From Innovation to Deployment: Storage, Media Management and Collaboration Tools That Raise the Bar
Boston, MA, 1 August 2025 – At IBC 2025, EditShare debuts the next evolution of its platform, built for media teams that demand real-time collaboration, AI-driven post, lightning-fast media-aware storage, and easy-to-use hybrid workflows. From post and sports to news and archiving, EditShare blends technical muscle with creative flexibility. Visit Booth 7.A35 to see how we’re pushing performance and energy efficiency, without sacrificing adaptability
What You’ll See at IBC
What’s New at IBC 2025
Expanded EFS Storage Solutions EditShare will premiere the latest Ultimate EFS Nodes, optimized for high-performance media workflows at any scale. Preview all-NVMe systems tailored for demanding 8K, VFX, and DI tasks. The newest EFS Field, portable, rugged, and now offering greater capacity, live ingest, and secure, verified media transfer, will also be featured. Additional updates to the Ultimate EFS lineup will be announced exclusively at the show, offering a hands-on look at the future of production workflows.
Next-Generation Collaborative Workflows Discover EditShare’s advances in collaborative workflows: MediaSilo’s integration with Louper enables real-time, frame-accurate review sessions without lag, downloads, or version confusion, allowing global teams to comment and approve instantly. A live Atomos Camera to Cloud demonstration will show proxy uploads directly into MediaSilo for immediate access, accelerating fast-turnaround projects.
Integrated Specialist Workflows On-booth demos showcase powerful integrations: Lasergraphics 5K 16-bit DPX film scanning with EFS, frame-accurate NDI ISO ingest with multi-channel recording, and comprehensive newsroom collaboration with Octopus.
“From green performance at scale to workflow flexibility across post, production, and archive, we deliver innovation shaped by customer insight,” said Tara Montford, EVP of Sales and Co-Founder of EditShare. “Whether you’re scaling up, streamlining reviews, or refining remote workflows, our solutions help teams move faster, collaborate better, and reduce friction. We look forward to showcasing these advances in Amsterdam.”
To book time with us at the show, please click here
About EditShare
EditShare is an Emmy Award-winning technology leader, supporting storytellers through collaborative media workflows across on-premise, cloud and hybrid architectures. It offers scalable storage and collaboration for media businesses and at every stage of the video production process from storyboarding to screening.
The software is inherently open, encouraging workflow collaboration, third-party integrations and content sharing across the entire production chain. Where required, the software is backed by high performance, high availability designed specifically for the demands of media storage, management and delivery. The comprehensive offering covers multi-level content storage for production and post, along with innovative asset and workflow management software, plus specialized and highly valued tools for content review and distribution, the creation of customized and branded pitch reels, and secure preview of high-value pre-release content.
Press Contact Katharine Guy katharine.guy@editshare.com
Boston, MA – 1st May 2025 — EditShare®, a global leader in collaborative media workflow solutions, will unveil its latest advancements at CABSAT 2025, delivering a new standard for performance, scalability, and intelligence across creative production environments. Live demonstrations at Booth S1-D20 will spotlight the newUltimate EFS Field, a revolutionary, portable NVMe-based storage platform engineered to provide production-proven performance and simple multi-site collaboration from on-set to the studio.
Headlining the showcase is the Middle East debut of FLOW AI, powered by FLOW Ultimate GPU engines. Built as a multimodal intelligence engine, FLOW AI transforms media workflows with state-of-the-art capabilities including multi-language speech-to-text (STT) transcription, scene detection, facial recognition, logo detection, and advanced OCR (optical character recognition). By combining high-speed asset management with intelligent automation and accelerated smart tagging, FLOW AI arms creative teams to find, organize, and deliver content faster, smarter, and at a global scale, obliterating old production bottlenecks and setting a new standard for speed, precision, and domination in modern media
For asset management, the new FLOW Core Unlimited licensing model removes seat restrictions, allowing media organizations to onboard users instantly and scale operations on demand. From boutique studios to global production houses, FLOW Core delivers true operational flexibility and scalability without limits
In addition to these headliners, EditShare will highlight:
An advanced newsroom workflow integration with leading NRCS vendor Octopus, delivering fast-turnaround, collaborative journalism for modern news teams.
All EFS nodes now feature multi-channel Live NDI support, enabling real-time, high-performance live production.
The stunning All-in-One 410, redefining compact storage with up to 600TB of raw capacity per node ideal for facilities demanding big performance in tight spaces.
The debut of expanded storage capacities across the entire EditShare solution portfolio, providing even greater flexibility for high-volume, high-performance environments.
