Production workflows have become way more complicated than they used to for all sorts of reasons, but there are ways to keep the complexity under control.
The move from film or tape to files has had the incidental effect of massively increasing shooting ratios. It is simply easier to do more takes with more cameras, and keep them all, when they are “just” digital files.
It wasn’t that long ago when holiday-makers had to take one or maybe two rolls of 36-exposure film on a vacation and carefully choose the moments they wanted to capture. Now our cameras and phones get filled with hundreds, maybe thousands of pictures which we later need to sort out. The same has happened for the movie and television industry.
While shooting ratios have gone up, timescales have often been reduced. The goal is to get from set to screen as quickly as possible, especially to start recouping production costs.
More material; less time. We have to find a better way to work.
Many production workflows are still rooted in old, linear methods. Which is understandable: if you are trying to complete a project, then having proven and comfortable practices can be very reassuring. But it is definitely time to rethink the way we work.
The idea of having a central place for all the assets that make up a production is not new. All the material comes into a single server, and everyone who needs to access it can log in. Completed work gets written back to the same server, making the process convenient and streamlined.
This is great. But the challenge is that this “single server” might actually be a distributed set of storage nodes, on location, in a post house, at the production company, or in the cloud. The system that is tracking all the material needs a single database that covers all these locations.
Also, the content might come in different formats: the camera resolution (and there may be more than one camera type); the edit format (perhaps with a proxy for remote editing); and the delivery packages. Metadata needs to track not only formats and resolutions, but also the points at which value judgements are applied: quality control; editorial decisions.
But our main goal is to create the best possible television programme or movie, which means everyone, at every stage, needs to devote their energies on their part of the production without getting bogged down in the complexities of the underlying media management system.
The goal, then, is to have a high functionality, agile storage infrastructure that can handle multiple formats (and converting between them), is geographically diverse, and can manage metadata. That is exactly what EditShare FLOW was designed for.
But on top of that you need a simple, intuitive, role-appropriate user interface, so that each person in the creative team sees the information and content they need: no more; no less.
That is why we have developed EditShare One: the next generation of workflow management. One single sign-on; one place for capture, edit, review and deliver; one platform for production collaboration.
What makes this possible is a single user interface concept that is infinitely customizable. Every user has their own dashboard, showing them just the content and features they need. These dashboards are dynamic, so tasks can be assigned as needed, with all resources available.
We think EditShare One is a transformative leap forward in workflow management. It makes collaborative production environments practical and productive, and leaves creative people free to get on with creative tasks.
In my next blog I’ll look at a typical workflow, using the Produce Tool within EditShare One.
The Othrs, an award-winning full-service media and production company, has steadily earned acclaim with documentaries such as “The Great Hack,” “The Square,” “The Vow,” and the 2023 sequel “The Vow II,” offering audiences narratives of ordinary people traversing through extraordinary moments. These narratives are a testament to The Othrs’ talented and dynamic team, although crafting these compelling stories is accompanied by inherent challenges.
The Othrs experienced difficulties unifying their post-production workflows while maintaining rigorous content security. With its growing creative teams, The Othrs required a platform that was not only secure and user-friendly but also capable of accommodating its creative personnel scattered across the globe. To navigate these evolving challenges, The Othrs employed MediaSilo by EditShare.
Examining projects like “The Vow 2” and “Flight Risk” illuminates MediaSilo’s crucial role. Dailies were uploaded to the platform from one location in a format that, while compressed, did not compromise on quality, ensuring immediate access for globally distributed producers. Furthermore, MediaSilo became a centralized exchange hub for proxies, graphics, music and other vital assets, functioning as a secure repository and a dynamic exchange platform.
Specifically, MediaSilo’s advanced review and approval features proved indispensable for multiple projects overseen by The Othrs. Sebastian Iturralde, Post Supervisor at The Othrs, highlights the importance of MediaSilo by stating, “Real-time collaboration from people in other time zones wouldn’t be possible for us without MediaSilo.” The platform allowed for timecode-accurate comments and notes, which were essential for use within editing software like Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere Pro. Moreover, MediaSilo’s versioning capabilities facilitated unified change tracking between versions. “It was key to have the ability for everyone to seamlessly watch different versions of cuts while they’re all saved in the same place,” says Sebastian. This approach significantly enhanced communication clarity and efficiency during the review and approval processes.
“Real-time collaboration from people in other time zones wouldn’t be possible for us without MediaSilo.”
MediaSilo also served as a repository for pre-production and non-video files. In the event of an emergency, this approach provided a reliable cloud backup for the high-resolution media stored on their on-premises Avid NEXIS storage system.
Considering the sensitivity of content featuring whistleblowers within their type of documentary filmmaking, security is non-negotiable for The Othrs. MediaSilo, with its advanced permissioning tools and security compliance, stands resilient as a digital fortress. Recognizing the robust security measures provided by MediaSilo, The Othrs began entrusting it with increasingly sensitive content.
With their latest project, “Defiant,” which premieres this fall at DOC NYC and is a TIFF Official Selection, MediaSilo was considered vital in the submission process. “One of the key advantages of using MediaSilo was the ability to share a unique link with a distinct password for each festival, along with the option to set expiration dates,” said Fazïa S’Lika, Producer. These features simplified the submission process, allowing them to share the film with exactly who they needed to, when they needed to, without fear of leaks.
MediaSilo bridges the gap where remote and on-location workflows diverge, providing seamless facilitation of hybrid operational models through its intuitive design and robust functionality. Especially useful is MediaSilo’s “Feed” function, which keeps all team members on the platform up to date on any changes to their workspace and projects since they’ve last logged in. Karim Amer, co-owner at The Othrs, notes, “As the owner, I can get a sense for all of the projects by tracking the MediaSilo feed.”
Offering unmatched flexibility with user seats, storage space and a predictable cost structure, MediaSilo outperforms competitors in these domains. Its economical scaling solutions for enterprise-level usage are not only cost-efficient but also integrate into The Othrs’ existing workflows, accommodating both remote and on-location operations.
