Many in the production community know how important cloud technology is becoming for production and personal use alike. Cloud storage works well, for example, and saves most of us from reaching for a DVD when we have to copy files that we need to give to someone.
That convenience is just a very little bit of what an important part cloud storage and cloud computing is beginning to play in our world. At NAB 2014, for example, some 55 sessions were devoted to how the cloud is changing this or that aspect of the industry.
London-based Aframe (they also have New York and LA offices) is one of the top players changing the nature of production and post by using some very sophisticated cloud storage servers. Along with that a Software as a Service approach means that you never really need to sit behind a powerful workstation to do most of your editing and review work, working instead with a laptop or iPad as needed.
I mention Aframe since it’s network was used extensively for production of “The Honorable Woman,” airing on Sundance TV in the U.S. earlier in the month. Written, produced and directed by BAFTA winner Hugo Blick, this eight part miniseries is a coproduction between the Sundance Channel and BBC-2. Indie darling Maggie Gyllenhaal stars.
The show’s production companies Drama Republic and Eight Rooks didn’t opt for the usual standalone digital dailies cart but instead used Aframe to connect production between London and Morocco on a daily basis, whether for sending in dailies or making them available to far-flung producers instantaneously.
We were lucky enough to have Aframe CEO David Peto write one of our early Talks from the Top columns (you can read that here; David points out some of the reasons why New York was key to his company’s development).
The full press release is pretty useful too – you can read that here. The link takes you inside Aframe’s website, where you can check into more of the details about the company’s push into cloud services for our industry.