Digital Backbone Project Overviewghj / 2010.04a 1
Digital Backbone Project Overview
Sony Pictures Technologies
Digital Backbone Project Overviewghj / 2010.04a 2
Why a Digital Backbone?
Digital Backbone Project Overviewghj / 2010.04a 3
A scalable, flexible and file-based solution is imperative to support new paradigms in entertainment production and distribution.
Sony is uniquely positioned to develop, operate and market the solution, which is core to its mission and competitive advantage.
Tape
Fi l m
Dai l i esEdi t or i al VFX DI
St or age
Tr anscodi ng/ Fi l e Conver si on
Conf or m
Di gi t alMast er
Di st r i but i onMast er
Ci nema( DCP)
TV( I nt ’ l )
I PTV Hot el / Fl i ghtBl u- r ay
Memor y
Acquisition Digital ProductionPost Pr oduct i on Di st r i but i on ( DVP)
Di gi t al
I nt er net
Medi a
Ter r est r i al
Sat el l i t e
Home
Theat er
Ent er t ai nment
Distribution Vi ewi ng
SOA base Wor kf l ow/ Met adat a/ Asset Management
Market Direction
Digital Backbone Project Overviewghj / 2010.04a 4
The Digital Backbone is a seamless infrastructurefrom content capture through distribution.
From Camera Lens to Cellphone
Digital Backbone: Enabling a Digital Studio
Production Backbone
Distribution Backbone
Digital Backbone Ecosystem
Sales/Marketing PortalsProduct Master Systems
Final Masters
Prod master,Metadata
Ordering,Availability,Dist ’nstatus
Data
Media
Legend
Marketing, Other WIP..
New Productions,Acquisitions, Restorations
Dist clients (EST, VOD, Mobile, Cable …)
Supporting media (trailers, box art…)
External Vendors
WIP creative marketing, post-prod
Marketing assets (trailers, EPKs,
photos, screeners…)
External flows
Dailies, WIP, Edits
Metadata
Digital Backbone Project Overviewghj / 2010.04a 6
DISTRIBUTION BACKBONEPRODUCTION BACKBONE
Sony United Implementation Team• Sony Pictures Technologies• Sony DADC• Sony B2B
Sony United Implementation Team• B2B Solutions Group
• B2BoA San Jose• BPRL• Atsugi
• Cross Functional SPE Team• Technologies • Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems• Television• Post Production & Studio Operations• Imageworks, Digital Media Group
Although the distribution and production segments of the backbonewill be integrated, two different implementation approaches will be utilized.
Two Implementations, One Backbone
Digital Backbone Project Overviewghj / 2010.04a 7
Two Implementations, One BackboneSimilar high-level architecture including BPM, DAM, content processing, digital media services, but…
■PBB involves greater variability in processes, tools in order to adapt to constantly changing creative environment.■DBB requires more structured, controlled and highly predictive supply-chain like environment.
Each designed to align with related business processes.Both integrated to form a unified and streamlined digital backbone, in alignment with SPE enterprise objectives.
Item/ criteria PBB DBB Resulting differenceWorkflow variability
Very high: over 80 identified workflows, most of which would change on a per production basis.
Well defined spec for each client delivery specification
PBB requires more flexible BPM which will require constant workflow changes.
Essence Mostly very large number of smaller files (DPX). All uncompressed or lossless. Around 1 PB per 4K title. WIP through finished mezzanine.
Finished assets (mezz J2K, ProRes). Smaller number of very large files.
Different storage management and network requirements.
Asset/ file management
More files, smaller average size. SPE anticipates over 1 billion PBB files. Many files < 100 MB range.
Fewer files, much larger in size. Thousands to < 1 million files. Many files in > 100 GB size range.
Different digital asset management requirements.
Metadata Higher variability, less predictive, changes from one show to the next, vendor dependent…
More predictive, based on defined specs.
Different metadata management requirements.
Ecosystem Designed to allow for many post-prod vendors to interact; inflow and outflow of assets highly variable.
Tightly controlled inflow of outflow of assets.
Different security models.
User interaction More self-service. Anticipating larger number of production operators interacting with system.
Fewer, more specialized users. Different UI focus.