“We are on team MediaSilo. I use it every day.”
For The Othrs, MediaSilo isn’t merely a tool—it’s integral to their digital strategy and workflow. Sebastian points out that without MediaSilo’s capabilities, executing nearly 90% of their groundbreaking work wouldn’t be feasible. MediaSilo not only makes real-time collaboration possible in the fast-paced world of global production but ensures it is efficient and reliable.
Karim echoes these sentiments, emphasizing his daily reliance on MediaSilo as an indispensable operational tool that keeps him connected and informed about the pulse of all projects under The Othrs’ banner. For him and his team, MediaSilo is an integral part of their daily workflow, a silent partner that is as much a part of The Othrs as any producer, editor or artist.
The alliance between The Othrs and MediaSilo transcends transactional interactions; it’s a partnership forged from challenges and triumphs in the heat of production. MediaSilo is more than a technological tool; it embodies a strategy deeply embedded within The Othrs’ operational DNA, enabling them to continue their journey of telling extraordinary human stories. With security, efficiency and collaboration as its cornerstones, MediaSilo is more than a platform; it’s a catalyst for storytelling in the digital age.
Karim concludes, “We are on team MediaSilo. I use it every day.”
MediaSiloallows for easy management of your media files, seamless collaboration for critical feedback, and out-of-the-box synchronization with your timeline for efficient changes. See how MediaSilo is powering modern post-production workflows with a 14-day free trial.
All-in-one storage and asset management package for leading Brazilian broadcaster
Boston, MA, October 26, 2023 – EditShare®, the technology leader that enables storytellers to create and manage collaborative media workflows, has provided an EFS 300 storage node to TV Cultura. The system was negotiated, supported and installed by EditShare’s Brazilian partner, CIS Group.
TV Cultura is a very highly regarded public television network, based in São Paulo in Brazil. Part of the Fundação Padre Anchieta (Father Anchieta Foundation) and funded by the regional government, it focuses on educational and cultural subjects, but also produces and broadcasts sport and entertainment.
The production requirements of a new programme demanded collaborative workflows, with multiple users accessing the same project for editing with Adobe Premiere Pro. TV Cultura needed to provide comprehensive and secure production asset management, along with supporting direct editing on the storage device.
The EditShare EFS 300 is a compact, all-in-one storage appliance that provides high capacity storage – 128 TB in this installation – with transparent access for Windows, MacOS and Linux clients, and integrated production asset management software. In a 2U cabinet it holds 16 enterprise-grade disk drives, fully protected through RAID-6, and hot-swappable from the front. Storage can be increased at any time, either by fitting larger-capacity drives or by adding further nodes.
“We needed to create a new environment, where we could organize and categorize the media as well as provide secure storage,” said Nelson Faria, Director of Engineering at TV Cultura. “The key challenge was for a large production team to be able to work on the same project simultaneously: editors, colorists, graphics and producers. “The EditShare solution allows us to connect workstations and storage on a single network,” Faria said. “Users are still working in the software they are familiar with, but now have access to the organized material they need to finish the programmes quickly and accurately.”
Felipe Andrade, VP of Sales for EditShare’s Brazilian channel partner CIS Group, added “The application at TV Cultura is a perfect match for the EditShare design philosophy. We were able to demonstrate clearly how simple it is to integrate EFS storage, FLOW asset management and third-party tools like Premiere Pro. And, of course, we have a support team based in São Paulo so we were able to quickly configure and install the storage device, and provide training and guidance on workflows.”
“We are delighted to partner with CIS Group to provide TV Cultura with a storage and asset management solution that will enable them to collaborate more effectively and continue to produce high-quality content.” commented Said Bacho, Chief Revenue Officer at EditShare. “CIS Group has a deep understanding of the Brazilian market and has been instrumental in helping us to provide TV Cultura with the best possible solution. This partnership underscores our commitment to the Latin American market, ensuring that our innovative solutions continue to empower media professionals in this key region.”
The new storage and asset management system at TV Cultura went online in August 2023.
EditShare is a technology leader that enables collaborative media workflows on-premise, in the cloud, or in a hybrid configuration. With customer and partner success at the heart of EditShare’s core values, our open software solutions and robust APIs improve workflow collaboration and third-party integrations across the entire production chain, ensuring a world-class experience that is second to none. The high-performance software lineup includes media optimized shared storage management, archiving and backup, and media management, all supported with open APIs for extensible integration.
EditShare’s cloud-enabled remote editing and project management technology was recently recognized by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) with a prestigious 2021 Emmy® Award for Technology and Engineering.
About CIS Group
Since 1988, CIS Group has been a Media Technology solutions provider & systems integrator with core competencies across the professional services spectrum. Over the years our scope has evolved to include: Consulting & Workflow Design, Integration, Full System Commissioning & Installation, Technical & Operational Training, Maintenance & Support, DevOps, and Managed Services. Focused exclusively on the MediaTech space, CIS has delivered countless solutions aimed at a variety of use cases throughout the Content Supply Chain – including live production, post-production, archiving, and distribution. In relying on CIS’s expertise, our clients have been able to outsource a lot of their technical challenges, and focus their energy and resources on how the technology we implement ultimately delivers business value and creative value to their organizations. Enabling our customers to achieve their desired business goals and operational goals by effectively implementing our solutions is what we mean when we say that customer success is in our DNA. Learn more at www.cisgroup.tv
Just when you think everything is going well with your team’s project and the finish line is in sight, here comes the curveball. Someone was left out of the loop, or a senior executive gets surprised by a deliverable. The team scrambles to make last-minute changes and push back deadlines. Creative professionals know this can be discouraging. How can we improve our review and approval processes to ensure all stakeholders are included?
We all know that sometimes the approval process isn’t smooth. We’ll examine strategies for handling “curveball” feedback. So, let’s take a look at some specific, concrete steps that we can take along the way to give us the best chance at a smooth review and approval process.
