level,” says Macdonald-King, founder/CEO of DAX. “The businesses were aligned: it allowed us to go further downstream and put PFT in production. Joining with PFT enabled us to manage end-to-end workflows across different verticals.”
“At PFT, we connect producers, studios, broadcasters,” says Macdonald-King. “We provide them one software to collaborate, collect, approve and distribute metadata back and forth. That’s where the DAX solution comes in.” PFT’s “core competency” is television; AMC, A&E, CBS, Fox, WB, Lionsgate, Showtime all rely on DAX for their workflow. A healthy handful of networks and specific TV shows also use DAX for script and document management, or what Macdonald-King calls “a complete virtual office.” Among those are Homeland, The Affair, NCIS, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Big Bang Theory.
Macdonald-King has watched how remote-access workflows have evolved, from the rare show shoot in Toronto that didn’t want to wait for DVD dailies to a standard across the industry. The turning point? “The thing that changed everything was the iPad,” he says. “It became an indispensable tool for viewing dailies and cuts. A lot of producers and directors want that intimate experience where they can take their content around.”
Digital dailies – on the iPad or any other platform – speeds up delivery, enabling decisions to be made more quickly. “Content becomes so accessible and mobile,” says Macdonald-King. “With our software, they shoot it and get it that evening. In today’s world, content needs to be turned around quickly.” After DAX enables the digital dailies process in production, CLEAR steps in and accomplishes every step required to get deliverables into the right hands as soon as possible.”
In an era in which digital breaches have become legion, security has always been taken very seriously at PFT. “We have very buttoned down security policies,” says Macdonald-King. “For example, we have the ability for people to do offline edits on an iPad, but it’s encrypted – with the same encryption technology as iTunes – and the content is removed from the device in seven days.”
PFT is always looking to meet client needs, and the most recent product, DAX Box, is evidence of that. It allows the viewer to use the application on a TV with remote control; it offers up to 15 megabits per second and 1080P resolution.
At NAB 2015, the next generation of DAX will be shown integrated with CLEAR. “Our customers can enjoy a wealth of additional features, including transcoding, forensic watermarking and DRM,” says Macdonald-King. “With it, our offering expands to a more enterprise level and will be able to manage larger assets.”
► Click Here to read the online version of the article.
► Click Here to view article in the PDF version of the January 30, 2015 of SHOOT Magazine (click on first issue at top of page)
► Click Here to view/download PDF version of just the article.
► Click Here to request information on the next SHOOT Entertainment and Advertising Technology sponsored feature. Sponsorship includes participation in feature article plus digital/print advertising & promotion. The next feature, 4K & Beyond, will be published on March 20, 2015.
Prime Focus Technologies (PFT) is the technology subsidiary of Prime Focus, the world’s largest media services powerhouse. PFT brings together a unique blend of Media and IT skills backed by a deep understanding of the global media and entertainment industry.
CLEAR™, our award-winning Hybrid Cloud technology-enabled Media ERP Suite and cloud media services help broadcasters, studios, brands, sports and digital businesses drive creative enablement, enhance ecosystem efficiencies & sustainability, reduce cost and realize new monetization opportunities.
PFT works with major content owners like Disney, Warner Bros., 21st Century Fox-owned Star TV, Zee TV, Warner Bros. Television Studios, CBS Television Studios, 20th Century Fox Television Studios, FX Networks, Crown Media Holdings, Relativity Media, Legendary Pictures, Starz Media, Lionsgate, A&E TV Network, HBO Asia, Google, MTV, Mnet, CNBC Africa, SABC, IFC, EROS International, SONY Music, Viacom 18, SONY MSM, STAR TV, Fox Television Studios, Showtime, BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), IPL (Indian Premiere League), Hindustan Unilever Limited and The Associated Press.
Prime Focus’ worldwide network of studios and WorldSourcing® model supported by a Global Digital Pipeline allows PFT to offer customers transformational solutions that help them virtualize business processes around content and manage the business of content better.
In April 2014, PFT acquired DAX, the creators of the Primetime Emmy® Award winning Digital Dailies®
Prime Focus is listed on the NSE and BSE in India. For more information visit: www.primefocustechnologies.com
About SHOOT Magazine / SHOOTonline
SHOOT® Magazine and SHOOTonline® are the leading publication and website for commercial and entertainment production & postproduction; edited for agency, movie & studio creative and production executives, executives at commercial and entertainment production/post companies, TV/Online/Mobile networks, brand marketer production executives, independent filmmakers and artisans including directors, cinematographers, editors, colorists, vfx supervisors/artists/animators, composers, sound designers & mixers. Through its “News” and “ScreenWork” sections, “Columns” and in-depth “Features”, SHOOT publishes timely news, relevant information and a behind-the-scenes look at the best new work and profiles/interviews with industry news makers. In addition, SHOOT reports on the latest cinematography, post & editing technology and equipment. If the work involves advertising and entertainment motion picture content that consumers view on a screen—a TV screen, Cinema screen, Computer screen, Mobile screen or Game screen, SHOOT is searching out who’s doing the most innovative work and what’s coming next. For further information please visit www.SHOOTonline.com®
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