Digital Backbone Project Overviewghj / 2010.04a 8
Sony Media Backbone Conductor
A media-oriented, SOA-based digital production backbone frameworkdesigned to provide flexibility, adaptability, and scalability
■ Automated workflow and process management■ Realtime activity dashboard monitoring and reporting■ File movement and management■ Digital asset management and metadata database
Provides an open architecture■ Defines and publishes interfaces■ Creates an “ecosystem”:
Encourages third-party development of services, plug-ins, and clients
Digital Backbone Project Overviewghj / 2010.04a 9
SPE and Media Backbone Conductor Background
SPE worked with Sony B2B to identify and analyze key workflows■ Targeted 12 workflows and documented ‘as-is’ state, and designed ‘conceptual’ state■ Targeted areas included: Ingest, Dailies, Picture Editorial, Sound Editorial, DI, Final
Finish, VFX, Marketing, Stock Footage, Distribution Backbone (DBB) and Archive
Inventory of 3rd party tools and devices required to support workflows
■ Approximately 50 tools and devices are planned for integration■ Intent is to ‘service-enable’ or ‘wrap’ as many of these as possible■ Focus on 3rd party solutions equipped with accessible API
Digital Backbone Project Overviewghj / 2010.04a 10
Media Backbone Conductor Status
Implemented
■ Services: transcode, transport, notification, security-authorization■ Devices: Rhozet, Amberfin, Aspera, Sony HDCAM SR■ Applications: BlackMagic ingest; script/ command line execution■ External Interfaces: IdM/ LDAP, Email/ smtp
In Development■ UI: admin, monitoring…■ More device wrappers and services
SPE – Colorworks to receive ‘NAB version’ in early May
Release 1 expected in September
Digital Backbone Project Overviewghj / 2010.04a 11
SPE – Media Backbone Integration
SPE-Colorworks to receive first deployment in May (NAB version)
In Development■ UI: admin, monitoring…■ More device wrappers and services
PBB – Modular Arch View
SPTech - Confidential
4/7/15
12
PBB Digital Media Services (Core/ Business)- PBB DAM Services - Transform Services- Delivery Services- Other Advanced
PBB Storage (WIP, Mezzanine, Metadata)
Ad
vanced
Wo
rkflow
s
Interface (via UI, or system API/ hotfolder)
Ing
estS
ervices
Extract S
ervices
Production Facilities and other PBB customers(ColorWorks, Pix Editorial, Sound Editorial, Imageworks, Marketing, Archiving, Restoration,
external e.g. Efilms…)
Digital Backbone Project Overviewghj / 2010.04a 13
SOA implementation
Appendix:Close-up
CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
SPE Production Workflows
• Post-prod. Management• Content Ingest• Dailies• VFX• Marketing Trailers• Stock Footage
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• Picture Editorial• Sound Editorial• DI• Final Finish• Archive• Distribution Backbone
CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Production Management• DESIRED FEATURES
• Knowing % of work completed• Understanding spend-to-date• Measuring against original
estimates & benchmarks
• WHAT CONSTELLATION CAN DO FOR THIS GROUP• Executive dashboards monitor complete/incomplete activities • Work activities
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CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Content Ingest – Colorworks (tentative)
• DESIRED FEATURES• Track physical assets• Facilitate metadata lifecycle• In-house DPX generation
• WHAT CONSTELLATION CAN DO FOR THIS GROUP• Support digital slate automation• Generate Super ALEs for batch ingest• Hand-offs to dailies workflows
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CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Dailies Production• DESIRED FEATURES
• Track physical assets• Facilitate metadata lifecycle• In-house DPX generation • Near real-time processing
• WHAT CONSTELLATION CAN DO FOR THIS GROUP• Automated transcodes and metadata transfer to downstream users
through the DBB• Automated sound sync• Integration to Pix System
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CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Visual Effects (VFX)• DESIRED FEATURES
• Materials movement between VFX teams
• Maintaining assets securely• WIP Versioning • Getting metadata from the set
• WHAT CONSTELLATION CAN DO FOR THIS GROUP• Facilitate WIP transfers between post-production teams• Metadata trails from ingest through DI• Improve asset security
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CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Marketing Trailers and Promotions
• INTERVIEWSArt Shapiro
• DESIRED FEATURES• Previewing Dailies Content • Distributing materials to
creative vendors• Speed to market
• WHAT CONSTELLATION CAN DO FOR THIS GROUP• Facilitate Dailies distribution and viewing through DBB• Improve access and security of original content 19
CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Stock Footage
• DESIRED FEATURES• Access to production footage
and metadata• Gathering licensing and
rights from the set
• WHAT CONSTELLATION CAN DO FOR THIS GROUP• Early access to footage and metadata• Facilitate pull list creation and transcodes of HD Master
20
CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Picture Editorial• DESIRED FEATURES
• Avid time required for previewrendering
• Time spent discovering sync issues
• Speed, tight timelines
• WHAT CONSTELLATION CAN DO FOR THIS GROUP• Configurable burn-in templates• Automated transfer and Avid checkin of dailies content• Automatic notification, • Transcode and distribute renders to screening rooms21
CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Sound Editorial
• INTERVIEWSTom McCarthy, Robert Smith, Trish
• DESIRED FEATURES• Replace manual file transport
(firewire drives) on the lot.