“At CABSAT 2025, we’re bringing the full force of EditShare innovation,” said Tara Montford, Co-Founder and EVP of Sales at EditShare. “From blazing-fast performance to limitless scalability and smart automation, we’re empowering creative teams to tell bigger, bolder stories faster and from anywhere.”
EditShare staff will be on hand at CABSAT to talk about all of the latest enhancements, find out more on stand S1-D20 at CABSAT, or click here to get in touch.
About EditShare
EditShare is an Emmy Award-winning technology leader empowering storytellers with collaborative media workflows designed for on-premise, cloud, and hybrid environments. Its scalable storage and collaboration solutions support media businesses at every stage of video production, from storyboard to screen.
With an open architecture, EditShare fosters workflow collaboration, third-party integrations, and content sharing across the entire production chain. Its high-performance, high-availability design meets the rigorous demands of media storage, management, and delivery. The comprehensive suite includes multi-tiered content storage for production and post-production, innovative asset and workflow management tools, specialized features for content review, secure preview of pre-release materials, and the creation of customized branded pitch reels, ensuring a seamless and secure media production process.
From ultra-fast storage to AI-powered media management, EditShare’s latest advancements set new standards for workflow efficiency
Boston, March 11, 2025 – EditShare, the leading name in collaborative media workflows, is set to make waves at NAB 2025 (booth SL4216, Las Vegas Convention Center, 6 – 9 April) with exciting new innovations that will redefine media storage, workflow efficiency, and AI-driven content management.
Following on from the Ultimate series well-received debut at IBC 2024, EditShare’s latest advancements will now make their U.S. premiere in Las Vegas. Attendees can expect a firsthand look at the next generation of media storage solutions, offering remarkable speed and scalability to support a variety of production environments. Whether it’s boutique post-production studios or major broadcast networks, EditShare’s latest solutions are designed to empower creative teams with unparalleled performance and workflow efficiency, backed by powerful security features.
Beyond storage, EditShare is rolling out significant upgrades to its intelligent media management tools. These enhancements will streamline how media professionals handle, process, and locate their assets making workflows faster, smarter, and more intuitive.
Clients will see noticeable gains in speed and performance across the entire product line, alongside major OS upgrades that improve reliability and ease of use. And with new, competitive pricing, EditShare is making high-end media solutions more accessible than ever before.
One of the must-see demonstrations at NAB 2025 will showcase the direct integration of EditShare’s high-performance NVMe storage with cutting-edge film scanning technology from Lasergraphics. This live presentation will highlight the system’s ability to handle high-resolution media, reinforcing EditShare’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
“Our goal has always been to give media professionals the tools they need to create, collaborate, and deliver with ease,” said Brad Turner, Chief Executive Officer of EditShare. “The advancements we’re bringing to NAB 2025 demonstrate our dedication to helping our customers stay ahead of the curve. With faster speeds, smarter workflows, and better value, we’re changing the game.”
Visitors to NAB 2025 are encouraged to stop by EditShare’s booth for live demonstrations and an exclusive look at the future of media workflows.
For more information on EditShare solutions, please click here to get in touch. Or book a meeting with us at the show here.
About EditShare
EditShare is an Emmy Award-winning technology leader empowering storytellers with collaborative media workflows designed for on-premise, cloud, and hybrid environments. Its scalable storage and collaboration solutions support media businesses at every stage of video production, from storyboard to screen.
With an open architecture, EditShare fosters workflow collaboration, third-party integrations, and content sharing across the entire production chain. Its high-performance, high-availability design meets the rigorous demands of media storage, management, and delivery. The comprehensive suite includes multi-tiered content storage for production and post-production, innovative asset and workflow management tools, and specialized features for content review, secure preview of pre-release materials, and the creation of customized branded pitch reels, ensuring a seamless and secure media production process.
Press Contact Katharine Guy katharine.guy@editshare.com
Ensuring Your Pre-Release Content Gets Reviewed on Time
Building a Better Reviewer Experience
At Screeners.com, we believe that great content deserves timely coverage. Yet, for many creators, studios, and networks, one question consistently comes up:
“How can I be sure that the press actually watches and reviews my pre-release content on time?”
The truth is, getting the content into reviewers’ hands is only half the battle. The other half is making sure it stands out in a crowded queue of screeners, stays top-of-mind, and is easy to access and review before those crucial deadlines pass.
What We Heard: The Challenges Reviewers Face
As we dug into the challenges press reviewers face, three key pain points came up again and again:
1. “Sometimes I forget what’s expiring—I miss it, and that’s it.”
