Sample Digital

Movie Studios

dax|D3 Speeds Time to Creative Decision

In fast paced, fast turn creative driven industries like film and video production, making the right decision has never been more important. As demand for product has increased, the time allotted to creative development, production and release has been drastically reduced. Cost-effective locations abroad have created a logistical challenge as audio-visual and rich media content and documentation are in demand across multiple time zones simultaneously.

dax|D3 for Movie Studios is the first and only production workflow accelerator designed specifically for the unique requirements of Movie Studios. dax|D3 was designed to speed delivery of production elements, like dailies, visual FX, Electronic Press Kit elements and rough cuts. dax|D3 streamlines workflow and collaboration, and incorporates full media asset management capabilities to ensure the highest levels of security and user access controls, getting creative materials in front of those who need them as quickly as possible.

dax|D3 removes the risks and inconveniences of email or FTP; and the associated costs and delays of DVD or tape duplication and couriers. Central management of all elements enables production and creative executives to manage every step throughout the production process.

Step 1

Production dailies and elements can be accessed via the Internet from any Mac or PC, or via dax|D3’s secure content delivery network utilizing Edge Accelerators (edge servers) and set top boxes deployed at movie studios and production companies. Edge Accelerators and set top boxes enable viewing and collaboration on video such as dailies from a desktop or Digital Dailies® Set Top Box in both SD and HD qualities, up to 1080p. Instant access to dailies encoded at telecine means off-set editors and production executives are no longer 3 days behind the film schedule waiting for tapes to arrive. Editors and creatives can collaborate on cuts immediately.

Step 2

At the studio, the system is configured to deliver creative materials to designated executives first, who can select takes or clips that can then be released to other members of the movie studio team, or pre-selected for viewing in a screening room. Executives can review creative selects or whole dailies reels, and users can create and name playlists, organize takes in a sequential order, re-shuffle takes, and add notes and comments associated to SMPTE time code.

Step 3

Once content is approved, dailies, cuts or playlists can be released to production, post-production, marketing, visual FX, publicity, product placement, casting and business affairs so they can start their work on ancillary marketing and publicity materials such as trailers, sizzlers, commercials and EPK materials. Producers can collaborate with visual FX houses as the Set Top Box allow high resolution content display with tools like frame-by-frame advancement, backwards and forward, as well as the ability to mark takes as favorites.

Marketing can start making selects of their own by assembling playlists that can be used in the bidding process for trailers, sizzlers and commercials. Beyond dailies and rough assembles or edits, the system can distribute secure watermarked elements to trailer houses and creative agencies in native Avid or Final Cut Pro formats. Creative Agencies can view content approved by the marketing department and order or import chosen selects or clips for editorial. dax|D3 even incorporates unique watermark identifications for each creative agency to ensure the highest levels of security. This process saves huge expenses in duplication of physical media, watermarking, encoding, transcoding and media services, while speeding time of delivery and time to decision.

Publicity can also use the system for full Electronic Press Kit development. All EPK dailies can be distributed through the system – behind the scenes, director and actor interviews, DVD extra materials and more can all be wrangled through the system in the same way a regular movie project does. dax|D3’s workflow tools can also be used for tasks like photography kill sessions.

Product placement can do screen grabs of product shots and securely make available to product sponsors and partners.

Casting can monitor performances and storylines.

All these departments are mission-critical areas that require minimized risk, investment protection and enhanced business velocity. dax|D3 simplifies storage and filing, removes logistical complexities and excess media charges, manages and streamlines workflows – realizing substantial hard and soft cost savings. The Sample Digital team will even sit down with you or your accounting department and structure an ROI analysis to show you first hand where the savings exist.

Step 4

Beyond production workflow, dax|D3 can be used for management and distribution of finished product and creative elements used in servicing publicity and international distribution partners. Particular areas of interest include International Servicing and Electronic Press Kit Management and Distribution. Store all finished marketing, publicity, value added materials and contract deliverables in one searchable, scalable archive. dax|D3 acts as a central repository of finished product accessible via any computer attached to the internet from anywhere in the world, and distribution tools allow studios to deliver EPK materials to anywhere on SmartJog’s global network and over 1,700 newsrooms and facilities around the world.

Simplified and centralized asset storage form the core of a collaborative environment for the exchange of ideas and approvals between studio personnel in all departments and divisions. Simply put, dax|D3 is a universal command center for managing all studio production assets – providing faster time to market, reduced operating costs and a significant contribution to a company’s bottom line.

dax|D3 already provides solutions for companies such as Walt Disney, Lionsgate, DreamWorks, Summit Entertainment, MGM, Miramax and Paramount to name a few. Call us today for a demo or to find out what dax|D3 can do for you - 323-993-8840