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Remote workflows have long been an industry practice in production and post, whether labeled as such or not. Outside of live programming, teams have often produced (or post produced) content away from the location where it was captured. In the past, especially for late night television, production crews might physically ship or courier tapes or drives between locations, but today, most production teams capture content digitally (and with better file transfer methodologies than ever). It’s a trend that’s given production and post teams far more options when deploying remote workflows and made the approach more viable for live environments. However, navigating the various aspects of modern remote production can be tricky, so here are a few considerations to streamline the process:
Set the quality bar up front
Regardless of display technology, modern audiences expect a high level of visual quality across content experiences, and establishing that bar early on is important so that production and post teams can take the right steps to maintain it as content moves throughout the chain. Productions may capture in high-definition (HD) and high dynamic range (HDR), but the right solutions and methodologies are necessary to ensure that content can withstand a degree of compression and losslessness. From there, finding the right approach to get footage from on set to production or post studios is a matter of priorities.
Local recording is crucial, even if streaming audio and video feeds for remote production needs. Even the most stable network connections can experience periodic dropouts, and that’s not a risk worth taking. Pairing flexible, file-based, high quality recording capabilities, like those offered by AJA’s Ki Pro line of ProRes®, DNxHR®, DNxHD®, and H.265/H.264 recorders, with each camera can ensure that you’re able to encode to your file format of choice. Alternatively, a proven H.264 streaming and recording device that supports multiple inputs and delivery destinations, such as AJA HELO Plus, can accommodate a wide range of streaming needs, especially for remote reviews.
Balance time and budget
For a long time, ‘sneakernet’ was the most cost-effective way to transport files. This approach refers to the physical hand-off of files, which are then driven (or flown) to where they need to be. When content is only traveling a short distance, this method could still make sense for many remote productions. In an alternative approach files can be transported digitally from location to production center. Production companies can rent (or buy) dark fiber lines or install satellite linkups for the fastest encrypted transfers. Most of the time, these secure lines are rented by the hour or day (even if less time is needed), and can be quite expensive. Still, this would make sense when prioritizing time over budget. Conversely, producers can opt for a slower transfer route over a private network, which will be more economical, but not necessarily appropriate for tight turnaround projects.
Big budget productions – like major international sporting events – have been running remote productions in recent years because it makes economic sense for their application. Setting up a temporary large scale production facility in another country and flying out all the people and gear to support that effort is astronomically expensive. With the increase in global bandwidth and advancements in technology, it’s become far more cost effective for these types of productions to be conducted remotely. Footage can be transmitted as proxy files to editors and production staff for producing, then full resolution files are used for the final cut. Similar approaches can now be followed by productions of all sizes to enjoy the benefits of remote production. New solutions, like AJA’s BRIDGE LIVE turnkey system, can even replace costly satellite transmission and make the production and delivery of high quality video streams broadly accessible for streaming sports, ecommerce, lectures, conference material, or other content.
Evaluate IP options
One of the biggest drivers advancing remote production is the continued maturation of IP workflows. This technology enables productions to leverage public internet connections to securely move content, instead of having to rely on extensive cabling, satellites, or fiber. More productions are embracing IP technology for digital file transfer with the rise of appropriate transport protocols, such as SMPTE ST 2110, NDI, and Secure Reliable Transport (SRT). Since many production facilities are still standardized on SDI, with significant legacy gear already in place, hybrid technology like BRIDGE LIVE and BRIDGE NDI can fill in the gap, offering the best of both worlds.
A more recent addition, Audinate’s Dante AV-over-IP technology provides high quality audio and video over IP. As with other IP technologies, leading broadcast solutions providers are building tools to accommodate Dante AV workflows. Often Dante AV workflows must be deployed alongside existing SDI or HDMI infrastructure, making conversion tools like AJA’s Dante AV 4K-R receiver and Dante AV 4K-T transmitter essential for delivering high quality, visually lossless imagery across these disparate infrastructures.
Sifting through myriads of remote production approaches and technology can be daunting, but it’s a task well worth undertaking. Not only do remote capabilities make productions more agile, but they help unlock exciting possibilities for content production and distribution. To learn more about remote production workflows and how AJA solutions can be used in various remote production scenarios, visit: aja.com, and come see AJA at IBC 2024 in hall 7, stand B.19 to see some exciting new developments firsthand.
Pippa Considine
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