Editing in the Cloud Is Easy (As Long As You Have the Right Speed, Storage and Strategy)

NAB

There’s an old tech industry joke that “the cloud” is a fancy way of saying “somebody else’s computer.” That’s a bit of an oversimplification since cloud computing services are a lot more involved than just providing access to a server someone else owns.

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But the fact remains that the primary attribute of cloud computing is accessing computing resources — software applications, servers, data storage, development tools, and networking functionalities remotely over the internet.

Increasingly that means everyday post-production processes and crafts like editing too. Like much of post-production activity, the real shift to cloud came with COVID. If productions were to continue behind closed doors then remote and collaborative ways to continue the job had to be found.

While many facility managers and editors found those ad hoc attempts at the start of 2020 to be just about workable, the way the technology was proven to work opened up people’s minds to the benefits of more permanent cloud-based editing.

Today, at the very least, hybrid work-office scenarios are common, with cloud-based workflows no longer considered unusual across all genres ranging from live news and sports to feature animation, scripted TV and documentaries.

In a series of primers (ostensibly to promote its cloud storage), LucidLink explains cloud video editing and outlines the benefits it can offer.

Much of what the company has to say will be familiar to industry pros, but there’s a no-nonsense clarity for anyone unsure.

Cloud video editing refers to workflows that leverage the cloud rather than on-premise infrastructure. Editors can share their data with the complete toolset of a desktop-based NLE such as Adobe Premiere, Avid or DaVinci Resolve. The key difference is that the data itself is stored in the cloud, rather than on local devices. With the right software, cloud-based video editing can also include tools installed on virtual machines that perform parts of an editing workflow.

One of the chief benefits of working this way is remote collaboration. Since cloud-based systems and storage are inherently accessible from anywhere in the world, this enables both hybrid and fully remote workflows for editing teams.

Configured correctly (and the article doesn’t particularly delve into the cost of cloud storage and data transfer which vary greatly depending on facility needs), cloud can save time and cash.

“Although the cloud offers clear advantages when it comes to smaller files (like low-res video proxies), until recently handling large files was an unsolved challenge for cloud video editors due to lengthy upload and download times,” LucidLink notes, before offering its tech as a solution.

There’s also a look at the merits of cloud versus on-premise set-ups with files residing in a SAN or NAS system within a facility.

This latter approach, says the vendor, “requires copying large files to hard drives or using file transfer services if collaboration requires working with freelance talent in other locations other than at the facility itself.

“Even when working with large amounts of raw video data, editors often need to search, analyze and tag files, preferably in real time. The larger the file, the longer it takes to download, upload, render, or share.  Beyond the costly hardware investment, these systems still don’t solve the problem of waiting for files to download or distribute.”

However, it’s not usually a zero sum game. Most facilities at this moment in time prefer to retain one foot in both camps, in part as a safety net for data loss.

There are of course lots of choices when it comes to storage and the right strategy is vital for any production, says LucidLink.

“On-prem SAN and NAS systems can be very performant, but those benefits only exist in one location: a facility. The need to collaborate anywhere however is not addressed by these legacy approaches. This is where a cloud-based approach comes in.”

As we have seen from the recent NAB Show, more and more vendors are offering cloud based workflows. These increasingly start from the camera, where proxies are uploaded directly via the internet to some form or media management platform, and from which authenticated users anywhere can download or stream files to work from.

In a few years, looking back at the heavy duty power hungry monoliths of Silicon Graphics machines, Quantel boxes, or Autodesk hardware, we will wonder just how we ever worked without the internet.