Craft a solid brief
When you work with an agency, we may or may not deal directly with the client. But it is still our responsibility to ensure that the brief answers all of the key questions about the deliverable. Who is the audience? Where will this be seen? What are the goals of the campaign? What is the voice and personality of the brand? Getting as much information about the client’s goals as possible is critical to a successful end product. Here’s a great guide to crafting a brief.
Identify key stakeholders
It’s not uncommon for the task of creating a commercial to be handled by a Marketing VP or another higher-up. But sometimes, not everyone who needs to be involved is actually involved. Nobody wants to make the mistake of leaving out a CEO (who likes to be involved with everything) until the last minute. People who safeguard the brand visually and narratively must be all involved.
Another category of individual to consider is the “domain expert.” Companies often have individuals who really get the “heart” of the product and understand the customer’s desires. They might be in sales or even in product development. Getting those “domain experts” on your side can be vital to getting the final deliverable right.
A common decision-making framework is known as the DACI model. Each letter presents a key participant in the production and review process:
Driver: This individual doesn’t have sign-off authority, but they are responsible for moving the project forward.
Approver: You might have more than one approver. Usually, there is a chain of authority that needs to sign off. But overall, it is best to try to avoid having too many cooks in the kitchen.
Contributors: These individual contributors bring their talents to the table and help get the various aspects of the project done.
Informed: By keeping key people across the organization in the loop, you’ll avoid hearing “why wasn’t I consulted.”
MediaSilo delivers an environment for the members of a DACI team to collaborate. For instance, versioning helps to identify which export of a video a particular note applied to. And then, you can see how it was addressed in a subsequent revision.
Collaborate on the concept
When the stroke of genius hits you, and you draft that fantastic concept, view it as a rough draft. Sometimes, it’s hard not to be precious about a concept that works together on every level. So make sure your script and storyboard make the rounds to everyone who could kill it later. Help people to feel like they are a part of the process and that they are heard. This step will set you up for a successful review and approval process once the cameras have stopped rolling.
Work through legal and clearance issues
Keep in mind that your client may need to have their legal counsel provide input before and after you film your spot. Music and location clearances need to be in place to protect the company. And they will want to make sure that nothing in the piece could create unnecessary legal risk. It is key that the concept not rely on an element that might get struck down by a company’s internal legal team.
Gather broad internal feedback
When reviewing elements and deliverables, I like the saying, “Show your work early and often.” It can be scary to send out incomplete work, but platforms like MediaSilo provide a great way to get feedback at critical stages without slowing down the creative process. This way, the agency and client can feel like they have a handle on the process, and you can ensure buy-in along the way. Even then, it can still be tough to know who needs to see what at which stage. But getting early work in front of people can head off headaches. It also builds trust because it demonstrates a level of vulnerability. And your creative team will instantly know when you need to make course corrections.
This step is also where the presentation features of MediaSilo can make a big difference. When the work is presented online or in person, all distractions must be eliminated. It’s a key moment to control the messaging and ensure the work gets presented in the best light possible.
Handling creative differences
Inevitably, creative differences arise. These are the “curveballs” we’re talking about. It’s the director’s job to work through the client’s feedback and figure out ways to make them happy while still realizing the creative vision. This moment is where it can be really helpful to gain feedback from various sources so that there is a balance to offset the feedback from one influential individual. One executive may have a strong objection to a particular element, but if other voices like it, those voices can help soften the blow. As daunting as it may seem, gaining feedback from as many voices as necessary is ultimately helpful to get the deliverable across the finish line.
Avoiding defensiveness is key when hearing feedback. The temptation to defend the work is always present, but it is more effective to take notes, and give a little time to try to get to the core of the objection. When you are in the moment and receiving pushback, your stress level rises, and it is hard to think clearly and respond well. Sleeping on feedback is honestly one of the best methods for processing it. Take some time to process it, gain input from other voices, and allow for creative solutions to present themselves after a night of sleep.
Curveball feedback can yield even better work than originally planned. Sometimes, that feedback reveals a weakness in the spot, even if the person giving the feedback could have been more precise in articulating the exact problem. When people try to explain what they feel in their gut, there is often a significant disconnect, but there is still something real there. An experienced storyteller can digest that feedback and uncover the real reason a piece isn’t working. That insight can yield new creative solutions that fix those underlying problems.
Focus groups can help
Once your commercial is “finished,” a helpful step can be to get feedback from people outside of the process. Sometimes, we are so “head down” in the work that we miss obvious things. So, feedback from internal focus groups or even beta testers of software products can point out things that we would miss. It’s important to hold this feedback loosely, but it can also be illuminating.
When feedback from focus groups is obtained, it is important to consider their similarity to your main audience. For instance, sometimes, the hardest core fans of a particular product do not represent the majority of the customers of that product.
Final sign off
When it is time for the finished piece to make rounds, ensure everyone gets included again. The two critical junctures for broad approval are the storyboards and the final sign-off before shipping. Hopefully, the rounds of internal feedback have helped finesse the deliverable to perfection. However, it is still worth asking, “Has everyone who needs to see it had eyes on the final version?”
Conclusion
Keeping everybody in the loop can be challenging with the best of plans. That’s why it’s critical to have tools like MediaSilo that reduce the friction and help keep everyone in sync. See those curveballs coming, and the team will hit them out of the park. And that’s the kind of teamwork that leads to repeat clients, happy teams, and creatively fulfilling work for all involved
MediaSilo allows for easy management of your media files, seamless collaboration for critical feedback, and out-of-the-box synchronization with your timeline for efficient changes. See how MediaSilo is powering modern post-production workflows with a 14-day free trial.
Reuben Evans is a director, an award-winning screenwriter, and a member of the Producers Guild of America. As the former executive producer at Faithlife TV, he produced and directed numerous documentaries and commercials. Reuben’s tools of choice are RED Cameras, Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve.
Movie trailers. We see them by the dozens every time we watch a film in a theater. A trailer can provide great entertainment but also serve as an important marketing tool for filmmakers.
We spoke with three editors, all of whom have extensive experience working with movie trailers, to get their perspective on movie trailers today.