Challenge: Reviewers juggle multiple deadlines, often losing track of what’s expiring soon.
Impact: Missing the expiration window means missing coverage opportunities, undermining release strategies.
2. “I’m swamped. It’s hard to stay on top of what I’ve watched and what I haven’t.”
Challenge: With numerous screeners coming in, reviewers struggle to track progress and prioritize effectively.
Impact: Content gets lost in the shuffle, delaying or preventing reviews altogether.
3. “Some platforms are just clunky. If it’s hard to use, I’ll skip it.”
Challenge: Reviewers want to focus on content, not wrestle with a frustrating UI.
Impact: Clunky navigation reduces engagement and increases the chance content won’t get reviewed.
What We Built: Unveiling the Press Reviewer Dashboard
A successful screening experience starts with eliminating the obstacles that slow reviewers down. Instead of wasting time navigating clunky platforms or hunting for content, reviewers should be able to focus on what really matters—watching and critiquing films and shows. That’s why we created the Press Reviewer Dashboard, a re-designed review interface that simplifies the screening process from start to finish.
The new dashboard organizes content dynamically, surfacing what’s most relevant to each reviewer—whether it’s new screeners, in-progress titles, or expiring content that needs urgent attention. With an interface that feels familiar to industry-leading OTT platforms, the new dashboard ensures a smooth, intuitive experience. A streamlined navigation system makes it easy to find content without unnecessary clicks, while personalized watchlist functionality allows reviewers to effortlessly organize their workflows by saving the screeners they plan to watch to one place.
By eliminating the guesswork of what to watch next and making it effortless to keep up with deadlines, the Press Reviewer Dashboard transforms the pre-release screening process into a seamless experience. Below, we break down exactly how each challenge has been addressed and what makes this new experience different from the status quo.
The Ask
How it Shows Up Today
What We Built
I waste too much time searching for the content I have to review.
Reviewers spend valuable time navigating a fragmented landscape of screening links, emails, and various tools, making it difficult to efficiently surface and prioritize the content they need to review.
Personalized Dashboard:A redesigned reviewer interface familiar to industry-leading OTT platforms, surfacing relevant content faster reducing friction in the review process.
I keep losing track of my watch progress.
Reviewers rely on manual tracking methods (spreadsheets, notes) to keep track of what they’ve watched, increasing the risk of missed deadlines.
A Continue Watching section that allows reviewers to pick up where they left off and track their viewing history effortlessly, plus clear indication in the UI helps reviewers determine at-a-glance what they’ve started versus what needs to be reviewed.
I need to know when content’s expiring before it’s too late.
Reviewers often lose track of content expiration windows, leading to missed opportunities for timely coverage.
Ability to browse content by an Expiring Soon category that highlights content approaching its expiration date, helping reviewers manage their time effectively.
There’s no easy way to organize the content I need to watch.
Many platforms don’t allow reviewers to bookmark content, forcing them to search for titles repeatedly or rely on external tracking methods.
Add to Watchlist functionality allows reviewers to bookmark content for later, empowering them to organize their workflows efficiently.
Reviewing isn’t just watching—it’s choosing what matters, hitting deadlines, and keeping track of what’s next. The Press Reviewer Dashboard clears the path. See what’s expiring soon. Pick up where you left off. Save what you plan to watch—all in one place. No digging. No second-guessing. Just a faster way to get through what matters. The dashboard’s live: check it out.
Adds capacity, AI indexing and sharing technologies
Boston, MA, 17 October 2024 — EditShare, the technology leader that enables storytellers to create and manage collaborative workflows at every stage from storyboard to screen, has expanded its installation at Last Cut Media. The extensions, which include AI indexing from Mobius and the EditShare MediaSilo collaboration platform, were implemented by Advanced Media Trading, EditShare’s distribution partner in the Middle East.
Last Cut Media, based in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is a large-scale independent post house, designed by content creators for content creators. Seeking to streamline its operations and allow its users to focus on their projects, at the beginning of 2023 Last Cut replaced its ad hoc storage systems with an EditShare storage network, including an EFS 300 shared online store, a nearline server and LTO tape archiving.
With the growth in premium business, Last Cut has returned to EditShare to increase both its capacity and functionality. The extension doubles the system capacity with a second EFS 300 storage node.
The new installation also incorporates technology from Mobius, seamlessly integrated into the EditShare FLOW asset management system. This adds AI support to automatically create rich metadata, including facial and scene detection. The core Mobius knowledge base includes more than 5000 objects, emotions and actions, and 10,000 famous people, which is added to with every piece of content passing through FLOW.
