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Creative Media Producer Supporting Large Multifaceted Teams
Company Situation
The company operates within the creative media production sector, supporting a large, multifaceted creative team of approximately 200 users. Their team includes motion graphics artists, designers, UX specialists, writers, and other creative roles who require reliable access to large volumes of digital assets. Their workflows involve managing high-resolution video footage, graphic design files, and various creative project assets, necessitating scalable storage and streamlined collaboration across distributed teams.
Existing Workflow
Currently, the company uses a combination of cloud storage solutions, primarily piloting a month-to-month plan with LucidLink, which has been their main tool for cloud-based file streaming and collaboration. They also rely on SharePoint as a creative server for file storage, and Microsoft Azure for cold storage of less frequently accessed assets. For review and approval workflows, they use Workfront Proof and Frame IO for video dailies and shoot-related content. Their storage setup is tiered between active storage on their creative server and colder, longer-term storage on Azure.
Issues with the Existing Workflow
The company faces multiple challenges with their current setup:
Scalability and Capacity Limits: Their SharePoint server recently ran out of space, highlighting the need for expandable, scalable storage solutions.
Cost Concerns: LucidLink’s pricing at approximately $80 per terabyte has raised concerns about long-term affordability, especially when scaling to 200 users.
Storage Tiering Complexity: Managing multiple tiers of storage (active and cold) across different platforms adds complexity and potential inefficiency.
Performance for Large Media Files: While LucidLink works well for day-to-day files, the company expressed interest in a tiered approach that could better accommodate large video files and footage that are accessed less frequently but still need easy availability.
Integration and Workflow Compatibility: Their review and approval processes are tightly integrated with existing tools like Workfront Proof and Frame IO, so any new solution must complement rather than replace these workflows.
How Shade Would Change Their Workflow
Shade offers a cloud-native file streaming platform designed to feel and perform like local storage, similar to their current LucidLink experience but with additional capabilities tailored to large creative teams. Shade can unify their storage tiers into a more seamless interface, providing cost-effective options for both active and cold storage within a single platform. Shade’s architecture supports scalable, enterprise-level deployments suitable for their 200-user creative team, enabling faster access to large video files with a potential tiered storage approach. Additionally, Shade has built-in features around review and approval workflows, which could enhance or integrate with their existing tools, streamlining collaboration and asset management without disrupting their current project management systems.
Benefits
- Scalable enterprise solution supporting 200+ creative users
- Cost-effective storage with tiered options for active and cold assets
- Seamless cloud file streaming that mimics local drive performance
- Simplified storage management reducing need for multiple platforms
- Potential integration or enhancement of existing review and approval workflows
- Improved speed and reliability for accessing large video files and creative assets
- Centralized platform consolidating creative storage needs