Prodigious, which forms part of Publicis Communications, Publicis Groupe’s creative solution hub, brings together specialist production expertise across print, video and digital to deliver campaigns, marketing assets and content that helps world-leading brands to better meet the content production needs of today. An increasing component of Prodigious’s activity centres on localising marketing and campaign material across various markets for clients including L’Oréal, Nestlé, P&G, Renault, Axa, Orange and many more.
Prodigious required a shared storage system that would help them to better manage production schedules for its branded content campaigns. The system that stood out for them and aligned best with their requirements was an ELEMENTS media library based on a Quantum StorNext appliance.
The team knew they needed a shared storage system to improve company-wide workflow.
In March 2020, whilst we were evaluating different approaches, we visited the Satis Tradeshow in Paris and discovered the ELEMENTS solution presented by Post Logic; the ELEMENTS reseller and integrator in France. Initially we went through an in-depth demonstration, which showed us how the Media Library could improve the way we work. We then decided to test the system in-house, so that we could validate the workflow.
Wilfried Jeanblanc, Technical manager
Wilfried Jeanblanc , Technical manager, Prodigious
Prior to the new storage installation
The infrastructure was piecemeal. Each department was using different storage solutions. Each Flame station was linked to a dedicated storage solution via fibre link. The Avid section was using Isis storage; 3D was using an Isilon chassis; and the adobe stations were using Facilis Terrablock storage.
“Managing all of this media and transferring files took up a lot of time,” says Wilfried. The decision was taken to invest in QUANTUM Xcellis centralised storage, which has a capacity of 1.2 PB and is capable of providing a total bandwidth of 19GB.
Media Library
Prodigious spoke to Post Logic to discuss their requirements in relation to Media Asset Management functionalities. Post Logic was then able to recommended the ELEMENTS Media Library solution, which comes equipped with two Worker Nodes to calculate proxies. The Media Library option offers the possibility of viewing the entire storage in the form of one or several libraries. This interface is accessible via an http browser and makes it possible to read video file proxies in real time, index the media and add notes as text or “graffiti” (drawings on the image). It also offers validation tools, end-to-end editing and a metadata search engine.
Use of the Media Library at Prodigious
3 distinct libraries have been created:
Master
The master library amalgamates all the films and their product assets within the group.
These films are indexed: date, title of the production, name of the producer, name of the agency, location of filming and so on. The post-producers use the search engine applying one or several of these criteria to find the masters. If specific films need to be modified, or in order to create a new antenna band, the post-producer uses the search engine to make their selection. The “share to” function enables this information to be shared with the nodal assistants to bring up useful media rather than an entire archive.
Proxy rush
This library makes it possible to research and preview all the rush content. Each rush displays the time codes and reel reference. Thus, in the event of editing or modification, the post-producer can request the high-resolution versions of the media from the assistants.
Stockshot
The Stockshot library enables all the recurring media to be grouped, shared and researched amongst the motion graphics editors and graphic designers: elements of fire, smoke, explosions, rain, scratches, skies, clouds, etc.
Workflow Manager
One of the improvements provided by the Media Library is the simplification of repetitive tasks, for example, moving files, transcoding and making back-up copies. Each action can trigger other actions, e.g. sending an e-mail notification. Moving forward, Wilfried is considering putting in place procedures to automate this type of process.
Alain Le Borgne, Founder and Head of Postproduction, Prodigious
Sharing projects
Prodigious are now looking at new possibilities for sharing, possibilities that will enable group employees to access the media library from wherever they are in the world.
Through a process of data-sharing, our delocalised hubs in agencies in Aubervilliers, Paris’s 8th Arrondissement and Paris Bastille will then be able to benefit from all the libraries stocked on our Clichy site.
Alain Le Borgne, Founder and Head of Postproduction