Last Cut also decided to implement the EditShare MediaSilo collaboration system. This replaced an existing standalone distribution system and provides seamless integration with the rest of the storage network. The result is that producers and other collaborators working remotely from the facility can receive high quality viewing copies, automatically generated, ensuring everything can be checked and signed off in a timely fashion.
Saad Duaibes, General Manager, Last Cut Media
“In today’s world, producers want the best facilities, but they do not necessarily want to spend time travelling to them,” said Saad Duaibes, General Manager of Last Cut Media. “We have clients all across the region and in all the creative hotspots like Lebanon, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Adding MediaSilo means we can keep those clients up to date with progress, without adding to our workload, ensuring they see the very latest versions.
“Since we moved to EditShare storage we have been able to streamline our workflows,” Duaibes added. “It has helped our business grow, prompting us to expand our storage network to accommodate new projects. We are very comfortable with the solution, and see our use of it growing, including working with new tools like artificial intelligence.”
Michele Dwayk, head of sales for EditShare in the Middle East, said “Last Cut Media is widely respected in the region, and serves projects from commercials to movies, through television drama and documentaries. Each genre and each project has its own distinct workflow, and its own group of collaborators.
“EditShare FLOW is designed to be open and flexible, allowing Last Cut to set up each project according to the creative and business demands,” she continued. “They have embraced these capabilities and, working with our colleagues at Advanced Media Trading, we have helped them see further advantages for the future, including simple collaboration with MediaSilo and AI indexing with Mobius.” The extensions to the storage network and the new software functionality were installed in June 2024 and are now fully online.
EditShare is an Emmy Award-winning technology leader, supporting storytellers through collaborative media workflows across on-premise, cloud and hybrid architectures. It offers scalable storage and collaboration for media businesses and at every stage of the video production process from storyboarding to screening.
The software is inherently open, encouraging workflow collaboration, third-party integrations and content sharing across the entire production chain. Where required, the software is backed by high performance, high availability designed specifically for the demands of media storage, management and delivery. The comprehensive offering covers multi-level content storage for production and post, along with innovative asset and workflow management software, plus specialized and highly valued tools for content review and distribution, the creation of customized and branded pitch reels, and secure preview of high-value pre-release content.
Press Contact Katharine Guy katharine.guy@editshare.com
October 8, 2024
@
10:00 am
–
October 10, 2024
@
5:00 pm
In the heart of the world’s media capital, NAB Show New York is your ticket to all the people and products fueling the broadcast, media and entertainment industry. Actionable insights. Critical skills. Everything you need to level up. Your career. Your projects. Your workflows. It’s the perfect place to connect with your peers and the pros, and walk away with ready-to-implement solutions.
More power, more speed, more flexibility, more capacity, more security, more cost-effective
Amsterdam, MA, 13 September 2024 — EditShare, a leader in collaborative media workflow solutions, is set to redefine media storage at IBC 2024 with the launch of the Ultimate EFS Series, the next-generation storage platform. EditShare has long been renowned for its robust storage nodes and networks, powered by its proprietary, media-aware EFS file system. At IBC 2024, the company will introduce an entirely new portfolio of storage devices designed to simplify and lower the cost of building shared collaborative storage. Whether a facility needs 32TB or more than half a petabyte in a single node, EditShare’s scalable solution can expand beyond 15 petabytes within a single namespace.
The Ultimate Series will be available in 2U, 3U, and 4U form factors, alongside a portable field unit for enhanced remote flexibility. The EFS 210, EFS 310, and EFS 410 nodes cater to a wide range of users, from boutique post-production houses to national broadcasters with mission-critical playout needs. The Ultimate Field portable unit, built on the latest NVMe architecture, delivers exceptional bandwidth on location and features integrated SwiftSync technology for secure, high-speed transfer of dailies to global EFS facilities.
Leveraging the latest advancements in technology and resource management, these storage nodes come at unprecedented price points, bringing the power of EFS to a broader audience. The new nodes also integrate with existing EditShare deployments and will come bundled with FLOW asset management, ARK LTO tape archival platform and MediaSilo review and approval tools.
“From the beginning, our mission has been to equip media professionals with practical, powerful, and cost-effective tools,” said Tara Montord, Co-Founder and EVP of Sales at EditShare. “The innovations we’re launching at IBC give users more power, speed, and capacity without sacrificing security—all at a price point that’s truly groundbreaking.
