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Creative Agency Streamlining Remote Collaboration and Asset Sharing
Company Situation
The company is a small creative production team that operates as part of a larger agency. Their team includes remote editors and freelancers, making collaboration and asset sharing across locations a key part of their workflow. They manage multiple company projects and require reliable, secure storage and easy access to large media files.
Existing Workflow
Currently, the team uses a network-attached storage device (referred to as "the jellyfish") to store and manage their media assets. They back up data intermittently using Backblaze cloud backup and maintain an on-premises server for redundancy. For remote collaboration, the team relies on remote desktop solutions and a remote service integrated with their storage device, though the latter is being discontinued. Asset sharing with companies and freelancers often involves Google Drive for review and approval, as mandated by the parent agency’s broader systems. Also, asset search depends heavily on manual methods such as spreadsheets and knowledge of project naming conventions.
Issues with the Existing Workflow
The team faces several challenges with their current setup:
Lack of seamless, cloud-backed storage leading to concerns about data loss and security.
The manual and time-consuming process of backing up data every two weeks.
Difficulty handing off projects to remote editors and freelancers due to discontinued remote services and clunky remote desktop setups.
Inefficient asset search and retrieval, requiring team members to know exactly where files reside or rely on spreadsheets maintained by account teams.
Reliance on multiple tools (remote desktop, Google Drive, Backblaze) creates workflow complexity and potential for errors or delays.
How Shade Would Change Their Workflow
Shade offers a cloud-native solution that enables real-time access to all media assets regardless of user location, eliminating the need for manual backups and complicated remote desktop setups. The platform integrates secure cloud storage with high-performance file access, simplifying project handoff to remote team members and freelancers. Shade also includes powerful search capabilities that reduce dependence on external spreadsheets and manual naming conventions. Its review and approval tools mirror popular platforms, easing company collaboration without disrupting existing preferences for tools like Frame. The Shade team supports seamless migration, onboarding, and training to ensure smooth adoption.
Benefits
- Cloud-backed storage with automatic, secure backups and redundancy, reducing risk of data loss
- Simplified remote access for editors and freelancers without VPNs or remote desktops
- Streamlined asset handoff and project sharing via a single integrated platform
- Advanced search functionality enabling quick retrieval of assets without prior knowledge of file locations
- Review and approval workflows that align with company expectations and existing tools
- Reduced operational overhead by eliminating manual backup and packaging tasks
- Comprehensive support for migration, training, and ongoing account management
Technologies Used
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