We’ll be hearing from:
Ryan Connolly of Film Riot. If you’ve ever looked for a filmmaking or editing tutorial, there’s a good chance you’ve discovered one of Ryan’s videos. In addition to their YouTube channel, Film Riot also has a terrific blog covering helpful topics ranging from pre-production all the way through post-production.
Chris MacDonald of Film Editing Pro. They have a 46-lesson course called The Art of Trailer Editing, which walks students through every aspect of putting together a trailer, including offering sample footage to work with to create your own trailer.
What aspects of a trailer make one great?
Ryan: The music and the pacing are major factors. I think the music is probably one of the biggest factors in that. The music doesn’t have to actually be a needle drop song; [instead] it could be the use of sound design. The use of sound from the film creates the music for the trailer itself and creates the pacing of how the trailer unfolds.
Pacing is paramount as well. I think the mystery is subconsciously asking a question of some kind, planting a seed in the audience’s mind that has this idea that they need to be answered. [Giving them] some sort of mystery that will pull them to the theaters. Because the ultimate job of a trailer is to get butts in seats or get clicks if it’s something on the Internet.
Patrick: At Muse, we have a thing that we call ‘the who gives a shit? meter’ and that’s about looking at any kind of content across mediums and asking yourself how much it’s really pulling you in, making you ask questions and caring in any way.
The number one aspect of a trailer, for us, would be that you have to get your audience’s ‘who gives a shit meter’ going as far off the charts as you can.
Visuals, SFX, soundtrack, and pacing all play into that—but that is more about characters and conflict, and all of it coming together to make your audience care and want to know more. It sounds simpler than it really is—, but when you get that, you have to motivate them enough to plop down $15, drive to a theater, and give 2 hours of their time. You really need to get that “WGAS” meter going.
Chris: A great trailer is one that tells the film’s story quickly and understandably by using the best ingredients the film has to offer.
With comedy, that means you’re telling the story by weaving together the funniest moments in a way that conveys the plot, typically supported by graphic cards and occasionally narration to tie it all together. Action uses the biggest, most exciting moments. Suspense moves you from scare to scare while explaining the plot.
Trailers of all genres will typically save the biggest, funniest, scariest moment for the end, right before the main title lands. The entire arrangement of these moments is made enjoyable to watch and seamless via the heavy use of music and sound to drive the cut forward at a pace that’s faster than the story would typically be told.
When an editor can include all these great moments in a rhythmic and natural-feeling way, you’ve typically got a great trailer on your hands. It also helps if the movie is good.
What recent trailers stand out to you as great?
Ryan: There are a lot of really awesome, more current trailers. Hereditary is a huge one.
That trailer was really brilliant, and its use of sound and the music that they chose was very brilliant.
I think all of Jordan Peele’s trailers are excellent: Us, Get Out, Nope. All of them really ramp up that mystery to get you to want to know what that is. But also, his selection of music is some of the best out there currently.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was a really great one, really great use of song and really great pacing. It got the tone of the trailer across.
Mad Max: Fury Road, I thought, had such an amazing kinetic energy to it that really told you what you were going to get into with the film without giving away too much. It all translated into the trailer. That worked really well.
Patrick: I have a personal policy of shutting off a trailer the moment I know I want to watch a film. They often tend to give away too much and so I usually only watch 15 to 20 seconds, and it tells me enough about whether or not I want to watch the film.
The trailer for Top Gun: Maverick is one of those examples where it’s not traditionally a film I would see; however, within the first 30 seconds, I was hooked, shut it off, and then went to the theater that week to check it out.
Ryan: I thought Inception was an absolutely brilliant trailer. Obviously, that shifted things quite a bit when it came to trailers. A lot of people mimicked how Inception sort of went about its marketing.
And then there’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, [whose] use of music drove the whole piece. You get that quick cutting, hammer driving the nail into your skull, which translated perfectly into what the film actually was without giving away a ton.
Going a little further back, speaking of tonally and the use of sound, I think Little Children is a really excellent trailer. It uses sound as music, and it’s maybe tonally one of the most incredible trailers. Its use of sound is really perfect to drive that growing sense of dread and asks so many questions.
The Shining is a brilliant trailer where it’s just one shot of the elevator, and the blood opens up and it’s just text. It asks a litany of questions that are screaming to be answered.
Patrick: I find it fun to go back to classic trailers, such as the one for Rocky, and you can see the principles of story structure and something like The Hero’s Journey at play inside of that three-minute trailer.
They’re very old school in style and don’t play like a modern trailer at all – they kinda look like film scenes mashed together – but as a way of learning about structure, they’re wild to watch.
Chris: I don’t know if it’s been long enough for this to be a classic yet, but the entire campaign of teasers and trailers for Mad Max: Fury Road was a beautiful and well-executed series of cuts that accomplished everything [I’ve mentioned about trailers].
What are your thoughts on how much should be revealed? Are the best trailers just emotional rides with no insight into the story? Or do great trailers give you a little taste?
Ryan: Some of the trailers that I’ve mentioned don’t really give you that much of a taste of the story but more of the tone of the film. Some give a whole lot of story. I’m not a big fan of giving too much away because you’re then detracting from the actual experience.
The marketing team is just trying to get butts in seats and make back the budget of the film, of course. But I think a perfect trailer has little hints at what the film will be about. But more than anything else, I think the most important thing for me with the trailer as far as what to convey to an audience it’s not necessarily about story plot points but conveying what sort of experience [the audience is] going to be in for.
Conveying that is paramount. Above all else is, “What is the thing that’s going to get them to click?” I think it is an exciting trailer that grabs you but also asks questions and plants little mysteries in your mind that you will feel then feel compelled to solve.
Patrick: I believe that the commercial answer is that you do what you have to do to get somebody to watch the film. But we personally don’t subscribe to the clickbait model where you’re less concerned about whether or not the person who checked out your content actually feels like they got value and had a good experience.
We very much try to set up a strong story with a good deal of intrigue while leaving a lot more for the final film so that we are delivering on that experience.