“With these advances, we’re delivering a revolution in content and workflow management that empowers the creative industry to do what they do best: tell great stories,” Montford added.
As well as the new storage architecture and devices, EditShare will be showcasing the latest versions of its software solutions, including EFS, FLOW , MediaSilo and screeners at IBC2024.
Demonstrations will also feature EditShare FLEX and FLEX Sync, now adding simple cloud storage architectures and the ability to sync with services like Amazon S3, Wasabi and Backblaze.
Find EditShare on stand 7.A35 at IBC2024 and at www.editshare.com To book time with us at the show please click here
About EditShare
EditShare is an Emmy Award-winning technology leader, supporting storytellers through collaborative media workflows across on-premise, cloud and hybrid architectures. It offers scalable storage and collaboration for media businesses and at every stage of the video production process from storyboarding to screening.
The software is inherently open, encouraging workflow collaboration, third-party integrations and content sharing across the entire production chain. Where required, the software is backed by high performance, high availability designed specifically for the demands of media storage, management and delivery. The comprehensive offering covers multi-level content storage for production and post, along with innovative asset and workflow management software, plus specialized and highly valued tools for content review and distribution, the creation of customized and branded pitch reels, and secure preview of high-value pre-release content.
Press Contact Katharine Guy katharine.guy@editshare.com
Evolution of remote workflows, asset management and approvals
Boston, MA, 2 September 2024 — EditShare, the technology leader that enables storytellers to create and manage collaborative workflows at every stage from storyboard to screening, will show valuable gains in practical productivity thanks to significant new hardware developments and software releases at IBC2024. The enhancements are all driven by the practical experiences of users worldwide, seeking to make their operations even more swift and secure.
Our next-generation EFS storage nodes, powered by the latest HPE Gen11 servers and our advanced NVMe node, set a new standard in performance and efficiency. With over 18GB/s aggregate throughput, this system delivers unmatched performance with unrivalled scalability. Combined with our powerful FLOW workflow engines, it provides creative teams with an efficient platform for UHD editorial and finishing, complex workflows, and multi-site collaboration, ensuring better results and enhanced productivity in every project.
Central to everything in the EditShare environment is FLOW, the asset management software which defines workflows and workgroups. IBC2024 sees FLOW adding native support for codecs which are critical for high quality production. These include Avid DNxHR and Sony X-OCN at resolutions up to 8k. Working directly with CineAlta files, for example, simplifies and speeds the process of creating dailies as well as smoothing workflows for cinematic projects.
FLOW provides workflow orchestration as well as asset management, and FLOW 24.2 enhances the Organize module. This ensures users can create projects, and bins efficiently. By logging in from any secure web browser, users can streamline workflows and collaborate most effectively.
Widely used for review and approvals of work in progress, EditShare MediaSilo also sees enhancements, including support for Ultra HD proxies. With better quality visuals, collaborators are empowered to make more detailed feedback and faster project approvals. The new Bulk Download feature accelerates the process of delivering vast amounts of content to clients. “We talk to post-production professionals all the time, and we understand what is really important in today’s market,” said Tara Montford, Co-Founder and EVP sales at EditShare. “The message coming over loud and strong is that they want to use their preferred creative tools and formats, but within an environment that gives them real speed and security, to deliver completed projects against tight deadlines without compromising quality. The system enhancements we are introducing at IBC this year speak directly to that need.”
Also aimed at speed and simplicity, the latest version of EFS, the media aware File System from Editshare, brings a new way to upgrade across the technology stack. An intelligent Orchestrator tool now automates system upgrades, ensuring every step is executed correctly at the determined time, even across multiple sites. With an intuitive, web-based user interface, this is another essential element in bringing efficiency and reliability to storage management.
All these new software releases will be demonstrated alongside the latest in hardware developments on stand 7.A35 at IBC24. To book time with us at the show please click here
About EditShare
EditShare is an Emmy Award-winning technology leader, supporting storytellers through collaborative media workflows across on-premise, cloud and hybrid architectures. It offers scalable storage and collaboration for media businesses and at every stage of the video production process from storyboarding to screening.
The software is inherently open, encouraging workflow collaboration, third-party integrations and content sharing across the entire production chain. Where required, the software is backed by high performance, high availability designed specifically for the demands of media storage, management and delivery. The comprehensive offering covers multi-level content storage for production and post, along with innovative asset and workflow management software, plus specialized and highly valued tools for content review and distribution, the creation of customized and branded pitch reels, and secure preview of high-value pre-release content.
