Managing and delivering assets to all devices

Vizrt CTO Petter Jakobsen and Vizrt America's Isaac Hersly focused on how to manage and deliver assets to all devices with smarter workflows. "We're all thinking about that," said Hersly. When we think about delivery to other devices, we think about IP delivery which is flexible and cost-effective. It's quite adaptable for launching new stations or to OTT channels. In the past, you had to create a brand new set of architectures in every location. With IP architecture you can have control in one location for channels across the world or next door.

Hersly shared a study by Devoncroft that polled broadcasters and their No. 1 concern was multi-platform production and distribution. Multi-platform distribution is not a new idea, he said, but let's be smarter to keep our costs down and thus improve revenues. "We know that revenue is there and will increase over time," he said. "It's important to try to keep those costs down." Which do we do first, IP or broadcast? "The idea of producing for mobile first has been gaining traction but it has some limits," he said. "The best approach is to do  them together, a parallel workflow that is automated as output is concerned."

Vizrt's idea is to have one central platform to distribute to all devices. "On the distribution side, we look a how to simultaneously output SDI video and graphics at a resolution required for each of the formats," said Hersly. "For example, with device-adapted graphics we can do that for each device, even with customization for branding for a logo or sponsor, a way to get revenue. You can have versions of that content, each one with its own sponsor, added in real-time based on metadata." The graphics are stored as metadata along with video until it's ready to air. "You can have a centralized workflow that is constantly updated," he said.

With a centralized IP workflow, it opens new opportunities to companies, allowing people to work anywhere. He advised a task list to manage requests from different departments. "Use an order management workflow," he said. "A producer should not have to leave his workstation." To summarize, a smarter workflow means managing media end-to-end and importing content from any source. It must be controlled from a single point and content must be adapted for an delivered to any platform. Production must be enabled from anywhere, with the ability to search, edit or update video content. "Probably most important is that the workflow model should be designed for the contente creator, who is the prime user," said Hersly.