Forbidden, Sony And Cloud Editing

Content producers are under constant pressure to produce more, better programming for less money. And because time is money, the production industry is constantly looking for ways to reduce the delay between various stages of the production cycle.

Cloud-based platforms such as Forbidden’s Forscene have revolutionised post production workflows by providing access to centralised content with review, logging, search and editing tools over a standard internet connection. But some time is still lost in the gap between shooting the content and getting that content into the cloud.
Now Sony has released its CBK-WA100 wireless adapter for Sony cameras, which became available last November. With it, users can wirelessly transmit content directly from the camera to a broadcast station, on-premises server, or cloud environment.
Eager to prove the adapter's viability in real-world cloud-based video production, Sony approached Forbidden Technologies to develop a video post-production workflow that integrated the adapter with Forscene, one of the world's most advanced and widely used cloud-based post platforms.
From there, Sony wanted to find a mutual client who would put that workflow to the test. Enter Maverick TV, a long-time Forscene client and part of production giant all3media, the UK's largest independent television, film, digital production and distribution company. Maverick is not only pilot-testing the proprietary Forbidden/Sony workflow, but doing so on an actual long-form broadcast series for Britain’s Channel 4.
Forbidden checked in with Donna Mulvey-Jones, head of post-production and facilities at Maverick, to hear how the pilot is going and get her impressions of the workflow.

How are you using the Forbidden/Sony workflow?
We're using the new workflow on an observational documentary series for Channel 4. The documentary will air in four one-hour episodes and involves shooting all over the UK. We chose to test the workflow on this production because it's being shot remotely by a self-shooting producer/director who would benefit from the ability to be able to review his daily rushes remotely without having to send the media back to base first.
For this shoot, the producer is using a Sony PMW-200 camera with Sony's wireless adapter, CBK-WA100, attached to it and a 4G router. He roams around shooting during the day, and at the end of each shoot, he uses the adapter's app, Content Browser Mobile, on his smartphone to upload the material directly from the camera and the adapter over 4G into Maverick's account in Forscene. He can then log in to Forscene and start reviewing what he's shot and putting together rough cuts.
He will eventually do the edit at Maverick on an Avid, but with this workflow, he can do prep work in Forscene while he's out filming, and everything syncs back to Avid for the final edit.

What has been the biggest advantage of the Forbidden / Sony workflow for Maverick thus far?
The big advantage is speed. This workflow simplifies and speeds up the process of getting media into the producer's Forscene account so that there's no delay between the shoot and the edit prep. The producer is free to focus on filming during the day and uploading the content over 4G or Wi-Fi as he goes, knowing that he can start reviewing and making decisions about the content that night.
An added benefit is that being able to watch the rushes before the next day's shoot gives the producer the flexibility to make adjustments that will impact the production going forward.

After this experience, do you think you would use this workflow on other productions?
That would be the plan, because we're always looking for ways to save time (which can mean saving money). There aren't many things we've found that actually save us time, so this integration is a really positive thing for us. It all comes back to speed, and not having to wait for the media to come back to base.
We embarked on this trial with the hope that it could become a standard part of our workflow when using cameras that can take these adapters. For productions where speed or immediacy are very important (such as in reality-based programs), it would be a natural fit.
I can see the Forbidden/Sony workflow being very valuable for larger remote productions with multiperson crews, as well. In those situations, crews could be sending footage to the cloud directly from the camera as it is shot so that post teams back at the base could carry on with logging and editing immediately, rather than having to wait for media to be downloaded from the camera and uploaded or transported. It would also make for more immediate collaboration between the on-location crews and the central post team.

The article is available in the online edition of RFV here.

(IT/JP)