Press Contact Katharine Guy katharine.guy@editshare.com
Remote production workflows for video editing are getting a lot of attention. The technology for remote production kept improving, but the pandemic really sped development up. Within the first week of the pandemic, the video team I led started deploying remote workflows. The technology was almost there then, but within weeks, we got it dialed in.
The biggest challenge our team faced was latency. We learned that every link in the chain matters (Including open ports on cable internet coax splitters outside of your house! As crazy as that sounds.) Remote post-production workflow development accelerated to meet the challenge. The basics of addressing latency, permissions, and cloud-based proxy workflows have been addressed. So the next question is, “How do you scale it?”
What is remote post-production and cloud-based production?
Traditionally, an entire post-production team would be together in a “post-house.” Editors, colorists, and sound could work together on a centralized server known as a SAN. Cloud-based workflows move the storage to a cloud service provider instead of a local centralized server. This allows for post-production members to be distributed throughout the nation or the globe.
Why is scaling workflows important for post-production?
Post-production teams need to be able to scale to deliver multiple projects for multiple clients. If a team relies on shipping hard drives back and forth in the mail, there is only so fast you can deliver your work to clients.
On-set technology has also improved. New Camera to Cloud technologies have been released like the Atomos + MediaSilo integration where footage is delivered right into MediaSilo from an on-board monitor/recorder.
Understanding workflows in production workflow
Now that you don’t have to wait for footage to be brought back to base to start editing, why not have a distributed post-production team? Editors can get right to work with low-resolution proxies as soon as they are uploaded to the cloud. Another advantage of cloud-based post-production is that editing teams worldwide can work in shifts.
There are a couple of kinds of remote workflows. On one end of the spectrum is ingesting everything to the cloud. This requires a significant amount of bandwidth if you are putting raw camera files onto a cloud storage provider. You need to make sure that your upload speed isn’t a bottleneck that negates the efficiencies of remote post-production.
Another approach is hybrid. In this remote video workflow, you can keep your raw files local and upload proxy files to a cloud storage provider. Project files can also be synced to the cloud so that editors can check in and out projects without stepping on each other toes.
Key factors for scalability
Cloud-based services for remote video editing workflows allocate a specific amount of storage to an account. This could range from 3TB – 10TB for starters. Users can add additional storage as they need it. It is worth thinking through how much “active” storage your team needs at any one time. If you have 3 editors who work with projects from 2-3TB each, 10TB would be a good amount to have in your “active” cloud storage.
If your team is just using the cloud for proxies, you could probably accomplish the same amount of editing with 4TB of cloud storage. However, when you are ready to finish the final files, you’ll want to conform back to your raw camera files. If that is happening where you keep your raw files, then you are all set. If the person doing the color grade is remote, you might need to ship them an SSD. This is the limitation of a hybrid/proxy remote workflow. There is enough available storage and bandwidth for working with proxy files, but not RAW.
Another challenge to scalable video production is having the right space for building a stock video library. Many clients want to accumulate footage that can be reused in multiple videos.
Using cloud-based tools & software to scale workflows
One solution to the challenge of needing space for active projects and space for “stock” footage is to use a review and approval application, like MediaSilo, as a cloud-based asset manager for finished assets. These could be stock video clips, or they could be graphic assets, or project files for After Effects, Photoshop or Illustrator project files (I know of an insurance company that does this). Review and approval tools are good places for frequently accessed files because they are easily searchable, and you don’t have to worry about permitting external users to access the primary “active” video storage.
Managing post-production assets in the cloud
If you are running a remote post-production workflow, you will learn quickly that the file management tools in Google Drive or Dropbox aren’t designed for media production. That’s why EditShare FLEX. Its a suite of tools to facilitate your entire cloud-based post-production workflow.
Cloud-based media management tools will help you to view assets while they reside on the cloud service without downloading them to your local machine. You can search your assets, make notes, create proxies, and organize projects.
Getting files to the cloud efficiently takes more than just a fat pipe from your ISP. Technologies from companies like Data Expedition optimize uploads to maximize your bandwidth.
Another area to consider is data archival. Many teams have used LTO tape as a long-term storage solution. However, using LTO also means barriers to retrieving old footage. A smart cloud-storage strategy (like one using FLEX Cloud Sync) employs cloud-based archival solutions to store older projects on less expensive storage tiers.
Editing from the cloud
Once all your footage is in the cloud (whether raw or proxy), it is time to edit. Most remote editors download the proxies to local storage and start editing with their powerful computers. But there are a couple of other options.