Chris: There are multiple types of trailers. Each has the same goal of presenting the film in a way that will entice a person to see the film, TV show, doc, etc. All seek to generate an emotional response from a viewer en route to that goal, whether the response is laughter, excitement, fear, nostalgia, or just a feeling of “I want to live in the world of that film for 90-120 minutes”.
Shorter promotional pieces like teasers live up to their name and tease just a bit of the plot while focusing mostly on generating emotion. Often, this is a strategic marketing decision as much as it is a logistical one.
Many times, when a teaser is being created and often even released, much of the movie has yet to be filmed. Occasionally, teasers are largely graphical and use little to no actual footage from the film. The majority of trailers, however, focus on telling a shortened version of the story, highlighting the best parts, whether they’re jokes, scares, or action set-pieces.
A common complaint is that “the trailer spoiled the film.” That’s a subjective statement and one I think is rarely true. If a trailer makes a movie/show look appealing to a viewer and doesn’t reveal a critical plot point, like the main character dying, it’s done its job. Watching a film is about the journey and experience. If a 2-minute and 30-second trailer can ruin that entire experience for a viewer, the movie/show probably didn’t have much to offer and wasn’t worth watching in the first place. That viewer should probably just thank the trailer editor for saving them $15 and 2 hours of their time!
You are also a filmmaker and content creator. What storytelling and editorial tricks/techniques can movie trailers teach us to use in our day-to-day work, whether short/feature films, YouTube videos, or branded/commercial content?
Ryan: The main thing is capturing the audience’s attention. Trailers do such a great job at that. They come in fast, gripping you, and then try to keep you there for the entire runtime of the trailer because it’s trying to sell something to you.
But it’s an emotional journey, you know? That’s what’s going to do it the most. Whether I’m writing the script for a feature or I’m making a short film, that’s always an aspect of the thing that I’m thinking of, keeping every possible moment compelling to some degree. Not saying that the moments are screaming at you, and they’re all loud action moments, but even when it’s a quiet moment between two people talking, what are the under-beds of theme and conflict there? Maybe that’s keeping the scene intensely compelling. And I think trailers do that just unbelievably well.
Patrick: From a storytelling perspective, we very much focus on character and conflict, as in how can we show you a character that you love or that you love to hate, but more so that you want to know more about.
And then how can we constantly bring in conflict, which, from a psychological perspective, creates a question in the viewer’s mind? If you can create a character that the audience feels connected to and a bunch of questions they want the answer to, it’s very much how we can motivate somebody to want to watch our film.
I believe the common mistake is that we vastly underestimate how much conflict is required both in a strong trailer and in a strong feature film.
Chris: I find myself drawing on trailer editing techniques constantly while creating content for our training school Film Editing Pro. Obviously, promotional pieces benefit from trailer-style editing, but even YouTube intros, lesson transitions, and the overall pacing of training videos and tutorials draw on the skills of the trailer world. This is a bit of a “meta” example, but this tutorial on How to Cut a Movie Trailer makes heavy use of trailer-style editing to keep the viewer engaged throughout the lesson.
So what makes a trailer great?
The answer is complicated. Every editor we spoke to gave a different answer, but the main thing that connects all of the answers is that a trailer needs to make you feel something and get you excited.
Ryan and Chris both pointed out Mad Max: Fury Road as a trailer to look at for understanding how to tell a story with tone, sound, and music.
The main takeaway is that if your storytelling hooks an audience, they will likely want to see your movie.
MediaSilo allows for easy management of your media files, seamless collaboration for critical feedback, and out-of-the-box synchronization with your timeline for efficient changes. See how MediaSilo is powering modern post-production workflows with a 14-day free trial.
Brian is a director, producer, and editor based in Los Angeles. He runs a boutique production company called Forge and Discover, which works with brands of all sizes in helping to tell their stories. He’s also one of the trainers at filmeditingpro.com, where he teaches various editing techniques and conducts demonstrations.
For every All Elite Wrestling (AEW) event, nearly a million enthusiastic fans from 6 different continents tune in and wait for their favorite wrestler to appear. The AEW graphics team creates 100s of assets each week that need to be distributed within the arena and to their partners worldwide before the show starts. There is zero time for errors, especially from their software. This is the high-stakes world of All Elite Wrestling, and they rely on MediaSilo to keep their workflow running smoothly and their extremely passionate fans satisfied.
Since 2019, AEW has built a loyal fanbase of over 41 million viewers worldwide by providing the most spectacular wrestling matches and entertainment anywhere. Their fans don’t just expect to stay informed on the latest news – they demand it.
With partners and fans relying on them for information, efficiency is critical, and software malfunction is not an option. Dealing with system-wide shutdowns caused by file sharing across borders could lead to delays and undeliverable assets. With incredibly tight deadlines, stalled delivery times would be unacceptable and quickly lead to frustration amongst the team and partners. With their fans’ near-insatiable appetite for content, the risk of losing engagement isn’t an option. They need a platform that can handle their international workload.
Adding another layer of complexity is the sheer number of assets the AEW team needs. Creating digital and social assets for multiple shows in multiple countries every week means keeping track of hundreds of unique file types and sizes, as well as the latest revisions. Collision assets are a different size than Dynamite assets; some international partners require unique dimensions and in-arena LED assets to consider as well. And the lack of detailed tagging made the process confusing and time-consuming. AEW sends hundreds of assets a week to twenty different partners, and they had no way of knowing if the files they sent were ever opened or viewed, leading to duplicated efforts of resending graphics that had gone overlooked or links lost in emails.
After researching multiple video collaboration platforms, a colleague showed them her MediaSilo workspace. They liked how straightforward our platform appeared and reached out for a free 14-day trial. From the price point, functionality, download capabilities and, most importantly, our reliability and customer support, they were sold.
“Since we switched to MediaSilo, we haven’t had a single issue of any person saying that this link is not working or I can’t download this file.”