• Replace paper logs and Excel sheetsused for tracking.
• WHAT CONSTELLATION CAN DO FOR THIS GROUP• Faster and more regular synchronization with picture editorial• Provide a secure transfer of WIP content • Provide monitoring dashboards and reports• Integration with sound library
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CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Digital Intermediate (DI)
• DESIRED FEATURES• Automated transfer of
conformed DPX from PBB• Better tracking of DI progress• Provide metadata
• WHAT CONSTELLATION CAN DO FOR THIS GROUP• Confirm list-driven file transfer• Dashboards and detail statuses on DI Progress• Access additional content as required
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CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Final Finish
• DESIRED FEATURES• Awareness of Post Production status
• Tracking assets for Distribution
• WHAT CONSTELLATION CAN DO FOR THIS GROUP• Provide summary status of final finish reviews and approvals• Transfer DI assets to film post-houses, DCP authoring systems• Trigger alternate mastering (HE, airline, cable, etc.)
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CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Archive
• DESIRED FEATURES• Digital assets inconsistent
across productions• Metadata inconsistent or not available• Monitoring & QC equipment not available for 4K
• WHAT CONSTELLATION CAN DO FOR THIS GROUP• Task archivists to initiate workflow, based on LTO from DI• Rollup status of archive process for dashboards• Provide archivists with preview into production metadata
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CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Distribution Backbone
• DESIRED FEATURES• Assets from DI must be compatible
with distribution chain• Interface to Distribution Backbone
to be defined
• WHAT CONSTELLATION CAN DO FOR THIS GROUP• Provide metadata package at handoff to distribution• Assemble distribution elements• Transfer digital assets to distribution backbone
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CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Core activities associated with a typical ingest process
Anatomy of Content Ingest
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Receive Production Assets
Migrateto Storage
Login & IngestPhysicalAsset
GenerateHigh-ResMaster
QC Essence&Metadata
Sub
Detailed Steps Associated with Receipt of Production
Receive NotificationFrom Set
Unpack the Materials
Verify &LogContents
Did we get what we expected?
1 2 43 <YESProceed
NO Contactthe Set
CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Material Receipt
Notification
QC OK?
Metadata OK?
Required Assets
Received?
QC DPX Files
Film Scan
Tape Ingest
File Ingest
Ingest Metadata
Verify Materials Received
Receive Ingest
Package
Notify Set
Ingest Sound QC Sound Files
QC OK?No
No
Ingest Metadata
Conceptual Workflow | Ingest
Sub
Features
• Add asset to MAM• Authentication• Metadata Management• Event Notification• Transaction Logging
Logging UIs Infrastructure
• GPMS ID• IDM• MTI• Constellation WIP MAM
Ingest Technician Dashboard
2
1
Inge
1
2
Logging Materials – Create Work Request
CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Material Receipt
Notification
QC OK?
Metadata OK?
Required Assets
Received?
QC DPX Files
Film Scan
Tape Ingest
File Ingest
Ingest Metadata
Verify Materials Received
Receive Ingest
Package
Notify Set
Ingest Sound QC Sound Files
QC OK?No
No
Ingest Metadata
Conceptual Workflow | Ingest
Sub
Features
• Auto Ingest• Metadata Management• Physical Media Read• Data Transport• Add asset to MAM• Transaction Logging
Ingestion UIs Infrastructure
• Production Backbone• Film Scanner• MTI• Constellation WIP MAM• Transcoders
1
Ingest Technician Dashboard
1
CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Material Receipt
Notification
QC OK?
Metadata OK?
Required Assets
Received?
QC DPX Files
Film Scan
Tape Ingest
File Ingest
Ingest Metadata
Verify Materials Received
Receive Ingest
Package
Notify Set
Ingest Sound QC Sound Files
QC OK?No
No
Ingest Metadata
Conceptual Workflow | Ingest
Sub
Features
• Auto Ingest• Metadata Management• Physical Media Read• Data Transport• Add asset to MAM• Transaction Logging
Ingestion UIs Infrastructure
• Production Backbone• Film Scanner• MTI• Constellation WIP MAM• Transcoders
Inge
1
2
Ingest Work Order
CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
Material Receipt
Notification
QC OK?