Technologies like EditShare FLEX Cloud Edit and Cloud Edit+ enable users to log into a remote server and edit with their favorite NLE without having to download footage locally. The NLE runs on a remote server but behaves as responsively as a locally installed copy. This wizardry is accomplished through technology like HP Teradici PCoIP (it just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?). Your local machine is essentially just a window into a responsive remote workstation.
Another approach allows editors to access on-prem storage as efficiently as cloud storage. EditShare Swift Link delivers this for EditShare FLOW users. Swift Link ensures latency is addressed for remote editors and that their editing experience is optimized for the network conditions between their workstation and your on-prem storage.
Automation in the cloud
If you are evaluating a cloud-based remote post-production, don’t forget about transcoding and quality control workflows. If you are accustomed to a local workflow, you probably don’t give a second thought to batch transcoding a bunch of clips from a mezzanine codec like ProRes to a delivery codec like h.264. However, if that transcode takes place on a local client and the ProRes files are on a server, you’d have to download the ProRes files, transcode locally, and then upload the h.264 versions.
If your cloud service provides the ability to automate transcodes in the cloud you can eliminate the upload and download times. Its even better if you can setting up multiple steps and rules so that the work of transcoding for various deliverables is automated. With the right tools, QC can also be done in the cloud as well.
Scaling for remote production
Cloud-based workflows scale easily because additional resources can be added instantly. Scaling on-prem hardware solutions does take more planning, but if you make a good plan, it isn’t hard to add a unit to your local storage.
If you need higher performance, consider all NVMe shared storage. NVMe storage eliminates the bottlenecks of spinning disk storage. It is more expensive, but it also consumes less power and
Recent trends in remote production
It is helpful to know that post-production standards are moving to the cloud. Today’s cutting-edge products are the result of years of careful planning and a deliberate industry-wide plan to take advantage of cloud-based post-production workflows.
Choosing to deploy remote video workflows now means your team will be prepared for all the latest technological advancements that are coming along every day.
Conclusion
The time has finally arrived for scaling remote production workflows. Teams have options between hybrid and cloud-based workflows. Cameras and recorders can send files straight to the cloud. Media asset management apps can be deployed in the cloud. Remote cloud-based workstations can be accessed anywhere in the world. Solutions for archival, transcoding, QC and review/approval now integrate with each other. All the pieces are now in place to create efficient remote post-production teams.
EditShare, paired with MediaSilo, offers a complete solution that incorporates the latest technologies with the flexibility of your choice of hybrid or fully cloud-based workflows.
What do you think of remote video production workflows? If you have questions about the right setup for your team, send us a message!
In my favorite opening to any filmmaking book, Edward Dmytryk, in his classic On Editing, tells this story:
It was the early 1930s. A very important guest, Baron Rothschild, was being given Paramount’s version of the Grand Tour. One of his stops was my cutting room, where I was asked to say a few words by way of defining my craft.
I was young and enthusiastic. Some twenty minutes later, as I paused for breath, the Baron smiled.
“It would appear,” he said, “that film editing is the art of filmmaking.”
I agreed, trying to ignore the twinkle in his eyes. Of course, I was then a film editor. A few years later, when I became a director, I would have probably changed my pitch-but not too much.
After working on nearly every part of the filmmaking process, I must say that “editing is making the movie.” Everything up to that is assembling the raw materials. But if filmmaking is akin to building a house, it is in the edit bay where the film is built.
Fundamental Editing Techniques
After over a decade of experience editing everything from 15-second social videos to narrative shows and feature-length documentaries, I wanted to write this article on the fundamentals of editing. The marketplace is full of jobs for “video editors,” but so many editors have never had the opportunity to study their craft in-depth. Many rely on graphic transitions and social trends without ever mastering the art of the invisible cut.
But if there’s one thing I know about editors, it’s that they love to learn. So this article attempts to lay a foundation for the fundamentals so that you can go beyond editing by feel and have a deep knowledge about why a cut is working.
#1 Cutting on action
The most basic technique of editing is cutting on action. An actor starts a motion in one frame, like lunging with a sword in a medium shot at :38, and a cut is made. The action is completed in the next shot which is a close up.
This technique works well because the viewer anticipates the action will be completed in the next shot. The edit can feel stunted and stagey if your cuts happen before or after the action. When you cut on action, the sequence will feel fluid, and the cut will be “invisible.”
A great book on this subject is The Invisible Cut, by Bobbie O’Steen. Sometimes you have large movements like the thrust of a word. Other times, you have to take advantage of more subtle movements like the turn of a head or shifting of an eyeline.
