So what happens when your plumbing in a centre-piece tape to file workflow and you’re asked to add in some other content providers?

Well just take what you learnt from the media solution you put in and the on-boarding process your crafted and apply it to the others! It means you know what works, fits in with broadcasters architecture and the documentation is standardised.

It was one of many contractor assignments in Chiswick Park, this time Ancast providing what was described as ‘Media Solutions Engineer – On-boarding Specialist’ which was a bit of a mouthful but fitted the bill. It required media technology experience specifically in file delivery, workflow but also soft-skills in client on-boarding (at least it avoided coding – not my bag.)

What needs to be plumbed in first? Well that was what you’re here for – we need to onboard these distributors and move them from tape delivery to a standardised media contribution workflow. Let’s work with the project and operations team and see which one we will target first.

It's a strategic project, it will save money and enable a fully automated workflow right 
up to eyeball QC with richer metadata - these are the drivers. And we also have a pressing 
issue of a planned series just acquired that has a short lead time for TX that we need to 
get through - can it be done? (of course!)

Running order to get up and running:

1. Agree network, storage, and workflow with project team.
2. Author tech specs, XSD, delivery and workflow documentation.
3. Configure watch folder profile & fast file transfer technology.
4. Get developers to code in your planned watch folder config.
5. Test the workflow is working with sample content & XML.
6. Work with operations to obtain the series ID’s and TX details.
7. Contact and on-board the distributor with points 2, 3 & 6.
8. Carefully monitor the 1st delivery for QC pass & successful archive.
9. Instruct distributor to ramp up deliveries – in TX order.
10. Update support intranet site, file store and operations handover.
    
    
    

With that acquired contribution one done, it’s technically sound and operations are happy – next distributor? Well being as your here we have some physical hard drive arrivals that we want to move to network file delivered – can you speak with our sister broadcaster and plumb in that one?

Well with both being based in London I could take the proposed file delivery workflow and go and present it, get buy in and roll it out – so that’s what happened.

• Work with the overall architecture setup.
• Setup the media workflow with your content provider.
• Ensure suitable operations and support handover.
• Rinse and repeat.

OK so 2 down how many to go? This could be a valid question as the combinations could now be endless, is the cookie cutter working - let's find out. There are so many awkward 
workflows out there it would be prudent to get as many as possible to be integrated in a standardised way.

Now that your in a media plumbing ‘rhythm’ let’s see what we can put on your task list – now it doesn’t really matter where it’s coming from to be honest. The workflow profile’s being put in are all automated right up to QC, they all have notifications, support routes and bespoke documentation – next.

By now the operations staff become acquainted with you and there is less asking for system access and where things are – simply get more plumbing jobs.

• Some content providers add some complexity for their workflows.

• The technology is now tried and tested, plug and play as they say.

• Even documentation has a formula – adding value and saving time.

• Now extending plumbing jobs to non-linear workflows, why not?

• Expand metadata work with possibilities on other content.
  
  All good plumbing jobs must come to an end (of assignment), well I can leave the cookie cutter as there are other cookie cutters out there. As with all project work it’s operations in the end who inherit it – so let these media workflows make life easier.
  

The contractor assignment was around 7 months in the end, the stormin’ normin’ performin’ aspect was just as it says. Embedded with the tech teams collaborating on shared work or going forth on my solo integrations which finishing was a well oiled machine. Ancast still follows their updates and developments (some incredibly progressive!) and keeps in contact with them – as always.

testimonial

"I have had the pleasure of working with Ben on a number of occasions. He is an expert in 
file based workflows and can be trusted with high level solution architecture through to 
the set up and configuration of workflow tools. Ben played a pivotal part in integrating 
international offices and clients to the file based workflows for VOD, editing and 
languaging. Ben's is the sort of guy who will get on with the job raising issues and 
suggested solutions along the way."

written by Ian Baker

then Director of Media Technology, Discovery