Introduction to the 2022 SMPTE Progress Report

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Greetings all, and welcome to the 2022 SMPTE Progress Report. This year has shown us that the only constant is change. As the world continues to rise from the pandemic and our industry attempts to continue solving the myriad of issues that are presenting themselves, we, as engineers, creative technologists, scientists, content creators, and visionaries, continue to press forward toward innovation. We head toward change purposefully and willingly to be a guide toward something new, hopefully, better and more impactful. That is my definition of progress and why I believe that SMPTE and its members can be a place where progress is our currency in this ever-changing industry.

I recognize that we still have much work ahead of us in critical areas such as sustaining relevance, speed to market, and inclusion, and while these areas are showing some progress, the work has only just begun. That said, I also want to acknowledge the great work being done today in the Society. As the past SMPTE Membership Vice President and now Executive Vice President, I have witnessed an increase in diversity, the rise of new younger voices, and the way this community of exceptionally talented and intelligent people can crowdsource and will a progressive idea and/or solution into existence out of thin air. While amazing to watch, it is even more amazing to be a part of the process. These are all principal values of this Society and a key reason we have over 6,000 members globally who are actively engaged in change activities.

We are now 2.5 years into a pandemic that has placed this world on pause. SMPTE standards are still enabling progress, interoperability, and the foundational logic that has kept people connected, informed, entertained, and, in some cases, sane throughout this ordeal.

It is that type of progress that will be highlighted in this issue of the Journal. We will see how the adoption of cloud-based solutions continues to change many aspects of the supply chain and add efficiency to the process. We will check in with the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at the University of California (USC) to see whether the promises of machine learning are finally leading us to self-aware solutions that could be defined as true artificial intelligence.

This progress report will dive deep into the science behind the work that we do daily to help creatives realize their vision. We will highlight some of the latest trends in production, broadcast, and distribution. This Journal will show how SMPTE continues to be a valuable part of every pipeline, product, and service in play today or on the horizon. As we explore the state of various standards like ST 2110 and ATSC 3.0 as well as others, this report will highlight how the Society collaborates and partners with other organizations to ensure that key elements of design, functionality, and effectiveness such as interoperability and bidirectional metadata exchange across media and entertainment technology remain priorities for tech services, solutions, and systems manufacturers and vendors. These updates will enlighten readers about how far these organizations, many of which we share common members, have come in terms of progress and adoption across the industry.

The Journal will also include updates from several SMPTE core committees and task forces, such as DC Digital Cinema, Television and Broadband Media, FS File Formats and Systems, Media Systems Control and Services, and Cinema Sound System, to name a few. These committees have been working diligently throughout the year to refine the technology needed to advance the storytelling, imaging, and distribution landscapes. These committees are always seeking new members with fresh perspectives. So, consider joining the standards community or exploring some of the progress SMPTE has been making in one of the Society’s other key areas—education. The work of the education and membership committees in 2022 has already delivered a highly successful SMPTE+ event and doubled the student activity on the SMPTE Discord platform. These groups are creating timely content for our existing audience and beginning to appeal to new audiences by looking beyond the trends and identifying technology that has staying power. This analysis and the resulting courses can propel attendees further in their careers faster by providing them with knowledge and insights into various subjects that you cannot easily acquire elsewhere. By investing in our relationships with existing and new educational institutions around the globe in a more inclusive manner than ever before, SMPTE is beginning to model the change that will propel the progress that this Society, our industry, and our society at large so desperately needs.