#2 J and L cuts
The concept of cutting on action can even be extended to audio. To smooth out a cut, you can have the audio of an incoming clip begin just before the video does. This produces a “J” cut. The incoming audio gives the viewer a little heads-up that they should expect to see a speaker in the next clip.
Think about a dialogue scene. If you were standing in a group with two other people having a conversation and one person was speaking, your attention would be on the speaker. If the other person spoke up, you’d hear their voice and then turn your head. This is a natural “J” cut, where you hear the audio before adjusting your view of the scene.
When editing an interview with two angles, cutting between them at the very tail end of the sentence can be helpful rather than waiting for the speaker to complete their final word to cut away.
The reverse of the J cut is the “L” cut. Sometimes, you want to cut away to some footage before the speaker finishes their line. This is especially helpful if the talent makes a funny expression or if you need to cut the line mid-sentence. An L cut can also do a good job of setting up the next scene or visual.
#3 Match Cut
Match cuts use a similarity between two shots to connect them. Match cuts are often planned in pre-production, but sometimes you can discover them in editing as well. This video by StudioBinder does an excellent job of showcasing many different kinds of match cuts. One of the most famous match cuts is in 2001: A Space Odyssey, where a bone is tossed into the air, and then the film cuts to a space station that is similar in shape.
Another match cut focuses on the audio. Music or a sound effect from one shot may continue into another, and it takes on a new meaning in that new context.
Motion match cuts take advantage of cutting on action (Technique #1) to connect two shots so that the action seems continuous, but the incoming clip takes place in a different location or is completed by a different character. Edgar Wright uses this technique in his films.
#4 Eye Trace
If you are watching an interview, your eyes are typically focused on the eyes of the subject. If you cut away to something else, your focus will start in the place where the subject’s eyes were. If the main subject of the new shot is in another part of the frame, your eyes take a moment to hunt around the screen for what they should pay attention to. This can result in a “jump cut,” If the incoming clip has the main subject in the same place on screen as the outgoing clip, you will have taken advantage of “eye trace.” Take a look at this video from Jay Lippman, who shows different ways to employ eye trace to produce smooth cuts.
As you can see, eye trace is an effective tool for combining cutting on action and match cuts. When you start layering techniques as an editor, you can really separate yourself from the pack. These kinds of edits are fun to watch and keep viewers engaged.
Eye trace is especially useful when you need to insert a cut into an interview that was shot on a single camera. If you punch from a medium angle to a close up you can line up the subject’s nearest eye in the same spot on screen. If you punch in over 30% it will not look like jump cut. You can hide the cut even more by doing it on a word, combining eye trace and an audio match cut.
If you punch in on an interview, it is helpful if the camera’s resolution is higher than the resolution for the final deliverable. For instance, shooting 4k for a 1080p deliverable. Or shooting 8K for a 4k deliverable. This will prevent a drop in quality in the final piece.
#5 Cutting on Blinks
Every editor should read Walter Murch’s classic book, “In the Blink of an Eye.” In this book, Murch (Editor for Apocalypse Now, The Godfather III, Particle Fever) dives into his philosophy of editing. And while you should read the book, I can summarize it by saying, cut on the frame just before someone blinks. Don’t cut while they are blinking, and don’t cut after the blink. This is because blinks seem to coincide with the completion of thoughts.
Murch theorizes that editing works precisely because people blink. We are producing little “cuts” all the time.
YouTube Channel This Guy Edits demonstrates the technique of cutting on blinks.
Murch has also pointed out that the audience will often synchronize their blinks with the blinks of actors. Using this method causes the edit, the actors, and the audience to all sync up to the same rhythm.
Conclusion
These five fundamental techniques are important for every editor to master. As you can see in the examples, they flow into one another and build on each other. Sometimes, you edit by feel and end up in a “happy accident” of a nice cut. But videos rely on dozens of cuts, and you’ll be more effective if you know why each cut is working or not. This knowledge becomes even more important if you are sitting side-by-side (or over a remote connection) with a director.
A director can ask for a cut and then wonder out loud why it isn’t working. When you have a working vocabulary of visual grammar, you’ll be able to instantly identify when a cut works and why it is awkward. This skill set can flow backward into more effective directing, storyboarding, and even screenwriting.
When you know the craft of editing, not just using an NLE, you become an incredibly valuable contributor at every step of the filmmaking process. You’ll be able to write for the edit, storyboard for the edit, direct for the edit, and shoot for the edit. And of course, you’ll be an absolute pro at the edit.