We collaborated to simplify their workflow and gave them a single solution to manage and distribute their finished assets – one that always offers global coverage and consistency to everyone. Manually keeping track of delivered assets and links was also a thing of the past. Folders are created where the graphics team drops assets tagged by talent. Each file is tagged so that it’s easy for anyone to recognize the wrestler, where the match takes place and where it needs to be delivered. Unique links are sent to partners where MediaSilo’s Insights feature provides searchable analytics that track when, where and for how long any asset is viewed. Meaning AEW knows when it’s been opened and downloaded, reducing duplicative efforts.
Most importantly, they never have to worry about broken links or getting locked out of their system. “Since we switched to MediaSilo, we haven’t had a single issue of any person saying that this link is not working or I can’t download this file,” says one AEW employee. “We’ve even used MediaSilo on the fly to get assets from our production facility to the truck outside and into the arena, saving valuable time on event days.”
AEW has worked hard to test the limits of MediaSilo but has found nothing but success with this partnership. “We use this tool every week,” one AEW employee says, “and it’s been very reliable.”
They needed a powerful media management and distribution tool to stand up to their fast-paced international workflow. MediaSilo helps reduce excessive time and stress, allowing them to focus on what really matters – delivering quality content that keeps their fans engaged.
MediaSiloallows for easy management of your media files, seamless collaboration for critical feedback, and out-of-the-box synchronization with your timeline for efficient changes. See how MediaSilo is powering modern post-production workflows with a 14-day free trial.
My first few weeks as CEO, EditShare’s vision, and the evolving role of AI
Towards the end of the show, a few folks asked me to sum up how it felt to see our team in action so soon after joining the company. The word I chose was “inspired.” I’ve come to appreciate the rich legacy of empowering storytellers that EditShare upholds, and seeing first-hand our team, products, and plan-of-attack coming together at such an important event, it’s hard not to feel wildly optimistic about what the future holds.
Where AI Is Headed
IBC 2023 also brought with it more and more conversation around the most compelling trend in our space today: the emergence of AI. In particular, we noticed an explosion of smaller AI-enabled companies aiming to streamline critical workflows within the content creation processes, from video editing to transcription and beyond. However, there’s a common challenge – harmonizing those workflows within one intuitive interface. I’m proud to say this is an area where EditShare is positioned to shine with the introduction of our new solution, EditShare One, which we unveiled at IBC 2023.
EditShare One, Transcription View
It’s been fun to hear the early feedback from customers and partners who have had a chance to see what EditShare One can do. We heard from more than a few people how useful the AI-integrated Transcription View will be to their producers – and the seamless integration we’ve built through FLOW into Premier Pro and Resolve also stood out at the show.
At EditShare, we’ve already made waves in post-production with innovations like Universal Projects, which lets teams work with whichever editing software they prefer. We’re pushing that idea of openness even further with EditShare One. My commitment to our customers is to keep building products that meet them where they are, and helping them balance the tension that comes with creating exceptional content within tight, demanding timelines. EditShare One is a natural next step in delivering on that promise, and we can’t wait to get it into the hands of more of our customers.
A Powerful Combination
As I look at our combined portfolio of products, I’m especially thrilled about the integration of the MediaSilo product into the EditShare ecosystem. We built MediaSilo to bridge the gap between creatives and non-creatives. It provides a platform where content can be effortlessly shared, organized, reviewed, and approved, unsticking collaboration between teams, with the security features such as watermarking and DRM to provide confidence that when media is shared, it is only being shared to the right eyes and ears.
This merger not only bolsters our commitment to providing comprehensive solutions but also opens up new horizons for creative professionals and organizations seeking to streamline their media workflows. It’s an exciting chapter in EditShare’s journey, and one I’m so excited to help shape in my first few months as CEO.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by to see us at IBC, and looking forward to meeting many more of you before we close out 2023.
Ramu Potarazu
After a 146-day strike that halted television and film production and threw the entertainment industry into crisis, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) reached a tentative agreement on Sunday night. If guild members vote to accept the deal in the coming days, some 11,000 writers can finally return to work.
Though the WGA cannot discuss details of the deal “until the last ‘i’ is dotted,” most speculate that the agreement includes almost everything they wanted from studios, including increases in royalty payments for streaming content and assurances that artificial intelligence will not infringe on writers’ credits and compensation.
In a published memo to its members, the WGA negotiation committee said with great pride “that this deal is exceptional — with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership.”
What does this mean for the SAG-AFTRA strike?
While the end of the writers’ strike comes as a relief to many, it doesn’t mean everyone returns to work as usual. With almost 160,000 Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) members still on strike, the only shows restarting production soon will likely be late-night and daytime talk shows.
SAG-AFTRA members walked out in July over similar disputes relating to low pay, streaming residuals and AI, to name a few, and the group has no talks scheduled with studios yet.
In a statement released on their site after news of the tentative WGA deal, SAG-AFTRA applauded their counterparts for “incredible strength, resiliency and solidarity.” They also emphasized that the organization’s strike would continue, urging the “studio and streamer CEOs and the AMPTP to return to the table and make the fair deal that our members deserve and demand.”
The WGA continues to support their acting counterparts, calling on their members to join SAG-AFTRA on picket lines this week. Many hope that the negotiations accomplished by the WGA will lay the groundwork for SAG-AFTRA to reach a resolution with studios quickly since it addresses many of the same concerns.
Studios are undoubtedly feeling the effects of the strikes, with stock prices for Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global having dropped and analysts estimating that studios will forgo as much as $1.6 billion in global ticket sales for movies pushed to next year. And while everyone in the entertainment industry collectively breathes a sigh of relief at this week’s progress, economists estimate that the dual strikes have cost the California economy roughly $5 billion.
What now?
This deal does not mean that the strike is over or that the entertainment industry can return to work immediately. Picketing has stopped, but contracts must be finalized. The WGA negotiating committee needs to vote; then their 11,000 members must accept the terms of the new agreement before the WGA strike is officially over.
In addition to the striking actors, more than 100,000 behind-the-scenes workers — including directors, camera operators, publicists, makeup artists, prop makers, set dressers, lighting technicians, hairstylists and cinematographers — will continue to stand idle, many with mounting financial hardship. Some A-list members of the Writers Guild pressed for a return to negotiations, citing the pressure on idled workers.