Metadata OK?
Required Assets
Received?
QC DPX Files
Film Scan
Tape Ingest
File Ingest
Ingest Metadata
Verify Materials Received
Receive Ingest
Package
Notify Set
Ingest Sound QC Sound Files
QC OK?No
No
Ingest Metadata
Conceptual Workflow | Ingest
Sub
Features
• Auto Ingest• Metadata Management• Physical Media Read• Data Transport• Add asset to MAM• Transaction Logging
Ingestion UIs Infrastructure
• Production Backbone• Film Scanner• MTI• Constellation WIP MAM• Transcoders
1
Production Supervisor Dashboard
1
CONSTELLATION | SONY B2BoASPE - Confidential
ghj / 2010.04a 32
Questions ?
33
Colorworks Architecture
Custom Integrationrequired
34
Test Type Test Categories BS SS PH VM LX MJ RK HK BD HT TM
Software QA – SOA Testing
Services (Manual) *
Services (Automation) *
Adaptors / Wrappers &Standalone Applications *
Workflow / BPM *
GUI (Manual) *
GUI (Automation) *
Development: Remaining Tasks for 1.0 Release (1)
UI Complete wireframes for configuration / administration Implement all UI screens
Stand-alone apps AJA Xena 2K (in progress)
Device Wrappers Sony Ellcami (transcode, file compression) Anystream Agility AVID Media Composer/Interplay/AMT Sony XDCAM/XDCAM EX for file-based ingest Sony HDCAM SR for ingesting Telefile metadata SPE CineSlate and Camera Logger – ingest metadata Test Watermarking, DRM, Encryption (CineFence, NexGuard) Others devices whose APIs are not currently available or identified (TBD)
35
Integration with SPE Infrastructure ● Identity Management● Production Database● Work Order System● Billing/Resource system● Customer Asset Database
Workflow implementation Implement SPE “to-be” workflows
Will include integration with SPE infrastructure.
This is a non-trivial task!
Services Color Grade Conform Prep Editorial Ingest Picture Editing Transcode/Watermark/Overlay (burn-in) Transport Work Order Transaction Logging File Compression Archive Essence- and Metadata-related services HSM
Development: Remaining Tasks for 1.0 Release (2)
36
Timeline for Remaining v1.0 Items
Feb
Mar
Apr May Jun
Today
Conform PrepColor-grade
InvisibleWatermark
Editorial
Essence Verification
Ingest PictureEditing
SyncTranscode
TransportVisible
Watermark
FileCompression
WorkOrder
Layoff
TransactionLogging
UI / ProSkin
SonyEllcami
AJA Xena 2K
BlackMagicDeckLink HD AVID
InterplayAVID Composer/
Interplay/AMTBaselight
SonyXDCAM/EXCineFence,
NexGuard
SPECineSlate
ServicesWrappers
LEGEND
37Digital Backbone Project Overview ghj / 2010.04a 37
Current SPE Production Backbone Configuration
• 500 TB disk storage (SAN)• 2 PB tape storage• Proprietary software for ingestion, access control,
and retrieval of picture files and metadata• Secure network connection (10 Gb/s) to SPE Studio Lot• Secure network connection (1 Gb/s) to external facility (Efilm)
38Digital Backbone Project Overview ghj / 2010.04a 38
SPE Production Backbone Projects
• Motion pictures already released that were done on SPE backbone– Zombieland (2009)– Shot on Panavision Genesis, SR tape (370 camera rolls, >100 hours of material, >100 TB)
– Digital dailies processing and DPX conversion at SPE
– Automated retrieval of frames from backbone via secure network:
• By show postproduction office on SPE Studio Lot for VFX and editorial
• By Colorworks for digital intermediate
– 2012 (2009)– Shot primarily on Panavision Genesis, SR tape (>250 hours of material, >250 TB)
– Digital dailies processing done at outside facility,then tapes shipped to SPE for conversion to DPX format and ingestion into backbone
– Automated retrieval of frames from backbone via secure network:
• By show postproduction office on SPE Studio Lot for VFX and editorial
• By Efilm (independent offsite vendor) for digital intermediate
39Digital Backbone Project Overview ghj / 2010.04a 39
SPE Production Backbone Projects
• Projects currently on SPE backbone
– Digital intermediates– Battle LA, Death at a Funeral, Pretend Wife, etc.
– Remastering– Mr. Deeds, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Cable Guy, etc.