same time, companies are happy to continue using old systems until they breathe their last breath. This has been called the ‘electric car effect’ – where everyone is planning on buying one, but waiting until the last possible moment, so they can start in with the latest technology. As a result, media workflows and infrastructures are multifaceted and diverse. Cloud-based editing may go hand in hand with SDI-based gear on-premises. An IP broadcast studio may need to be continually repurposed to manage shows delivered across a variety of outlets. People might build a portable production unit based on SDI, because it’s cheap and simple – but then be ready to run it remotely via a gateway to the network. Ultimately, says Felstead, the real solution is human, not technological.
“The customer is sitting at their premises, trying to figure out which technology decisions to make – which can be difficult, even for people who make the technology. They’re focused on running their business, and making media. So, finding a company like Sony to partner with is a good move.” Felstead points to a conversation with a customer who made a pledge to go 100% to the cloud by 2026. But this commitment wasn’t just a blind dash to some arbitrary technological finish line. The goal was a framework in which the company could test the limits of what was possible; a way of learning what they could adopt in the cloud and what would need to be augmented with other technologies. “You have to engage in proofs of concept. It’s similar to how the pandemic taught the industry remote production is possible – it may not have been as pretty as on-premises, but people found out what works.” Running tests and trials, and relying on the experience of others, will go a long way towards creating successful media businesses in the future. Jumping in without the proper consultation or foresight risks disaster. WELCOME ADDITION “We have experts at Sony who have been here for years,” explains Odza.
“They understand the histories and backgrounds of the industry and our clients. But we also have a new group of people who really grasp APIs and software connections.” In 2020, Sony acquired Nevion, award-winning provider of virtualised media production solutions. It has a long history of using IP, IT and virtualisation technology to allow easy media sharing. The addition of the Nevion team to the Sony family introduces tremendous opportunities for synergy between Sony’s legendary broadcast experience and innovation in the world of IP, cloud and networks. This new partnership augments what is already a vast background in the software-based world. Sony, after all, created one of the first cloud services widely used by major media companies. In 2013, the company launched Ci, which allowed Sony Pictures film and TV productions to manage and share footage. As Sony rolled out more cloud- based solutions, with Ci continuing to evolve, the company’s remote contribution tools also evolved. XDCAM Air turned into C3 Portal, allowing teams to get instant access to content faster than ever. The microservices-based Media Solutions Toolkit started to take shape alongside Media Analytics Portal,
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