TV dramas and comedies will likely take the longest to come back because of the actors’ strike and the complicated logistics necessary to restart large-scale productions. Production will need to contact crew members and writing teams to resume, which might take some time if people have moved away from their filming locations, Variety reported. Shows will also need time to kick-start marketing campaigns so that audiences know to tune in.
The industry pivots
The implications of the record-breaking strikes are unclear, with many companies downsizing and out-of-work picketers having left the business for good. But viewers will still get the content they crave. Networks had already pivoted their fall programming to include international shows, game shows, documentaries, more sports and even a few new series and movies coming out this year. While it’s unknown how postponed projects will react to the news of the deal, with writers anxiously ready to get back to work, we wouldn’t be surprised if your favorites were back soon.
MediaSilo allows for easy management of your media files, seamless collaboration for critical feedback, and out-of-the-box synchronization with your timeline for efficient changes. See how MediaSilo is powering modern post-production workflows with a 14-day free trial.
Montréal-based production company moves to latest hardware for increased flexibility
Boston, MA, September 27, 2023 – EditShare®, the technology leader that enables storytellers to create and manage collaborative media workflows, and Canadian Channel Partner, DXM, have installed a large network of EFS storage devices at Pixcom, a leading Canadian production company. Pixcom, based in Montréal, has a permanent team of over 50, employs over 5,000 freelance artists, technicians and production teams and has relied on EditShare storage for more than a decade.
The new installation at Pixcom will provide a centralized workflow hub. With all media in one spot, engineers can ensure that producers and editors always have the right material at the right time. The company’s in-house post facilities use Avid and DaVinci Resolve editing, which is tightly integrated into the storage network meaning editors always have the right material on their workstations when they need it.
“We are very comfortable and familiar with the EditShare eco-system,” said Charles Laflamme, Technical Supervisor at Pixcom. “It was time to refresh the hardware, and EditShare and their local partners DXM Technologie showed us the benefits in connectivity and security with the latest EFS devices. It will make our workflows even simpler and more productive, while ensuring that we have complete control over all the material for our productions.”
Charles Laflamme, Technical Supervisor at Pixcom
This installation is built around six EF450 scalable shared storage appliances, each with 392TB of disk storage, plus two MDC metadata controllers, giving Pixcom both high availability plus all the benefits of the FLOW production asset management software. The network also includes four EFS 40NL nearline storage nodes totalling 1.5PB of storage, plus two backup 672TB EFS 40NL nodes.
The nearline storage provides working storage for media which is in current production but not needing the same levels of throughput as the online storage. Workflow tools built into the EditShare suite ensure material is moved between online and nearline storage as required. The new network also includes EditShare Ark LTO tape drives for permanent archiving, again automated through FLOW.
“Charles and his colleagues are very familiar with all the benefits of high-performance shared storage from EditShare, which means we could talk about the latest techniques in boosting workflows and delivering productivity benefits, like the tight integration between storage and edit software, and the ability to prepare material in FLOW, in advance of the edit.” said Adam Giraudias of DXM Technologie.
“EditShare’s commitment to enabling collaborative media workflows aligns perfectly with Pixcom’s mission to deliver exceptional content efficiently,” commented Said Bacho, Chief Revenue Officer at EditShare. “With this significant installation of EFS storage, in collaboration with our valued Canadian Channel Partner, DXM, Pixcom’s creative teams now have a centralized workflow hub with immediate access to the right material. We are proud to support their journey of simplifying and enhancing production workflows while maintaining complete control over their valuable assets.”
The new storage network was installed over the summer of 2023.
EditShare is a technology leader that enables collaborative media workflows on-premise, in the cloud, or in a hybrid configuration. With customer and partner success at the heart of EditShare’s core values, our open software solutions and robust APIs improve workflow collaboration and third-party integrations across the entire production chain, ensuring a world-class experience that is second to none. The high-performance software lineup includes media optimized shared storage management, archiving and backup, and media management, all supported with open APIs for extensible integration.
EditShare’s cloud-enabled remote editing and project management technology was recently recognized by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) with a prestigious 2021 Emmy® Award for Technology and Engineering.
About DXM
DXM Technology offers fast and effective services that can solve the problems and challenges faced in all fields of video content production, whether you are a broadcaster, producer, post-production house, blogger or other.
The digital age has completely altered the television and film worlds. With easier and more affordable access to technologies we can now build specific workflow infrastructures that will eliminate major headaches, which in turn allows producers to generate more effective content within established budgets and deadlines.
So, you want to get your film or TV show on Netflix? Unfortunately, there’s no easy A-B-C blueprint to follow here, and the truth of the matter is it’s a tough task. However, don’t let this dissuade you from trying. It’s not impossible. At the end of the day, Netflix is one of the biggest streaming platforms in the world, and they’re always on the lookout for new content!
While the roadmap for each individual project making it onto Netflix is always going to be slightly different, there are certainly a few pointers and tips that you can follow to give yourself a far better chance of success. If you have a project in mind and a goal set, read on to find out how you can get that famous “tu-dum” playing at the start of your production.
Have a clear, concise vision in your pitch
First things first (and this goes for any production, not just the one you want to end up on Netflix) – you need to have a very clear vision. In the pitch for your film, you should be able to succinctly summarize what the film is about, who it’s made for, and where it should exist in a content library. Furthermore, why make this film right now? And why you? If these basic things aren’t nailed, you’re going to find pitching it to Netflix an even tougher job.
Additionally, as an extra little tip, you may even want to include a roadmap that builds your world and opens up the possibility of extending it in the future, assuming that makes sense for the project. Streaming companies like Netflix love to capitalize on the success of a first installment with follow-ups. It’ll be interesting to know how your world can be built and what the potential longevity is. Of course, if you’re pitching a limited series or a one-off documentary, this won’t be as relevant.
Is this your best work?
This pretty much goes without saying, but to even have the tiniest of chances of making it onto a streaming site as large as Netflix, you need to be brutally honest with yourself and your team. Is this the very best work you can produce? Nowadays, there’s so much great work, and the competition is tough—if this is anything less than the very best, you can forget about it. Even if it is, that may still not be enough.
Secondly, you need to ask if this stands out from the crowd. What makes your show or film so unique, and why should Netflix commission it? If you can’t answer these questions convincingly, you’ll need to circle back to the drawing board.
Find an aggregator
This is perhaps the most important tip we can give you when it comes to getting your film on Netflix. As you can imagine, there are many independent producers and filmmakers out there who would all love to have their film or show streaming on Netflix. If Netflix was to take pitches from everyone separately and independently, it would take so much time and effort that it simply wouldn’t be worth it.
Instead, Netflix only works with trusted third-party aggregators. On their website, you’ll find the following guidance when it comes to pitching ideas:
“If you have an idea, game, script, screenplay, or production already in development that you’d like to pitch to Netflix, you must work through a licensed agent, producer, attorney, manager, or industry executive, as appropriate, who already has a relationship with Netflix. We are unable to share references for these resources.
If you do not have any of these resources available, Netflix will be unable to accept your unsolicited submissions.”
In other words, an aggregator is absolutely essential. They meet with Netflix regularly to pitch ideas, and they know what the streaming platform is looking for. These aggregators are always on the lookout for the next big thing, so they will be the ones to hear your pitch and review your film. If they like it, they’ll pitch it to Netflix on your behalf and help you package it properly, taking care of all the details before final delivery to Netflix.
And how much does this cost? Well, it depends. Different aggregators use different pricing models, so there isn’t a universal, consistent figure for you to work with here. As a general rule of thumb, you can expect that most aggregators will charge at least $1,000 to get your film on Netflix, and there may well be further pitch fees, annual charges, or percentage cuts of any profit generated. Here’s an idea of what two aggregators cost:
Quiver Digital charges $1500 + $150 pitch fee + $75 annual charges (payable after 2 years)
Distribber charges $995 +$150 annual charges (payable after 1 year)
For help in finding an aggregator, you can explore a full list of “NPFP” partners here. These are elite companies that have met strict requirements to become a “Netflix Preferred Fulfillment Partner.”
Find an agent
Finding an aggregator isn’t the answer to everything, unfortunately. If you’re serious about getting your film on Netflix, hiring an agent can open a lot of doors for you. While aggregators are there to get your film onto Netflix with packaging and final delivery, you may be wondering how you get to meet an aggregator in the first place.
An agent who’s earned their access and credibility in the business can pull strings and arrange such meetings with potential buyers. They will offer their expertise on how to improve your pitch and help it stand out from the crowd, assist with marketing, and guide the development process to a successful conclusion. They also have their ear to the ground and meet with Netflix buyers regularly, so they know what the network is looking for.
Attach a big name
Love it or hate it, in this business, sometimes it really is all about “who you know.” One of the ways to give your film or show a fighting chance is to attach a “big name” to the project. If you can find a producer, an executive, or an actor who already has a great relationship and track record of working with Netflix, it’s undoubtedly going to help you out.
If this “big name” backs your project and comes on board, it signals to Netflix that you’re worth a shot. This person has the ability to pull in an audience and produce great work, and they’re willing to vouch for you and believe in your project!
Do your homework
With all of the above in mind, you need to do your homework. Catching the eye of a big name in the industry or finding the right aggregator and agent is not simple. If you want the best chance of finding the right fit and getting people on board with your film or TV show, you need to research who it is you should be targeting.
If you have a new German comedy aimed at Gen-Z, it might not make sense to be talking to an aggregator who specializes in groundbreaking historic documentaries. And vice versa. Instead of wasting your time aimlessly, invest in the time it takes to dig deep and find the people who are most likely to be interested in what you have to say.
Network, network, network
How might you bump into these kinds of people? It isn’t going to happen sitting in front of your PC screen, sending out cold emails. You need to network in person and network hard. The good news is there are plenty of opportunities to do so.
Thankfully emerging from the other side of the pandemic, in-person events are back on. From pitching and film festivals to industry talks, networking events and casual social gatherings, there are many ways to rub shoulders and get your face seen and known throughout the year. In the case of pitching festivals, not only will you have the benefit of networking and potentially meeting the right person, but you’ll learn a lot about the industry and what it takes to build a great pitch. Both pitching and film festivals also present the possibility of meeting directly with Netflix personnel – they’ll be in attendance.
Social media helps
When it comes to networking and getting your face known (for the right reasons, of course), social media can certainly help out. You should keep an active presence online by sharing your latest work, getting involved with discussions in the industry and connecting with people in the business. If you happen to have a substantial following or are able to build one (we’re talking tens of thousands of followers/subscribers at minimum), then that can certainly pique the interest of Netflix. They like to know that you can bring an audience with you.
Working the social media angle can also help if you’re able to generate substantial social chatter and interest in your project. There’s a good case in hand happening right now, with Russell Cook (aka “Hardest Geezer”) currently attempting to be the first person to run the entire length of Africa. He’s been courting Netflix and generating a lot of chatter on Twitter and YouTube, so watch this space…
Getting your film or TV show streaming on Netflix isn’t easy. It’s a long, arduous process, and there will be many setbacks. In fact, our final piece of advice here would be to get comfortable with rejection. The word “no” doesn’t necessarily mean no forever; it just means not today.
Pretty much everyone in the industry starts off with a “no.” How you deal with this rejection is key. Try to build on it by taking feedback on board and understanding that you have to knock on thousands of doors before even one opens. Rejection and failure are part of the game. With perseverance, patience and the application of the advice you’ve read above, you can maneuver yourself and your project to be in the best possible position to get that famous “tu-dum” playing at the start of your show.
MediaSilo allows for easy management of your media files, seamless collaboration for critical feedback, and out-of-the-box synchronization with your timeline for efficient changes. See how MediaSilo is powering modern post-production workflows with a 14-day free trial.
